1. Point your browser to:
http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d105query.html#blno
type in the bill number in the box provided and click "search". Then
select "text" from the search result. This will give you a clickable
table of contents so that you can go directly to a particular section.
It is not a good method for reading the whole bill, or downloading it,
however. To do that:
2: point your browser or ftp client to:
ftp://ftp.loc.gov/pub/thomas/c105/ <bill number>
fill in the bill number using the following naming convention
<h(billnumber).ih.txt> for a house bill, <s(billnumber).is.txt> for a
senate bill. I'm assuming the ".ih" and ".is" stand for "in house" and
"in senate" You can leave off the bill number and get a listing of ALL
the bills currently in the Legislature, but it's a couple of gazillion
KB.
On to the bills!
The bill that seems most damaging is H.R. 1554. This bill is similar to
Rep. Solomon's bill subjecting Indian Gaming operations to the unrelated
business tax, (H.R. 325) but it extends that tax status to ALL
commercial activities of an Indian Tribal organization.
*H.R. 1554 - A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to
provide that the commercial activities of an Indian tribal organization
shall be subject to the unrelated business income tax. Sponsor: Rep
Hutchinson, R-AR#3
Senator McCain has introduced companion bills to Rep. Shadegg's three
favorable tax bills (H.R. 293, 294, and 295):
*S.806: -- A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide
tax credits for Indian investment and employment, and for other
purposes. SPONSOR: Sen McCain, (introduced 05/23/97) Companion to
H.R.293
*S.807: -- A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to treat
for unemployment compensation purposes Indian tribal governments the
same as State or local . . . . Sponsor: Sen McCain. Companion to H.R.294
*S.808: -- A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide
for the issuance of tax-exempt bonds by Indian tribal governments, and
for other purposes. Sponsor: Sen McCain. Companion to H.R. 295
Sen. McCain has also introduced a fourth favorable tax bill regarding
Indians:
*S.809: -- A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt
from income taxation income derived from natural resources activities by
a member of an Indian Tribe . . . . Sponsor: Sen McCain.
OTHER BILLS SPECIFICALLY FOR/ABOUT NATIVE
AMERICANS****************************
*H.R.834: -- A bill to permit the current refunding of certain tax
exempt bonds. Sponsor: Rep Taylor, C..
*S.714: -- A bill to make permanent the Native American Veteran Housing
Loan Pilot Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sponsor: Sen
Akaka.
*S.754: -- A bill to amend the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention Act of 1974 to provide for direct assistance to Indian tribes
for juvenile justice and . . . . Sponsor: Sen Campbell.
*S.790: -- A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow
Indian tribes to receive charitable contributions of inventory. Sponsor:
Sen Daschle.
*S.818: -- A bill to improve the economic conditions and supply of
housing in Native American communities by creating the Native American
Financial Services . . . . Sponsor: Sen Campbell.
BILLS REGARDING A SPECIFIC TRIBE OR
TRIBES***********************************
**H.R.976: -- A bill to provide for the disposition of certain funds
appropriated to pay judgment in favor of the Mississippi Sioux Indians,
and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Hill.
**H.R.1267: -- A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to
allow a charitable contribution deduction for certain expenses incurred
by whaling captains in . . . . Sponsor: Rep Young, D..
**H.R.1604: -- A bill to provide for the division, use, and distribution
of judgment funds of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan
pursuant to dockets numbered . . . . Sponsor: Rep Kildee.
**S.746: -- A bill to reaffirm and clarify the Federal relationship of
the Burt Lake Band as a distinct federally recognized Indian tribe, and
for other purposes. Sponsor: Sen Levin. Companion to H.R.948
BILLS INDEXED TO OR MENTIONING NATIVE
AMERICANS*******************************
I have not yet read all of these, some may be of more interest than
others to Native Americans. Of the ones I've read so far, H.R. 1340
seems to contain an issue of concern (the first one listed - the rest
are in numerical order). You may note that there are several bills
relating to roads and transportation, which may compete with the bill
favored by the Intertribal Transportation Association (S.437)
H.R.1340: -- A bill to reduce corporate welfare and promote corporate
responsibility. Sponsor: Rep Visclosky, D-IN#1 (Note: includes the
following language relating to obtaining permits for mining activity:
> (c) WAIVER OF THE SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY OF INDIAN TRIBES-
> The Secretary is authorized to require Indian tribes to
> waive sovereign immunity as a condition of obtaining a
> permit under this title.)
H.R.515: -- A bill to eliminate corporate welfare. Sponsor: Rep Andrews.
