,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ciid ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #d1 #bjbf,mr4 ,mullin 7for himself and ,ms4 ,smith7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,indian ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,federal ,meat ,inspection ,act to authorize ,tribal meat inspection under that ,act by ,tribal personnel1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,promoting ,regulatory ,independence1 ,mastery1 and ,expansion for ,meat ,processing in ,indian ,country ,act or the ,,prime ,meat ,processing in ,indian ,country ,act4 #b4 ,tribal meat inspections 7a7 ,in general ,title ,,iv of the ,federal ,meat ,inspection ,act 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #fga et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating section #daa 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #fhj7 as section #dab2 and 7#b7 by inserting after section #daj 7#ba ,u4,s4,c4 #fgi;a7 the following3 #daa4 ,tribal meat inspections 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,covered activities ,the term covered activities1 with respect to the inspection of meat food products under this ,act1 means-- 7,a7 the hiring and training1 in accordance with relevant training standards of the ,food ,safety and ,inspection ,service of the ,department of ,agriculture1 of ,tribal personnel to conduct1 at covered facilities1 any inspections required under this ,act that would otherwise be carried out by inspectors appointed by the ,secretary2 and 7,b7 the conduct of those inspections by those ,tribal personnel at covered facilities4 7#b7 ,covered facility ,the term covered facility means a mobile or stationary meat processing facility not less than #ea percent of the ownership interest in which is held by an ,indian ,tribe1 a ,tribal organization1 or an entity wholly owned by an ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization4 7#c7 ,indian ,tribe ,the term ,indian ,tribe has the meaning given the term in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74 7#d7 ,meat food product ,the term meat food product includes a carcass of1 a part of1 or a product derived from a portion of meat1 including bison and reindeer1 that is capable of use as human food4 7#e7 ,self-determination contract ,the term self-determination contract has the meaning given the term in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74 7#f7 ,tribal organization ,the term ,tribal organization has the meaning given the term in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74 7b7 ,self-,determination contracts 7#a7 ,authorization ,subject to the availability of appropriations1 beginning not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this subsection1 on receipt of a request from an ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization1 the ,secretary shall enter into a self-determination contract with the ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization1 respectively1 to carry out covered activities4 7#b7 ,standards 7,a7 ,in general ,the covered activities carried out pursuant to a self-determination contract entered into under paragraph 7#a7 shall meet standards and requirements that are not less stringent than1 as applicable1 the standards and requirements for inspections of amenable species under title ,i 7including regulations71 or the standards and requirements for inspections of species that are not amenable species under section #bjc7;h7 of the ,agricultural ,marketing ,act of #aidf 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #afbb7;h771 with respect to-- 7i7 antemortem and postmortem inspection2 7ii7 reinspection2 7iii7 sanitation2 7iv7 humane handling2 7v7 recordkeeping2 and 7vi7 enforcement4 7,b7 ,laboratories ,the applicable standards of the ,department of ,agriculture relating to the establishment1 maintenance1 and operation of laboratories or other similar facilities shall apply with respect to covered activities carried out pursuant to a self-determination contract entered into under paragraph 7#a74 7#c7 ,insurance 7,a7 ,in general ,a self-determination contract entered into under paragraph 7#a7 shall require the ,indian ,tribe1 ,tribal organization1 or tribally owned entity that owns a covered facility at which covered activities are carried out pursuant to the self-determination contract to maintain insurance coverage 7including with respect to outbreaks of food-borne illnesses7 that is appropriate for the size of the covered facility1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7,b7 ,factor for consideration ,in obtaining or providing insurance coverage for purposes of this paragraph1 an ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization may take into consideration the extent to which liability under a self-determination contract is covered under chapter #aga of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code 7commonly known as the ,federal ,tort ,claims ,act71 subject to paragraph 7#f74 7,c7 ,sovereign immunity 7i7 ,in general ,a policy of insurance under subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,i7 shall include a provision that the insurance carrier shall waive any right to use as a defense the sovereign immunity of an ,indian ,tribe from suit with respect to any claim the amount and nature of which are within the coverage and limits of the policy1 subject to clause 7ii72 and 7,,ii7 shall not authorize the insurance carrier to waive or otherwise limit the sovereign immunity