article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Indian Employment and Training Improvement Act of 1997''. SEC. 2. PLAN REVIEW. The third sentence of section 7 of the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3406) is amended by striking ``shall have the authority to waive any'' and inserting ``shall waive any statutory requirement,''. SEC. 3. PLAN APPROVAL. Section 8 of the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3407) is amended-- (1) in the first sentence, by inserting before the period at the end the following: ``(including any request for a waiver that is made as part of the plan submitted by the tribal government)''; and (2) in the second sentence, by inserting before the period at the end the following: ``, including reconsidering the disapproval of any waiver requested by the Indian tribe''. SEC. 4. JOB CREATION ACTIVITIES. Section 9 of the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3408) is amended-- (1) by inserting ``(a) In General.--'' before ``The plan submitted''; and (2) by adding at the end the following: ``(b) Employment Opportunities.-- ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including any requirement of a program that is integrated under a plan under this Act, a tribal government may use a percentage of the funds made available under this Act (as determined under paragraph (2)) for the creation of employment opportunities, including providing private sector training placement under section 10. ``(2) Determination of percentage.--The percentage of funds that a tribal government may use under this subsection is the greater of-- ``(A) the rate of unemployment in the area subject to the jurisdiction of the tribal government; or ``(B) 10 percent.''. SEC. 5. FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITIES. (a) In General.--Section 11(a) of the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3410(a)) is amended-- (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``Bureau of Indian Affairs'' and inserting ``Office of Self- Governance of the Department of the Interior''; (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period and inserting ``; and''; and (3) by adding at the end the following: ``(5) ensuring an orderly transition with respect to the administration of the programs integrated under the project in such manner as to eliminate any potential adverse effects of the project on any Indian tribe that-- ``(A) has entered into a self-determination contract (as that term is defined in section 4(j) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(j))); or ``(B) receives funding under this Act.''. (b) Personnel.--In carrying out the amendment made by subsection (a)(1), the Secretary of the Interior shall transfer from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the Office of Self-Governance of the Department of the Interior such personnel and resources as the Secretary determines to be appropriate. SEC. 6. ASSIGNMENT OF FEDERAL PERSONNEL TO STATE INDIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. Section 18 of the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3417) is amended-- (1) by striking the section heading and inserting the following: ``SEC. 18. ASSIGNMENT OF FEDERAL PERSONNEL TO INDIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.''; and (2) by inserting ``or Indian tribe'' after ``State'' each place it appears. SEC. 7. CONSOLIDATED ADVISORY COMMITTEES. The Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3401 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``SEC. 19. CONSOLIDATED ADVISORY COMMITTEE. ``(a) In General.--The head of each Federal agency specified in section 4 that otherwise has jurisdiction over a program that is integrated under this Act (in accordance with a plan under section 6) shall permit a tribal government that carries out that plan to establish a consolidated advisory committee to carry out the duties of each advisory committee that would otherwise be required under applicable law (including any council or commission relating to private industry) to carry out the programs integrated under the plan. ``(b) Waivers.--As necessary to carry out paragraph (1), each agency head referred to in that paragraph shall waive any statutory requirement, regulation, or policy requiring the establishment of an advisory committee (including any advisory commission or council).''. SEC. 8. ALASKA REGIONAL CONSORTIA. The Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3401 et seq.), as amended by section 7 of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following: ``SEC. 20. ALASKA REGIONAL CONSORTIA. ``(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, subject to subsection (b), the Secretary shall permit a regional consortium of Alaska Native villages or regional or village corporations (as defined in or established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.)) to carry out a project under a plan that meets the requirements of this Act through a resolution adopted by the governing body of each such entity. ``(b) Withdrawal.--Nothing in subsection (a) is intended to prohibit an Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation from withdrawing from participation in any portion of a program conducted pursuant to that subsection at any time after the plan for the program is implemented.''.
summary: Indian Employment and Training Improvement Act of 1997 - Amends the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992 to, among other things: (1) allow Indian tribal governments to use a specified percentage of the funds made available under the Act for the creation of employment opportunities, including providing private sector training placement; (2) transfer lead agency responsibility for demonstration projects from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the Office of Self-Governance of the Department of the Interior; and (3) revise the requirement regarding the assignment of Federal personnel to State Indian economic development programs to provide for Federal personnel assignments to Indian tribes with such programs. Sets forth requirements concerning: (1) Indian tribal government consolidated advisory committees; and (2) Alaska regional consortia.