article: SECTION 1. NOTICE OF APPLICATION BY INDIAN TRIBE FOR FEDERAL STATUS. (a) Letter of Intent.--To seek acknowledgment or recognition as an Indian tribe under Federal law, the petitioner must first submit to the Secretary of the Interior a letter of intent to seek such status. (b) Notice to States.--Not later than 30 days after receiving a letter of intent, the Secretary shall notify the Governor and attorney general of each State in which the petitioner states that it is located of the following: (1) That the letter of intent has been filed. (2) The name and contact information for the Indian tribe. (c) Notice to Municipalities.--Not later than 60 days after receiving a letter of intent under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with the Governor and attorney general of the affected State or States to identify municipalities that are located within the vicinity of the place that the petitioner states on the application that it is located. The Secretary shall provide the notice required under subsection (b) to such municipalities within 30 days of the completion of the consultation process. SEC. 2. INTERESTED PARTY STATUS. The Governor, attorney general, and each municipality identified pursuant to section 1 shall be interested parties in the review of each corresponding acknowledgement petition. The petitioner shall serve each interested party with all documents submitted as part of its petition. SEC. 3. COMPLETION OF PETITION. In consultation with the petitioner, the Secretary shall determine when the petition is complete and ready for acknowledgment review. Interested parties shall be notified of such determination within 30 days. No additional documents shall be submitted by the petitioner after this determination until issuance of a proposed finding under part 83 of title 25, Code of Federal Regulations. SEC. 4. ACTIVE REVIEW. The Secretary shall notify the petitioner and all interested parties, and publish notice in the Federal Register, of the date that a petition comes under active review under part 83 of title 25, Code of Federal Regulations. Such notice shall be provided within 7 days of the date the petition comes under active review. SEC. 5. PUBLIC COMMENT ON APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STATUS. The Secretary shall provide a reasonable period for comment by interested parties and the public on each petition for Federal acknowledgment or recognition. Such comment period shall commence upon filing of a letter of intent and end no sooner than 120 days before the deadline for issuance of a proposed finding under part 83 of title 25, Code of Federal Regulations. Interested parties shall serve their comments on the petitioner and any other interested parties. The Secretary shall provide all public comments to the petitioner and interested parties. Such comments shall be given full consideration when deciding to grant or deny the petition. Any petition under review on the date of the enactment of this Act not subject to such comment shall be reconsidered by the Secretary to provide a comment period in accordance with this section. SEC. 6. REGULATORY CRITERIA. The Director may not grant Federal acknowledgment or recognition to any Indian tribe unless such petitioner has met all of the criteria listed in part 83 of title 25, Code of Federal Regulations. When issuing proposed findings and final determinations on Federal acknowledgment or recognition, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register detailed findings on each of those criteria. Such findings shall be accompanied by a report under part 83 of title 25, Code of Federal Regulations. Any findings for petitions under review on the date of the enactment of this Act for which such findings and report have not been issued shall be reconsidered by the Secretary in accordance with this section. SEC. 7. FUNDING FOR BRANCH OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND RESEARCH. There is authorized to be appropriated for the Branch of Acknowledgment and Research of the Bureau of Indian Affairs $1,800,000 each fiscal year. SEC. 8. GRANT PROGRAM FOR PARTICIPATION IN DECISIONMAKING PROCESSES. (a) In General.--To the extent funds are made available by appropriations and acceptable requests are submitted, the Secretary shall provide grants to local governments to assist those local governments in participating in the decisionmaking process related to actions described in subsection (b), if the Secretary determines that such actions are likely to significantly affect the people represented by the local governments and to reimburse local governments for the costs of such participation that were incurred after the date of the enactment of this Act. Grants may also be made under this section to reimburse local governments for activities that were undertaken before the date of the enactment of this Act, but which otherwise meet the requirements for a grant under this section. (b) Actions for Which Grants May Be Available.--The Secretary may make grants under this section for participation assistance related to the following actions: (1) Acknowledgment.--An Indian group is seeking Federal acknowledgment or recognition and the Secretary determines that the Indian group seeking such acknowledgment or recognition (or reacknowledgment or rerecognition) is located within or adjacent to the boundaries of the area under the jurisdiction of the local government, or has asserted or is likely to seek trust status with respect to land within boundaries of the area over which the local government has jurisdiction. (2) Trust land.--An acknowledged Indian tribe is requesting that land within, or adjacent to, the boundaries of the area over which the local government has jurisdiction be put into trust status for that tribe. (3) Land claims.--An Indian group or an acknowledged Indian tribe is claiming, or is expected to claim, interest in land based upon a treaty or a law specifically applicable to transfers of land or natural resources from, by, or on behalf of any Indian, Indian nation, or group, tribe, or band of Indians (including the Acts commonly known as the Trade and Intercourse Acts (1 Stat. 137; 2 Stat. 139; and 4 Stat. 729)). (4) Other actions.--Any other action or proposed action relating to an Indian group or acknowledged Indian tribe if the Secretary determines that the action or proposed action is likely to significantly affect the people represented by that local government. (c) Amount of Grants.--Grants awarded under this section to a local government for any one action may not exceed $500,000 in any fiscal year. (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $8,000,000 for each fiscal year. SEC. 9. GRANT PROGRAM FOR IMPACT AID. (a) In General.--To the extent funds are made available by appropriations and acceptable requests are submitted, the Secretary shall provide grants to local governments to assist those local governments with activities related to infrastructure, public safety, or social services, if the Secretary determines that such activities are made necessary or prudent as a result of the activities of a federally recognized Indian tribe. (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each fiscal year. SEC. 10. REPEAL OF REVOLVING DOOR EXEMPTION. Section 104(j) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450i(j)) is repealed. SEC. 11. DEFINITIONS. For the purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply: (1) Acknowledged indian tribe.--The term ``acknowledged Indian tribe'' means any Indian tribe, band, nation, pueblo, or other organized group or community which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians. (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the Interior.
summary: Sets forth procedures regarding the submission and notification of letters of intent by Indian tribes seeking acknowledgment or recognition under Federal law. Provides that petitioning tribes must first submit letters of intent to the Secretary of the Interior. Makes the Governor, the Attorney General, and each municipality located within the vicinity interested parties in the review.Requires the Secretary to: (1) determine when a petition is complete and ready for acknowledgment review, notify the petitioner and all interested parties, and publish notice in the Federal Register; and (2) provide a reasonable period for comment.Directs the Secretary of the Interior to provide grants to assist local governments in participating in the decision making process related to the following actions if the Secretary determines that such actions are likely to significantly affect the people represented by the local governments and to reimburse such governments for the costs of such participation: (1) an Indian group is seeking Federal acknowledgment or recognition (or re-acknowledgment or recognition) and the Secretary determines that such group is located within or adjacent to the area under the local government's jurisdiction, or has asserted or is likely to seek trust status with respect to land within the area over which the local government has jurisdiction; (2) an acknowledged tribe is requesting that land within or adjacent to the area over which the local government has jurisdiction be put into trust status for it; and (3) an Indian group or an acknowledged tribe is claiming, or is expected to claim, interest in land based upon a treaty or law specifically applicable to land or natural resource transfers from, by, or on behalf of Indians. Permits the making of grants also to reimburse local governments for activities that were undertaken before the enactment of this Act.Directs the Secretary to provide grants to local governments to assist them with activities related to infrastructure, public safety, or social services that are made necessary or prudent as a result of a federally-recognized tribe's activities.