A bill to amend the Act of October 19, 1973 (87 Stat. 466), relating to the use or distribution of certain judgement funds awarded by the Indian Claims Commission or the Court of Claims.
Public Law 97-458 · H.R. 3731 · 97th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Jan 12, 1983 · Native Americans
Sponsor: Rep. Morris Udall (D-AZ-2)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Amends Federal law relating to Indian judgment fund distribution to extend the period of time (from 180 days to one year) within which the Secretary of the Interior is required to submit to Congress a plan for the use and distribution of funds appropriated to pay to any Indian tribe a judgment of the Indian Claims Commission or the Court of Claims.
Directs the Secretary to submit, within the one-year period, proposed legislation to the Congress to authorize use or distribution of judgment funds whenever circumstances do not permit submission of a use and distribution plan.
Requires the Secretary to obtain the consent of the involved tribal governments when use and distribution plans divide judgment funds between two or more beneficiaries. Directs the Secretary to submit proposed legislation to the Congress, if consent cannot be obtained within 180 days.
Permits the Secretary to request 180-day extensions of the one-year period for submission of use and distribution plans. Subjects such requests to the approval of specified Senate and House committees.
Allows judgment funds to be disbursed, under plans approved by the Secretary and the tribal governing body, to the parents or legal guardians of minors or legal incompetents for specified purposes. Limits such plans to urgent needs arising from extenuating circumstances and requires strict accounting for expenditures.
Directs the Secretary, in the development of use and distribution plans, to: (1) survey past and present tribal economic development plans; (2) consider long range benefits to the tribe from such economic development plans; and (3) encourage appropriate programming of funds for economic development purposes.
Eliminates provisions permitting either House of the Congress to disapprove use and distribution plans, submitted by the Department of the Interior, by adopting a simple resolution. Provides, instead, that such plans may be disapproved by enactment of a joint resolution.
Permits the Secretary to withdraw or amend use and distribution plans submitted to Congress, within a 60-day period and before adoption of any resolution of disapproval. Requires that amendments affecting an award division be consented to by the beneficiaries involved. Makes any such amended plan valid 60 days after submission to the Congress, unless a joint resolution of disapproval is enacted within that 60-day period .
Permits an amended plan to be submitted at any time within the original one-year submission period, if the Secretary withdraws the original use and distribution plan.
Requires that the 60-day period be recomputed from the date of introduction of such joint resolution of disapproval in either House and them not be extended again.
Exempts the first $2,000 of any per capita share of judgment funds from consideration as income or resources for purposes of eligibility or benefits under any Federal or federally-assisted program. Makes such exemption retroactive to shares distributed pursuant to plans approved by Congress after December 31, 1981.
Exempts the interests of individual Indians in trust or restricted lands from consideration as a resource in determining eligibility for assistance under any Federal or federally-assisted program.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Natural Resources Committee · House · hearings by (full committee), markup by, referred to, reported by
Indian Affairs Committee · Senate · hearings by (full committee), markup by, referred to, reported by
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.
- Jan 12, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-458.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jan 3, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Dec 20, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments.
- Dec 19, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
- Oct 1, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Aug 18, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Jul 21, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Dec 15, 1981FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Nov 18, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 23, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
- Jul 14, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by House Natural Resources Committee
- May 28, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.