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S 165 113th Congress Senate Native Americans Administrative law and regulatory procedures Administrative remedies Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration Department of the Interior Executive agency funding and structure Federal officials Federal-Indian relations Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management Government information and archives Indian lands and resources rights Judicial review and appeals

Indian Trust Asset Reform Act

Introduced: January 28, 2013 Introduced by: Crapo, Mike Republican · Idaho See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 113th Congress ended
It never became law before the 113th Congress (2013–2014) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jan 28, 2013
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Jan 28, 2013
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Indian Trust Asset Reform Act - Reaffirms the federal government's fiduciary responsibilities to Indians.

States that: (1) the most exacting common law fiduciary standards governing private trustees also govern the federal government when it manages Indian Trust Assets, and (2) those standards are not limited to the express terms of statutes and regulations.

Indian Trust Asset Management Demonstration Project Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish an eight-year Indian trust asset management demonstration project that allows Indian tribes to propose, for the Secretary's approval, Indian trust asset management plans.

Allows participating Indian tribes that contract or compact trust management functions or activities under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act to develop and carry out trust asset management systems, practices, and procedures that differ from the Secretary's.

Requires each plan to: (1) be consistent with all tribal laws and all federal treaties, statutes, executive orders, and court decisions applicable to the trust assets and their management; (2) establish procedures for nonbinding mediation or resolution of any plan-related disputes between the Indian tribe and the federal government; (3) include an annual evaluation by the Indian tribe and affected federal agencies of the plan's implementation; and (4) identify any federal regulations that the plan will supersede.

Prohibits the approval of any plan that does not: (1) protect trust assets from loss, waste, and unlawful alienation; and (2) promote the interests of the trust asset's beneficial owner.

Establishes, in the Department of the Interior, an Under Secretary for Indian Affairs who is to report directly to the Secretary and assume the functions of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs and the Office of Special Trustee for American Indians.

Requires the Office of the Under Secretary to carry out additional duties relating to the management of Indian trust assets and resources through an Office of Trust Reform Implementation and Oversight.

Requires the Under Secretary to give a hiring preference to Indians.

What's happening now January 28, 2013

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 165: Indian Trust Asset Reform Act. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-S-165/
MLA
"S. 165: Indian Trust Asset Reform Act." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-S-165/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 165, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-S-165/.
Markdown link
[S. 165: Indian Trust Asset Reform Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-S-165/)
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