H.R.919: -- A bill to establish fair market value pricing of Federal
natural assets, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Miller, G..
H.R.973: -- A bill to amend the United States Housing Act of 1937 to
require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to administer a
program of construction . . . . Sponsor: Rep Conyers.
H.R.1115: -- A bill to amend the Goals 2000: Educate America Act to
restore opportunity-to-learn standards. Sponsor: Rep Owens.
H.R.1144: -- A bill to amend the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance
Act to revise and extend programs providing urgently needed assistance
for the homeless, and . . . . Sponsor: Rep Vento.
H.R.1171: -- A bill to provide for the elimination of 12 Federal subsidy
programs and projects. Sponsor: Rep Kasich.
H.R.1268: -- A bill to continue the successful Federal role in
developing a national intermodal surface transportation system, through
programs that ensure the safe . . . . Sponsor: Rep Shuster.
H.R.1340: -- A bill to reduce corporate welfare and promote corporate
responsibility. Sponsor: Rep Visclosky.
H.R.1374: -- A bill to establish a United States Health Service to
provide high quality comprehensive health care for all Americans and to
overcome the deficiencies . . . . Sponsor: Rep Dellums.
H.R.1376: -- A bill to amend the Forest and Rangeland Renewable
Resources Planning Act of 1974 and related laws to strengthen the
protection of native biodiversity . . . . Sponsor: Rep Eshoo.
H.R.1385: -- A bill to consolidate, coordinate, and improve employment,
training, literacy, and vocational rehabilitation programs in the United
States, and for . . . . Sponsor: Rep McKeon.
H.R.1425: -- A bill to designate as wilderness, wild and scenic rivers,
national park and preserve study areas, wild land recovery areas, and
biological connecting . . . . Sponsor: Rep Shays.
H.R.1430: -- A bill to reauthorize and make reforms to programs
authorized by the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965.
Sponsor: Rep Shuster.
H.R.1469: -- A bill making emergency supplemental appropriations for
recovery from natural disasters, and for overseas peacekeeping efforts,
including those in . . . . Sponsor: Rep Livingston.
H.R.1470: -- A bill to empower States with authority for most taxing and
spending for highway programs and mass transit programs, and for other
purposes. Sponsor: Rep Kasich.
H.R.1481: -- A bill to amend the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife
Restoration Act of 1990 to provide for implementation of recommendations
of the United States Fish and . . . . Sponsor: Rep LaTourette. Companion
to S. 659
S.10: -- A bill to reduce violent juvenile crime, promote accountability
by juvenile criminals, punish and deter violent gang crime, and for
other purposes. Sponsor: Sen Hatch. (note: this seems to be a
reintroduction of just the Juvenile provisions of his previous bill, S.3
- as with that bill, there is still a question about whether Indian
Tribes come under the jurisdiction of states in regard to access to
grants.)
S.12: -- A bill to improve education for the 21st Century. Sponsor: Sen
Daschle.
S.468: -- A bill to continue the successful Federal role in developing a
national intermodal surface transportation system, through programs that
ensure the safe . . . . Sponsor: Sen Chafee.
S.511: -- A bill to require that the health and safety of a child be
considered in any foster care or adoption placement, to eliminate
barriers to the termination . . . . Sponsor: Sen Chafee.
S.532: -- A bill to authorize funds to further the strong Federal
interest in the improvement of highways and transportation, and for
other purposes. Sponsor: Sen Baucus.
S.586: -- A bill to reauthorize the Intermodal Surface Transportation
Efficiency Act of 1991, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Sen Moynihan.
S.624: -- A bill to establish a competitive process for the awarding of
concession contracts in units of the National Park System, and for other
purposes. Sponsor: Sen Bumpers.
S.659: -- A bill to amend the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration
Act of 1990 to provide for implementation of recommendations of the
United States Fish and . . . . Sponsor: Sen Glenn. Companion bill: H.R.
1481
S.664: -- A bill to establish tutoring assistance programs to help
children learn to read well. Sponsor: Sen Kennedy.
S.667: -- A bill to empower States with authority for most taxing and
spending for highway programs and mass transit programs, and for other
purposes. Sponsor: Sen Mack. Companion to H.R. 1470
S.684: -- A bill to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act to provide assistance to local educational
agencies in cases of . . . . Sponsor: Sen Conrad.
-- Karen J. Gould http://www.askwitteachik.org"If people are genuinely interested in honoring Indians, try getting your government to live up to the more than 400 treaties it signed with our nations." ...Glenn T. Morris - Colorado AIM