[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 887 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 887

 To direct the Secretary of the Interior to submit a report on Indian 
              land fractionation, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 2, 2011

   Mr. Young of Alaska (for himself and Mr. Hastings of Washington) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
 Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
                        the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of the Interior to submit a report on Indian 
              land fractionation, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. REPORT ON INDIAN LAND FRACTIONATION.

    Not later than 6 months after funds are made available for this 
section, the Secretary of the Interior shall submit a report to the 
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate that contains the following:
            (1) A comprehensive assessment of Indian land 
        fractionation.
            (2) The plan of the Secretary for consolidating highly 
        fractionated Indian lands pursuant the Indian Land 
        Consolidation Act and the Class Action Settlement Agreement 
        referred to in section 2.
            (3) Any alternative to the plan referred to in paragraph 
        (2) to consolidate highly fractionated Indian lands in a manner 
        that--
                    (A) maximizes economic return on lands held in 
                trust for the benefit of individual Indians or Indian 
                tribes;
                    (B) lowers Federal costs of managing and probating 
                such lands; and
                    (C) includes contracting and compacting under title 
                I and title IV of the Indian Self-Determination and 
                Education Assistance Act.

SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON INDIAN TRUST ACCOUNT SETTLEMENT.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in the Class Action 
Settlement Agreement dated December 7, 2009, in the case entitled 
Elouise Cobell et al. v. Ken Salazar et al., United States District 
Court, District of Columbia, Civil Action No. 96-1285 (TFH), the total 
amount awarded for attorneys' fees, expenses, and costs shall not 
exceed $50,000,000.
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