Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe-Dexter by the Sea Claim Settlement Act
Public Law 98-432 · S. 1735 · 98th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Sep 28, 1984 · Native Americans
Sponsor: Sen. Slade Gorton (R-WA)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Scoop Jackson
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- 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.
Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe-Dexter by the Sea Claim Settlement Act - Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to pay a specified amount to the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe of Washington to settle tribal claims regarding a previous transfer by the United States of certain lands within the Shoalwater Bay Reservation known as Dexter by the Sea.
Extinguishes tribal claims of title to such lands upon receipt of payment. Ratifies the validity of a specific land transfer by the United States to George N. Brown, patentee.
Conditions such payment upon: (1) tribal waiver of all rights and claims to certain lands within the Reservation; and (2) dismissal with prejudice by a certain Federal district court of a specified Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe complaint.
Prohibits any per capita distribution of such payment to Shoalwater Bay tribal members.
Authorizes the Tribe to use the funds for purposes authorized by tribal ordinance or resolution, including investment for economic development.
Requires the Tribe to maintain a segregated accounting system for all principal and income from the funds and to conduct an annual audit.
States that the funds held and administered by the Tribe shall be treated as if held in trust by the Secretary of the Interior. Absolves such Secretary from any trust responsibility after payment of the funds to the Tribe.
Exempts the principal and income of the fund from Federal or State income taxes, and from any consideration for eligibility under Federal assistance programs, including Social Security.
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. 13 actions.
- Sep 28, 1984Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-432.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Sep 20, 1984PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Sep 11, 1984FloorFloor · Passed House by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Natural Resources Committee
- May 30, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- May 24, 1984FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- May 14, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- May 9, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Aug 30, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Aug 3, 1983CommitteeCommittee · 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.