,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #bgji  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #bg1     
#bjbc,mr4 ,heinrich introduced the      
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry 
,a ,,bill  ,to amend the ,department of 
,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of    
#aiid to establish an ,assistant        
,secretary of ,agriculture for ,tribal  
,relations1 and for other purposes4  #a4
 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as
 the ,strengthening the ,office of      
,tribal ,relations ,act of #bjbc4  #b4  
,assistant ,secretary of ,agriculture   
for ,tribal ,relations  7a7 ,in general 
,section #bah of the ,department of     
,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of    
#aiid 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #fiah7 is amended-- 
7#a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 in        
paragraph 7#b71 by striking and at the  
end2  7,b7 in paragraph 7#c71 by        
striking the period at the end and      
inserting 2 and2 and  7,c7 by adding at 

the end the following3  7#d7 ,assistant 
,secretary of ,agriculture for ,tribal  
,relations4  2  7#b7 in subsection 7b71 
by striking 7#a7 or 7#c7 and inserting  
7#a71 7#c71 or 7#d72 and  7#c7 by adding
 at the end the following3  7d7         
,assistant ,secretary of ,agriculture   
for ,tribal ,relations  7#a7            
,appointment ,in appointing an          
individual to the position of ,assistant
 ,secretary for ,tribal ,relations1 the 
,secretary shall give priority to an    
individual who has a background in      
,tribal relations or affairs4  7#b7     
,duties ,the ,secretary may delegate to 
the ,assistant ,secretary for ,tribal   
,relations responsibility for-- 7,a7    
overseeing the ,office of ,tribal       
,relations of the ,department2  7,b7    
planning1 coordinating1 and implementing
 policies and programs of the           
,department serving ,indian ,tribes and 
,tribal organizations2  7,c7            
coordinating ,tribal programs and       
activities in all offices and agencies  

of the ,department2 and  7,d7 being a   
participant in any negotiated           
rulemakings relating to1 or having an   
impact on1 projects1 programs1 or       
funding associated with the ,tribal     
programs of the ,department4  4  7b7    
,compensation ,section #ecae of title   
#e1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by
 striking ,assistant ,secretaries of    
,agriculture 7#c7 and inserting         
,assistant ,secretaries of ,agriculture 
7#d74  7c7 ,conforming amendment        
,section #bif7;b7 of the ,department of 
,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of    
#aiid 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #gjad7;b77 is       
amended by adding at the end the        
following3  7#aa7 ,the authority of the 
,secretary to establish within the      
,department the position of ,assistant  
,secretary of ,agriculture for ,tribal  
,relations1 and delegate duties to the  
,assistant ,secretary1 under section    
#bah4  4