,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bafj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #be 7legislative day1 ,june #bd71 #bjbe ,mr4 ,peters 7for himself and ,ms4 ,slotkin7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,indian ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to reaffirm and clarify the ,federal relationships of the ,grand ,river ,bands of ,ottawa ,indians of ,michigan as a federally recognized ,indian ,tribe1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,grand ,river ,bands of ,ottawa ,indians ,restoration ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 the ,tribe consists of the #ai bands of ,indians who occupied territory in what is now west ,michigan1 including the counties of ,kent1 ,ottawa1 ,muskegon1 ,newaygo1 and ,oceana2 7#b7 the ,tribe consists of descendants of1 and political successors to1 signatories of the #ahba ,treaty of ,chicago 7#g ,stat4 #bah71 the #ahcf ,treaty of ,washington 7#g ,stat4 #dia71 and the #ahee ,treaty of ,detroit 7#aa ,stat4 #fba72 7#c7 in #aiid1 the ,little ,traverse ,bay ,bands of ,odawa ,indians and the ,little ,river ,band of ,ottawa ,indians ,act 7,public ,law #ajc-cbd2 #ajh ,stat4 #baef7 recognized #b ,michigan ,ottawa ,indian ,tribes whose histories are virtually identical to that of the ,grand ,river ,bands1 the ,little ,river ,band of ,ottawa ,indians1 and the ,little ,traverse ,bay ,bands of ,odawa ,indians2 7#d7 the ,commissioner of ,indian ,affairs1 ,morris ,thompson1 and ,congress1 in the ,little ,traverse ,bay ,bands of ,odawa ,indians and the ,little ,river ,band of ,ottawa ,indians ,act 7,public ,law #ajc-cbd2 #ajh ,stat4 #baef71 specifically recognized that the ,northern ,michigan ,ottawa ,association and the ,grand ,river ,bands ,descendant's ,committee1 whose membership included the ,grand ,river ,bands1 were functioning as or at least are accepted as ,tribal political entities by the ,minneapolis ,area and ,great ,lakes ,agency2 7#e7 the ,state of ,michigan has acknowledged the ,tribe as a ,state historic ,indian ,tribe that1 as of #bjbe1 continues to exist as a ,tribal entity2 7#f7 in #aiig1 the ,michigan ,indian ,land ,claims ,settlement ,act 7,public ,law #aje-adc2 #aaa ,stat4 #bfeb7 reserved a percentage of the funds appropriated for payment of land claims to newly recognized or reaffirmed tribes described in section #aaj1 in which section #aaj of that ,act 7#aaa ,stat4 #bffc7 states that eligible non-recognized ,indian ,tribes are those-- 7,a7 that are a signatory to the #ahcf ,treaty of ,washington 7#g ,stat4 #dia7 or the #ahee ,treaty of ,detroit 7#aa ,stat4 #fba72 7,b7 whose members are predominately ,chippewa and ,ottawa2 and 7,c7 that file a documented petition by ,december #ae1 #bjjj2 7#g7 as of the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,tribe is the only unrecognized ,michigan ,indian ,tribe that met the requirements of section #aaj of the ,michigan ,indian ,land ,claims ,settlement ,act 7,public ,law #aje-adc2 #aaa ,stat4 #bffc72 7#h7 the ,tribe was instrumental in the filing of the original land claim2 7#i7 the ,tribe filed a fully documented petition with the ,bureau of ,indian ,affairs on ,december #h1 #bjjj1 and thus met the filing deadline described in section #aaj7;a7 of the ,michigan ,indian ,land ,claims ,settlement ,act 7,public ,law #aje-adc2 #aaa ,stat4 #bffc72 7#aj7 after the ,tribe filed its petition in #bjjj1 the ,director of the ,bureau of ,indian ,affairs did not issue a technical assistance letter until #bjje1 to which the ,tribe responded fully in #bjjf1 but still has not been recognized2 7#aa7 the ,director of the ,bureau of ,indian ,affairs did not meet their legal requirement under the ,michigan ,indian ,land ,claims ,settlement ,act 7,public ,law #aje-adc2 #aaa ,stat4 #bfeb7 to recognize the ,tribe1 and the ,tribe is still in the recognition process almost #bf years later2 7#ab7 the ,tribe met all of the criteria for distribution of the judgment funds reserved for an unrecognized ,indian ,tribe under section #aaj of the ,michigan ,indian ,land ,claims ,settlement ,act 7,public ,law #aje-adc2 #aaa ,stat4 #bffc71 but the ,tribal funds reverted back to the ,treasury1 which was a gross miscarriage of justice because the ,tribe was a full participant in the claims litigation before the ,indian ,claims ,commission that gave rise to the judgment award2 7#ac7 for every year that the ,director of the ,bureau of ,indian ,affairs does not act on the ,tribe's petition1 the ,tribe is unable to meet any needs for its members for social services1 education1 housing1 and elder care2 7#ad7 the ,tribe filed for reorganization of its existing ,tribal governments in #aice under the ,act of ,june #ah1 #aicd 7#dh ,stat4 #ihd1 chapter #egf2 #be ,u4,s4,c4 #eaja et seq47 7commonly known as the ,indian ,reorganization ,act72 7#ae7 ,federal agents who visited the ,tribe1 including ,commissioner of ,indian ,affairs ,john ,collier1 attested to the continued social and political existence of the ,tribe and concluded that the ,tribe was eligible for reorganization but1 due to a lack of ,federal appropriations to implement the ,act of ,june #ah1 #aicd 7#dh ,stat4 #ihd1 chapter #egf2 #be ,u4,s4,c4 #eaja et seq47 7commonly known as the ,indian ,reorganization ,act71 the ,tribe