,,ib ,union ,calendar ,no4 #eed #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #eaec ,report ,no4 #aaf-fgj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,november #ah1 #bjai,mr4 ,young 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,haaland1 and ,mr4 ,cole7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources ,december #ah1 #bjbj;,additional sponsors3 ,mrs4 ,torres of ,california1 ,mr4 ,cook1 ,mr4 ,la,malfa1 and ,mr4 ,fortenberry ,december #ah1 #bjbj,reported with an amendment1 committed to the ,committee of the ,whole ,house on the ,state of the ,union1 and ordered to be printed,strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic,for text of introduced bill1 see copy of bill as introduced on ,november #ah1 #bjai ,a ,,bill ,to assist ,tribal governments in the management of buffalo and buffalo habitat and for the reestablishment of buffalo on ,indian lands4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,indian ,buffalo ,management ,act4 #b4 ,findings2 purposes 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 buffalo sustained a majority of ,indian ,tribes in ,north ,america for many centuries1 before buffalo were nearly exterminated by non-,indian hunters in the mid-#ahjjs2 7#b7 the historical1 cultural1 and spiritual connection between buffalo and ,indian ,tribes has not diminished over time2 7#c7 ,indian ,tribes have long desired the reestablishment of buffalo throughout ,indian country for cultural1 spiritual1 and subsistence purposes2 and 7#d7 the successful restoration of buffalo allows an ,indian ,tribe to benefit from-- 7,a7 the reintroduction of buffalo into the diets of the members of the ,indian ,tribe2 7,b7 the rekindling of the spiritual and cultural relationship between buffalo and the ,indian ,tribe2 and 7,c7 the use of buffalo for economic development1 in the case of an ,indian ,tribe that chooses to use buffalo for economic development4 7b7 ,purposes ,the purposes of this ,act are-- 7#a7 to fulfill the government-to-government relationship between ,tribal governments and the ,united ,states in the management of buffalo and buffalo habitat2 7#b7 to promote and develop the capacity of ,indian ,tribes and ,tribal organizations to manage buffalo and buffalo habitat2 7#c7 to protect1 conserve1 and enhance ,indian buffalo1 which are important to the subsistence1 culture1 and economic development of many ,indian ,tribes2 7#d7 to promote the development and use of buffalo and buffalo habitat for the maximum practicable benefit of ,indian ,tribes and ,tribal organizations1 through management of buffalo and buffalo habitats in accordance with integrated resource management plans developed by ,indian ,tribes and ,tribal organizations2 7#e7 to develop buffalo herds and increase production of buffalo in order to meet ,tribal subsistence1 health1 cultural1 and economic development needs2 and 7#f7 to promote the inclusion of ,indian ,tribes and ,tribal organizations in ,department1 local1 regional1 national1 or international-- 7,a7 decision-making processes2 or 7,b7 forums4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,buffalo ,the term buffalo means an animal of the subspecies ,bison bison bison4 7#b7 ,buffalo habitat ,the term buffalo habitat means ,indian land1 as defined in paragraph 7#d7 of this section1 that is managed for buffalo4 7#c7 ,department ,the term ,department means the ,department of the ,interior4 7#d7 ,indian land ,the term ,indian land has the meaning given the term in paragraph 7#b7 of section #bfja of the ,energy ,policy ,act of #aiib 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ceja71 except that1 in that paragraph1 the term ,indian reservation shall be considered to have the meaning given the term ,indian reservation in paragraph 7#c7 of that section1 without regard to the date specified in paragraph 7#c7 of that section4 7#e7 ,indian ,tribe ,the term ,indian ,tribe has the meaning given the term 7without regard to capitalization7 in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74 7#f7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,interior4 7#g7 ,tribal organization ,the term ,tribal organization means any legally established organization of ,indians which is chartered under section #ag of the ,act of ,june #ah1 #aicd 7commonly known as the ,indian ,reorganization ,act7 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #eabd71 by the recognized governing body of any ,indian ,tribe or ,tribes1 and with demonstrable experience in the restoration of buffalo and buffalo habitat on ,indian land4 #d4 ,buffalo resource management 7a7 ,program established ,the ,secretary shall establish a permanent program within the ,department of the ,interior for the purpose of-- 7#a7 promoting and developing the capacity of ,indian ,tribes and ,tribal organizations to manage buffalo and buffalo habitat2 7#b7 promoting the ability of ,indian ,tribes and ,tribal organizations to protect1 conserve1 and enhance populations of buffalo that are owned by ,indian ,tribes or ,tribal organizations2 7#c7 promoting the development and use of buffalo and buffalo habitat for the maximum practicable benefit of ,indian ,tribes and ,tribal organizations2 and 7#d7 promoting the inclusion of ,indian ,tribes and ,tribal organizations in ,department1 international1 national1 regional1 and local decision making and forums regarding buffalo and buffalo habitat4 7b7 ,contracts and grants authorized 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with1 and award grants to1 ,indian ,tribes and ,tribal organizations to enable the respective ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization to-- 7,a7 plan1 conduct1 or implement a buffalo restoration or management program2 7,b7 plan and execute commercial activities related to buffalo or buffalo products2 or 7,c7 carry out other activities related to buffalo restoration and management4 7#b7 ,no diminishment of laws and regulations ,nothing in this subsection shall be interpreted to diminish any ,federal or ,state law or regulation of diseased buffalo or buffalo that escape from ,indian land4 7c7 ,technical assistance ,the ,secretary shall provide technical assistance to an ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization that enters into a contract or cooperative agreement or receives a grant under this section to assist that ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization in-- 7#a7 carrying out the activities of a buffalo or buffalo habitat restoration or management program2 and 7#b7 implementing the activities described in subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,c7 of subsection 7b77#a74 #e4 ,consultation2 coordination 7a7 ,consultation ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and on an ongoing basis thereafter1 the ,secretary shall consult with ,indian ,tribes and ,tribal organizations on initiatives of the ,department that affect buffalo or buffalo habitat1 including efforts of the ,department to contain or eradicate diseased buffalo4 7b7 ,coordination ,the ,secretary shall develop a policy relating to buffalo and buffalo habitat management activities on ,indian land1 in accordance with-- 7#a7 the goals and objectives set forth in buffalo management programs approved by ,indian ,tribes2 and 7#b7 ,tribal laws and ordinances4 #f4 ,protection of information ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 the ,secretary shall not disclose or cause to be disclosed any information provided to the ,secretary by an ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization that is identified by the ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization as culturally sensitive1 proprietary1 or otherwise confidential4 #g4 ,buffalo from ,federal land 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary may enter into an agreement with an ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization to dispose of surplus buffalo on ,federal land administered by the ,department applicable1 by transporting such buffalo onto ,indian land4 7b7 ,application ,an ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization may submit to the ,secretary an application to receive buffalo described in subsection 7a7 at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 7c7 ,waiver of charges ,the ,secretary may waive any charges for the buffalo described in subsection 7a71 including any deposit or payment for services as described in section #aj4b of title #cf1 ,code of ,federal ,regulation1 or any successor regulation4 #h4 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary for grants to implement this ,act1 #ad1jjj1jjj for the first fiscal year beginning after the date of the enactment of this ,act and for each fiscal year thereafter4 ,december #ah1 #bjbj,reported with an amendment1 committed to the ,committee of the ,whole ,house on the ,state of the ,union1 and ordered to be printed