A bill to provide that per capita payments to Indians may be made by tribal governments, and for other purposes.
Public Law 98-64 · S. 419 · 98th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Aug 2, 1983 · Native Americans
Sponsor: Sen. Mark Hatfield (R-OR)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- 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.
Provides that trust funds earmarked for per capita distribution to Indian tribes by the Secretary of the Interior may, under specified circumstances, be distributed by the tribal government. Requires that such funds be paid by the Secretary or the tribe directly to tribal members or to the legal guardians or trust funds of members who are minors or legally incompetent.
Specifies conditions under which trust funds may be liable for the payment of previously contracted obligations. States that such conditions are the only provisions of this Act which apply to the Shoshone Tribe and the Arapahoe Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming.
Authorizes tribes to make per capita payments if the payment plans are approved under specified Federal law. Directs the Secretary to establish regulatory standards for the approval of tribal payments. Absolves the United States from liability once a tribe has distributed funds after obtaining such approval.
Repeals the requirement that per capita payments to individual Indians be made by an officer of the Federal Government.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
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.
- Aug 2, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-64.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jul 22, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jul 20, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendment by Voice Vote.
- Jun 20, 1983FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
- Jun 3, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Mar 9, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
- Feb 28, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- Feb 24, 1983FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Feb 23, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Indian Affairs Committee
- Feb 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.