was denied the opportunity to reorganize2 7#af7 in #aici1 agents of the ,federal ,government made an administrative decision not to provide services or extend the benefits of the ,act of ,june #ah1 #aicd 7#dh ,stat4 #ihd1 chapter #egf2 #be ,u4,s4,c4 #eaja et seq47 7commonly known as the ,indian ,reorganization ,act7 to any ,indian ,tribes in ,michigan's lower peninsula2 7#ag7 in spite of such denial1 the ,tribe continued their political and social existence with a viable ,tribal government2 7#ah7 the ,tribe1 along with other ,michigan ,odawa_/,ottawa groups1 including the ,little ,traverse ,bay ,bands of ,odawa ,indians1 the ,grand ,traverse ,band of ,ottawa and ,chippewa ,indians1 and the ,little ,river ,band of ,ottawa ,indians1 formed the ,northern ,michigan ,ottawa ,association in #aidh1 which subsequently pursued a successful land claim with the ,indian ,claims ,commission2 7#ai7 between #aidh and #aige1 the ,tribe carried out many of its governmental functions through the ,northern ,michigan ,ottawa ,association1 while retaining individual ,tribal control over local decisions2 and 7#bj7 the ,federal ,government1 the government of the ,state of ,michigan1 and local governments have had continuous dealings with the recognized political leaders of the ,tribe from #ahba to present4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,member ,the term member means an individual who is enrolled in the ,tribe pursuant to section #g4 7#b7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of the ,interior4 7#c7 ,tribe ,the term ,tribe means the ,grand ,river ,bands of ,ottawa ,indians of ,michigan4 #d4 ,federal recognition 7a7 ,in general ,federal recognition of the ,tribe is hereby affirmed4 7b7 ,effect of ,federal laws ,except as otherwise provided in this ,act1 all ,federal laws 7including regulations7 of general application to ,indians and ,indian ,tribes1 including the ,act of ,june #ah1 #aicd 7#dh ,stat4 #ihd1 chapter #egf2 #be ,u4,s4,c4 #eaja et seq47 7commonly known as the ,indian ,reorganization ,act71 shall apply to the ,tribe and members4 #e4 ,federal services and benefits 7a7 ,in general ,the ,tribe and each member shall be eligible for all services and benefits provided by the ,united ,states to ,indians and federally recognized ,indian ,tribes as prescribed by law1 without regard to-- 7#a7 the existence of a reservation for the ,tribe2 or 7#b7 the location of the residence of any member on or near an ,indian reservation4 7b7 ,service area ,for purposes of the delivery of services and benefits to members1 the service area of the ,tribe shall be ,newaygo1 ,oceana1 ,kent1 ,muskegon1 and ,ottawa ,counties1 ,michigan4 #f4 ,reaffirmation of rights 7a7 ,in general ,nothing in this ,act diminishes any right or privilege of the ,tribe or any member that existed before the date of enactment of this ,act4 7b7 ,claims of tribe ,except as otherwise provided in this ,act1 nothing in this ,act alters or affects any legal or equitable claim of the ,tribe to enforce any right or privilege reserved by1 or granted to1 the ,tribe that was wrongfully denied to1 or taken from1 the ,tribe before the date of enactment of this ,act4 #g4 ,membership roll 7a7 ,in general ,as a condition of receiving recognition1 services1 and benefits pursuant to this ,act1 not later than #ah months after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,tribe shall submit to the ,secretary a membership roll consisting of the name of each individual enrolled in the ,tribe4 7b7 ,determination of membership ,the qualifications for inclusion on the membership roll of the ,tribe shall be determined in accordance with the governing documents of the ,tribe4 7c7 ,maintenance of roll ,the ,tribe shall maintain the membership roll under this section4 #h4 ,acquisition of land 7a7 ,homeland ,the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 acquire1 for the benefit of the ,tribe1 trust title to land within ,muskegon1 ,newaygo1 or ,oceana ,counties1 ,michigan2 and 7#b7 accept into trust any real property located in those counties for the benefit of the ,tribe1 if-- 7,a7 conveyed or otherwise transferred to the ,secretary2 and 7,b7 at the time of such acceptance1 there are not adverse legal claims on such property1 including outstanding liens1 mortgages or taxes owed4 7b7 ,additional acquisitions2 trust land ,the ,secretary may-- 7#a7 acquire additional land for the benefit of the ,tribe pursuant to section #e of the ,act of ,june #ah1 #aicd 7#dh ,stat4 #ihd1 chapter #egf2 #be ,u4,s4,c4 #eajh7 7commonly known as the ,indian ,reorganization ,act72 and 7#b7 take into trust1 for the benefit of the ,tribe1 any land held in fee by the ,tribe1 if such lands are located within the boundaries of ,kent and ,ottawa ,counties1 ,michigan4 7c7 ,deadline for determination ,the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 not later than #ah months after the date on which the ,tribe submits a request for land to be taken into trust under subsection 7a77#a71 make a final written determination2 and 7#b7 immediately make that determination available to the ,tribe4 7d7 ,reservation status ,any land taken into trust for the benefit of the ,tribe pursuant to this section shall1 on request of the ,tribe1 be considered part of the reservation of the ,tribe4