To provide uniform criteria for the administrative acknowledgment and recognition of Indian tribes, and for other purposes.

Requires an Indian tribe to meet specified criteria before Federal acknowledgement or recognition is granted.

Amends the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act to repeal the revolving door exemption that allows, under certain conditions, current and former Federal employees and officers assigned to or employed by an Indian tribe to act as agents or attorneys for or appear on behalf of such tribe in connection with matters pending before any department, agency, court, or commission, including matters in which the United States is a party or has a direct and substantial interest.

[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4213 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4213

 To provide uniform criteria for the administrative acknowledgment and 
         recognition of Indian tribes, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 22, 2004

 Mr. Simmons (for himself, Mrs. Johnson of Connecticut, Mr. Shays, Ms. 
DeLauro, and Mr. Larson of Connecticut) introduced the following bill; 
            which was referred to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide uniform criteria for the administrative acknowledgment and 
         recognition of Indian tribes, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. UNIFORM CRITERIA FOR ADMINISTRATIVE ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND 
              RECOGNITION OF INDIAN TRIBES.

    (a) In General.--Federal acknowledgment or recognition shall not be 
granted to an Indian tribe unless the Indian tribe has met all of the 
criteria listed in part 83 of title 25, Code of Federal Regulations, as 
in effect on January 1, 2004. When issuing proposed findings and final 
determinations on Federal acknowledgment or recognition of an Indian 
tribe, the Secretary of the Interior shall publish in the Federal 
Register detailed findings on each of those criteria. Such findings 
shall be accompanied by a report under part 83 of title 25, Code of 
Federal Regulations as in effect on January 1, 2004. This section shall 
apply to all petitions regarding which such findings and report have 
not been issued as of the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (b) Prohibition on Modification of Regulations.--Secretary of the 
Interior may not modify, amend, nulify, or change in any way the 
criteria listed in part 83 of title 25, Code of Federal Regulations, as 
in effect on January 1, 2004.

SEC. 2. REPEAL OF REVOLVING DOOR EXEMPTION.

    Section 104(j) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450i(j)) is repealed.
                                 <all>