of the applicable ,indian ,tribe beyond the coverage and limits of the policy4 7ii7 ,limitations ,no waiver of the sovereign immunity of an ,indian ,tribe pursuant to this subparagraph may include-- 7,i7 a waiver to the extent of any potential liability for interest prior to judgment or punitive damages2 or 7,,ii7 any other limitation on liability imposed by the law of the ,state in which the alleged injury occurs4 7,d7 ,treatment as federally inspected ,for purposes of insurance and liability1 a covered facility at which covered activities are carried out pursuant to this section shall be considered to be federally inspected4 7#d7 ,oversight ,a self-determination contract entered into under paragraph 7#a7 shall require that the ,secretary shall maintain oversight authority 7including recall1 review1 and audit authorities7 with respect to covered activities carried out pursuant to the self-determination contract4 7#e7 ,enforcement authority ,tribal personnel carrying out covered activities pursuant to a self-determination contract entered into under paragraph 7#a7 shall have enforcement authority in accordance with this ,act1 including the authority-- 7,a7 to provide notice of a violation of this ,act2 7,b7 to provide to a covered facility time to remedy such a violation2 and 7,c7 if such a violation is not remedied1 to halt processing at the covered facility until the violation is remedied4 7#f7 ,treatment as ,federal employees ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 while carrying out covered activities pursuant to a self-determination contract entered into under paragraph 7#a71 ,tribal personnel shall be deemed to be ,federal employees for purposes of chapter #aga of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code 7commonly known as the ,federal ,tort ,claims ,act74 7c7 ,certification required ,as a condition of entering into a self-determination contract under subsection 7b71 an ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization shall submit to the ,secretary not less frequently than annually a certification that each inspection carried out pursuant to the self-determination contract during the year covered by the certification-- 7#a7 met the applicable inspection requirements1 and established and maintained the required standards for inspection1 under title ,i 7including regulations72 and 7#b7 was conducted by an inspector employed by the ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization who-- 7,a7 was not employed by an animal food manufacturer serving the covered facility being inspected2 and 7,b7 did not hold any ownership interest in such an animal food manufacturer or the covered facility4 7d7 ,commercial provisions 7#a7 ,labeling ,tribal personnel carrying out inspections pursuant to a self-determination contract under subsection 7b7 shall place on each meat food product that meets the applicable criteria under this ,act a label of ,federal inspection1 in such manner and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 7#b7 ,shipment in interstate commerce ,the ,secretary shall authorize any ,indian ,tribes or ,tribal organizations that have entered into self-determination contracts under subsection 7b7 to ship in interstate commerce meat food products bearing the label described in paragraph 7#a74 7#c7 ,no sale in foreign commerce ,a meat food product inspected pursuant to a self-determination contract under subsection 7b7 may not be sold in foreign commerce4 7e7 ,technical assistance ,on request of an ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization that has entered into a self-determination contract under subsection 7b71 the ,secretary shall provide technical assistance with respect to carrying out that self-determination contract4 7f7 ,ritual slaughter ,nothing in this section prohibits the handling or preparation of livestock used for ritual slaughter in accordance with section #b7;b7 of ,public ,law #he-gfe 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #aijb7;b77 7commonly known as the ,humane ,methods of ,slaughter ,act of #aieh74 7g7 ,reports ,not later than #a year after the date on which funds are appropriated pursuant to subsection 7h71 and annually thereafter1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,agriculture of the ,house of ,representatives a report describing the activities carried out under self-determination contracts entered into pursuant to this section4 7h7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out this section1 to remain available until expended4 7#b7 ,appropriations in advance ,only funds appropriated under paragraph 7#a7 in advance specifically to carry out this section shall be available to carry out this section4 7i7 ,rule of construction ,tribal personnel may use funds made available under subsection 7h7 to carry out inspections of any species that is not an amenable species only pursuant to1 and in accordance with1 a self-determination contract under this section4 4 7b7 ,rural water1 waste disposal1 and community facility loans and grants ,an ,indian ,tribe or ,tribal organization 7as those terms are defined in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd77 operating under a self-determination contract described in section #daa7;b7 of the ,federal ,meat ,inspection ,act 7as amended by subsection 7a77 shall be eligible to receive grants and loans under section #cjf7;a7 of the ,consolidated ,farm and ,rural ,development ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #aibf7;a774