H.R.1957: -- A bill to amend the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 to
exempt voluntary child custody proceedings from coverage under that Act,
and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Tiahrt. R-KS#4
Rep Deborah Pryce of Ohio is a co-sponsor of this bill. It appears to
try to limit the application of the ICWA to only involuntary removals,
and further seems to say that only the signature of one parent is needed
to make an adoption proceeding a "voluntary."
> From the bill:
(c) VOLUNTARY TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS- Section 103 of the Indian
Child Welfare Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1913) is amended to read as
follows:
SEC. 103. (a) Upon written consent by a parent or legal guardian (other
than a tribal court) of an Indian child to a voluntary child custody
proceeding, this title shall thereafter not apply to any child custody
proceeding involving the Indian child, and this Act shall thereafter not
be the basis for determining jurisdiction over any child custody
proceeding involving the Indian child.
(b) For the purposes of subsection (a), written consent is irrevocable.
Also, a bill which did NOT turn up on the legislation search, but which
we were alerted to by Ron Andrade (thank you!) passed the Senate and is
now to be sent to the House for consideration:
S. 417: -- A bill to extend energy conservation programs under the
Energy Policy and Conservation Act through September 30, 2002.
Sponsor: Sen Murkowski R-AK PASSED SENATE 6/27/97 (Note: includes, by
amendment, a 3-year reauthorization and funding for the Renewable Indian
Energy Resources Program which expires at the end of fiscal year 1997.
(Title XXVI) Committee Report No. S105-25.)
Other new bills
SPECIFICALLY FOR/ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS or TRIBES:******************
H.R.1805: -- A bill to amend the Auburn Indian Restoration Act to
establish restrictions related to gaming on and use of land held in
trust for the United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria of
California, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Doolittle. R-CA#4
H.R.1833: -- A bill to amend the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act to provide for further Self-Governance by Indian Tribes,
and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Miller, G.. D-CA#7
H.R.1983: -- A bill to amend the Rhode Island Indian Claims Settlement
Act to conform that Act with the judgments of the United States Federal
Courts regarding the rights and sovereign status of certain Indian
Tribes, including the Narragansett Tribe, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Kennedy, P.. D-RI#1
H.R.2083: -- A bill to prohibit the shipment of spent nuclear fuel to
the Goshute Indian reservation in Utah. Sponsor: Rep Cook. R-UT#2
H.R.2089: -- A bill to authorize leases on the Cabazon Indian
Reservation for terms not to exceed 99 years. Sponsor: Rep Kildee D-MI#9
S.RES.100: -- A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the
Federal commitment for the education of American Indians and Alaska
Natives should be affirmed through legislative actions of the 105th
Congress to bring the quality of Indian education and educational
facilities up to parity with the rest of America. Sponsor: Sen
Domenici. R-NM
S.RES.102: -- A resolution designating August 15, 1997, as "Indian
Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Indian and American
Democracy." Sponsor: Sen Specter. R-PA
S.894: -- A bill to provide for the conveyance of certain land in the
Six Rivers National Forest in the State of California for the benefit of
the Hoopa Valley Tribe. Sponsor: Sen Boxer. D-CA
BILLS INDEXED TO THE TERM "INDIAN"
As always, these bills have varying impacts on Native Americans, and
need to be read closely to determine their importance. But they are
"indexed" to the term Indian because they have provisions affecting
Indians, so they are included on the monthly report.
One specific bill dealing with Veterans deserves special mention, since
such a high percentage of Native Americans have served in the military:
H.R.1754: -- A bill to require that a portion of the amounts made
available for housing programs for the homeless be used for activities
designed to serve primarily homeless veterans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Metcalf. R-WA#2
Other Bills:
H.R.863: -- A bill to establish or expand existing community prosecution
programs. Sponsor: Rep Blagojevich. D-IL#5
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 and revitalization of public housing, and for
other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Conyers. D-MI#14
H.R.1480: -- A bill to increase the overall economy and efficiency
of Government operations and enable more efficient use of Federal
funding, by coordinating Federal financial assistance programs and
promoting local flexibility. Sponsor: Rep Hoyer. D-MD#5
H.R.1516: -- A bill to support local reading programs for children
so that all children are able to read well and independently by the end
of the third grade. Sponsor: Rep Clay. D-MO#1
H.R.1609: -- A bill to reauthorize the Intermodal Surface
Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, and for other purposes. Sponsor:
Rep Molinari. R-NY#13
H.R.1671: -- A bill to amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to
provide for Federal-State performance partnerships, to consolidate all
nutrition programs under the Act in the Department of Health and Human
Services, to extend authorizations of appropriations for programs under
the Act through fiscal year 2000, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep
Martinez. D-CA#31
H.R.1700: -- A bill to authorize funds to further the strong Federal
interest in the improvement of highways and transportation, and for
other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Thune. R-SD.al
H.R.1726: -- A bill to establish as an element of the national
security of the United States the importance of providing for the
health, safety, and education of children in the United States.
Sponsor: Rep Furse. D-OR#1
S.462: -- A bill to reform and consolidate the public and assisted
housing programs of the United States, and to redirect primary
responsibility for these programs from the Federal Government to States
and localities, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Sen Mack. R-FL -
LATEST ACTION: 05/23/97 Reported to Senate from the Committee on
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, amended, S. Rept. 105-21
S.839: -- A bill to improve teacher mastery and use of educational
technology. Sponsor: Sen Bingaman. D-NM
S.841: -- A bill to authorize construction of the Fort Peck Reservation
Rural Water System in the State of Montana, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Burns. R-MT
S.851: -- A bill entitled the Emergency Disaster Assistance Act.
Sponsor: Sen Dorgan. D-ND
S.864: -- A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to
improve the provision of managed care under the medicaid program.
Sponsor: Sen Chafee. R-RI
Looks like another mixed bag!
-- 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