Politiparty
Politiparty

119th Congress Native Americans

H.R. 3255: Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians Restoration Act of 2025

Introduced

  1. Introduced (completed)May 7, 2025
  2. Passed House (not reached)
  3. Passed Senate (not reached)
  4. To the President (not reached)
  5. Became law (not reached)

Summary

Introduced in House, May 7, 2025

This bill affirms federal recognition of the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians of Michigan.

Specifically, the bill makes the tribe and its members eligible for services and benefits provided to federally recognized tribes, without regard to the existence of a reservation for the tribe or the location of the residence of any member on or near a reservation. The service area of the tribe shall be Newaygo, Oceana, Kent, Muskegon and Ottawa Counties in Michigan.

Further, the tribe must submit a membership roll to the Department of the Interior as a condition of receiving recognition, services, and benefits. The tribe must maintain the membership roll.

Read the full summary

The bill directs Interior to (1) acquire, for the benefit of the tribe, trust title to land within Muskegon, Newaygo, or Oceana Counties; and (2) accept into trust any real property located in those counties for the benefit of the tribe if the property is conveyed to Interior and, at the time of such acceptance, there are no adverse legal claims on such property (e.g., outstanding liens, mortgages, or taxes owed).

Additionally, the bill allows Interior to (1) acquire additional land for the benefit of the tribe, and (2) take into trust land in specified counties for the benefit of the tribe.

Any land taken into trust for the benefit of the tribe shall, upon request of the tribe, be considered part of the tribe's reservation.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Roll calls

0 votes on this bill

No roll call votes have been held on this bill.

Amendments

0 offered

No amendments were offered to this bill.

Cosponsors

10

Bipartisan support.

Who scored on this bill

6 points earned
  1. 1Hillary Scholten D-MI SponsorDrew cross-party cosponsors, introduced2 events+6
See all scorers and every scoring event

Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.

Other bills by Hillary Scholten

History

  1. May 7, 2025Introduced in the House by Hillary Scholten.
Show the full action history (2 actions)
  1. May 7, 2025Introduced in House
  2. May 7, 2025Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.