Indian Land Consolidation Act
Public Law 97-459 · S. 503 · 97th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Jan 12, 1983 · Native Americans
Sponsor: Sen. Quentin Burdick (D-ND)
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.
(Senate agreed to House amendments with an amendment)
Title I: Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to purchase, sell, and exchange lands, under specified conditions, on the Devils Lake Sioux Reservation, North Dakota, for the Devils Lake Sioux Tribe or for individual tribal members.
Directs the Secretary to accept transfer of land-title from, and to hold such property in trust for, the Tribe or individual members.
Requires that such acquisiton, sale, or exchange of lands for the Tribe be made only upon request of the authorized governing body of the Tribe.
Declares that lands acquired under this title be held in trust and be treated the same as other Indian lands.
Requires that monies or credits received from sale or exchange of such lands be used to purchase or acquire other property and be deposited in a special account.
Authorizes, with the approval of the Secretary, the leasing of restricted Indian lands located on the Devils Lake Sioux Reservation to the Devils Lake Sioux Tribe.
Sets forth provisions relating to the devise of inheritance of interest in trust or restricted land within the Reservation.
Declares the Devils Lake Sioux Reservation the permanent homeland of the Devils Lake Sioux Tribe.
Title II: - Indian Land Consolidation Act - Makes specified provisions of Federal law, relating to the acquisition of land for Indians, applicable to all tribes.
Authorizes any tribe, with the approval of the Secretary, to exchange or sell any tribal lands or interest in lands to eliminate undivided fractional interests in Indian trust or restricted lands or to consolidate its tribal landholdings. Sets forth conditions for such sales.
Authorizes any tribe to purchase, at not less than the fair market value, all of the interest in any tract or trust or restricted land within its jurisdiction, with the consent of: (1) the owners of over 50 percent of the undivided interests in such tract; or (2) over 50 percent of the owners of such tract. Sets forth conditions for such purchases. Requires the Secretary's approval for such sales and purchases.
Authorizes any tribe, subject to the Secretary's approval, to provide that only its tribal members or Indians shall be entitled to receive by devise or descent any interest of a member of such tribe in trust or restricted land within that tribe's jurisdiction. Sets forth conditions on such inheritance laws.
Provides that no undivided interest in any tract of trust or restricted lands shall be inheritable if such interest represents two percent or less of the total acreage of such tract and has earned less than $100 in the preceding year. Requires such undivided fractional interest to escheat to the tribe.
Directs the Secretary to give full faith and credit to any tribal actions taken pursuant to provisions of this title relating to inheritance laws. Applies such provisions only to estates of decedents whose deaths occur on or after the effective date of tribal ordinances adopted pursuant to this title.
Directs the Secretary to issue appropriate legal documents to effectuate land transfers made pursuant to this title.
Provides that any land-title acquired under this title by an Indian or Indian tribe shall be taken in trust by the United States and that all such lands or interests in lands shall be exempt from Federal, State, and local taxation.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
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: 97-459.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jan 3, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Dec 20, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments.
- Dec 19, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate concurred in the House amendments with an amendment (SU1570) by Voice Vote.
- Dec 6, 1982FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 30, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 15, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
- Sep 8, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- Aug 20, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- Jul 28, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Feb 11, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Sep 22, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Feb 19, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.