Native American Seeds Act of 2025

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3358 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 3358

 To assist Indian Tribes in protecting Native American seeds, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 4, 2025

 Mr. Heinrich (for himself, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Gallego, Mr. Lujan, and Mr. 
Risch) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 
                   to the Committee on Indian Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To assist Indian Tribes in protecting Native American seeds, 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Native American Seeds Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
            (2) Native american seed.--The term ``Native American 
        seed'' means a seed of traditional or cultural significance to 
        an Indian Tribe.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

SEC. 3. PROTECTION OF NATIVE AMERICAN SEEDS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall work with Indian Tribes--
            (1) to determine which seeds are Native American seeds; and
            (2) to support--
                    (A) efforts of Indian Tribes to protect Native 
                American seeds;
                    (B) Native American seed banks and related 
                facilities; and
                    (C) traditional agriculture systems of Indian 
                Tribes that provide for the nurturing and harvesting of 
                Native American seeds.
    (b) Protection of Information.--Notwithstanding any other provision 
of law, the Secretary shall not disclose or cause to be disclosed any 
information that is--
            (1) provided to the Secretary by an Indian Tribe for the 
        purposes of this Act; and
            (2) identified by the Indian Tribe as culturally sensitive, 
        proprietary, or otherwise confidential.
    (c) No Additional Funds Authorized.--No additional funds are 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section and the 
activities authorized by this section are subject to the availability 
of appropriations made in advance for such purposes.

SEC. 4. JUDICIAL REVIEW.

    Notwithstanding section 706 of title 5, United States Code, a court 
shall defer to the reasonable interpretation of the Secretary with 
respect to any ambiguous provision of this Act.
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