,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #bbda  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #bc1     
#bjai ,mr4 ,heinrich 7for himself and   
,ms4 ,mc,sally7 introduced the following
 bill2 which was read twice and referred
 to the ,committee on ,indian ,affairs  
,a ,,bill  ,to provide for a study on   
the protection of ,native ,american     
seeds and traditional foods1 and for    
other purposes4  #a4 ,short title  ,this
 ,act may be cited as the ,native       
,american ,seeds ,protection ,act of    
#bjai4  #b4 ,study on the protection of 
,native ,american seeds and traditional 
foods ,not later than #a year after the 
date of enactment of this ,act1 the     
,comptroller ,general of the ,united    
,states shall conduct a study on--  7#a7
 the extent to which seeds and foods    
that mimic ,native ,american seeds or   
traditional foods are available in the  
commercial marketplace and are          
fraudulently identified as authentic    
,native ,american seeds or traditional  

foods1 as of the date of enactment of   
this ,act2  7#b7 the availability and   
long-term viability of ,native ,american
 seeds1 including an analysis of the    
storage1 cultivation1 harvesting1 and   
commercialization of such seeds2  7#c7  
the extent to which ,federal law1       
,federal programs1 or ,federal oversight
 protect ,native ,american seeds and    
traditional foods from infringement1 or 
unlawful or unauthorized                
commercialization2 and  7#d7 the means  
by which authentic ,native ,american    
seeds and traditional foods might be    
protected to ensure preservation and    
availability for future generations4    
#c4 ,confidentiality2 ,,foia2 ownership 
7a7 ,confidentiality ,the ,comptroller  
,general of the ,united ,states shall   
ensure the confidentiality of sensitive 
information of ,indian ,tribes that is  
gained through the study conducted under
 section #b1 including traditional      
cultural knowledge and information about
 locations that are considered to be    

sacred by an ,indian ,tribe4  7b7 ,,foia
 not applicable ,the information        
described in subsection 7a7 shall be    
exempt from public disclosure under     
section #eeb of title #e1 ,united       
,states ,code 7commonly known as the    
8,freedom of ,information ,act074  7c7  
,indian ownership ,nothing in this ,act 
shall be construed as interfering with1 
limiting1 or otherwise affecting the    
exclusive ownership and control of      
,native ,american seeds by an ,indian   
,tribe unless the ,indian ,tribe        
consents to the ownership or control of 
such seeds by another entity4  #d4      
,definition of ,indian ,tribe ,in this  
,act1 the term ,indian ,tribe has the   
meaning given the term ,indian tribe    
7without regard to capitalization7 in   
section #d of the ,indian               
,self-,determination and ,education     
,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74