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HR 215 115th Congress House

American Indian Empowerment Act of 2017

Official title: To empower federally recognized Indian tribes to accept restricted fee tribal lands, and for other purposes.

Introduced: November 1, 2017 See on congress.gov
Native Americans Federal-Indian relationsIndian lands and resources rightsLand transfers
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This bill died when the 115th Congress ended
It never became law before the 115th Congress (2017–2018) 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 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 25, 2017
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Feb 10, 2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs.
Jan 3, 2017
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Jan 3, 2017
Introduced in House
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 Latest action October 25, 2017

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

American Indian Empowerment Act of 2017

This bill requires the Department of the Interior, upon the request of an Indian tribe, to transfer land held in trust for the tribe to the tribe as restricted fee tribal land. (Restricted fee tribal land is land that is owned by a tribe and has restrictions against alienation and taxation.)

Tribes may lease, or grant an easement or right-of-way on, restricted fee land for any period of time without Interior's review and approval.

Tribal laws that establish a system of land tenure governing the use of restricted fee land have precedence over federal laws and regulations governing the use of such land, except the restriction against the land's alienation and taxation.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1
R
Cole, Tom
Oklahoma · Nov 1, 2017
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 215: American Indian Empowerment Act of 2017. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-215/
MLA
"H.R. 215: American Indian Empowerment Act of 2017." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-215/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 215, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-215/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 215: American Indian Empowerment Act of 2017](https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-215/)
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