[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2958 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2958

To fulfill the United States Government's trust responsibility to serve 
the higher education needs of the Navajo people and to clarify, unify, 
             and modernize prior Dine College legislation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 7, 2015

 Mrs. Kirkpatrick introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
              the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To fulfill the United States Government's trust responsibility to serve 
the higher education needs of the Navajo people and to clarify, unify, 
             and modernize prior Dine College legislation.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Dine College Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds as follows:
            (1) The Treaty of 1868 between the United States of America 
        and the Navajo Tribe of Indians provides for the education of 
        the citizens of the Navajo Nation.
            (2) The Navajo Nation created and chartered the Navajo 
        Community College by Resolution CN-95-68 as a wholly owned 
        educational entity of the Navajo Nation.
            (3) In 1971, Congress enacted the Navajo Community College 
        Act (Public Law 92-189; 25 U.S.C. 640a et seq.).
            (4) The Navajo Nation officially changed the name of the 
        Navajo Community College to Dine College by Resolution CAP-35-
        97.
            (5) The purpose of Dine College is to provide educational 
        opportunities to the Navajo people and others in areas 
        important to the economic and social development of the Navajo 
        Nation.
            (6) The educational philosophy of Dine College is to apply 
        principles of Sa'ah Naaghai Bik'eh Hozhoon (Dine Philosophy) to 
        advance quality student learning through training of the mind 
        and heart.
            (7) The United States has a trust and treaty responsibility 
        to the Navajo Nation to provide for the educational 
        opportunities for Navajo people.
            (8) Significant portions of the Dine College's 
        infrastructure are dilapidated and pose a serious health and 
        safety risk to students, employees, and the public.
            (9) This Act is consistent with Executive Order 13592 (76 
        Fed. Reg. 76603, relating to improving American Indian and 
        Alaska Native educational opportunities and strengthening 
        tribal colleges and universities) and fulfills the United 
        States Government's trust responsibility to serve the 
        educational needs of the Navajo people.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to ensure that the Navajo Nation and 
Navajo people--
            (1) exercise their right to self-determination, 
        particularly in matters relating to their internal and local 
        affairs;
            (2) maintain and strengthen their distinct institutions of 
        higher education through the teaching of the Navajo language, 
        culture, traditions, and history; and
            (3) improve their economic and social conditions through 
        higher education and postsecondary vocational training.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
        ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Indian Affairs and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Natural Resources, the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce, and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives.
            (2) College.--The term ``College'' means Dine College.
            (3) Operation and maintenance.--The term ``operation and 
        maintenance'' means all cost and expenses associated with the 
        customary daily operation of the Dine College and necessary 
        maintenance costs.
            (4) Infrastructure.--The term ``infrastructure'' means Dine 
        College buildings, water and sewer facilities, roads, 
        foundation, information technology, and telecommunications, 
        including classrooms and external matters such as walkways.
            (5) Renovations and repairs.--The term ``renovations and 
        repairs'' means modernization and improvements to the 
        infrastructure.
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF DINE COLLEGE.

    Congress authorizes the Dine College to receive all Federal funding 
and resources under this Act and other laws for its operation, 
improvement, and growth, including--
            (1) to provide programs of higher education for citizens of 
        the Navajo Nation and others;
            (2) to provide vocational and technical education for 
        citizens of the Navajo Nation and others;
            (3) to preserve and protect the Navajo language, 
        philosophy, and culture for citizens of the Navajo Nation and 
        others;
            (4) to provide Navajo communities and people with 
        employment and training opportunities;
            (5) to provide economic development and community outreach 
        for Navajo communities and people; and
            (6) to provide a safe learning, working, and living 
        environment for students, employees, and the public.

SEC. 6. FACILITIES AND CAPITAL PROJECTS.

    From amounts made available under section 8(c), the Dine College 
may undertake any renovations and repairs to the infrastructure of the 
College identified in the survey, study, and report carried out under 
section 9.

SEC. 7. STATUS OF FUNDS.

    Funds provided under this Act to the Dine College may be treated as 
non-Federal, private funds of the College for purposes of any provision 
of Federal law which requires that non-Federal or private funds of the 
College be used in a project for a specific purpose.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are hereby authorized to be appropriated to 
the Dine College, for each fiscal year, such sums as may be necessary 
to pay for the operation and maintenance of the College.
    (b) Budget Placement.--The Secretary shall fund the operation and 
maintenance of the Dine College separately from tribal colleges and 
universities recognized and funded by the Tribally Controlled College 
or University Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.).
    (c) Facilities and Capital Projects.--In addition to amounts 
appropriated under subsection (a), there are authorized to be 
appropriated $7,500,000, for each fiscal year, to carry out section 6.

SEC. 9. SURVEY, STUDY, AND REPORT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct a detailed survey and 
study of all capital projects and facility needs of the Dine College, 
and shall report the results of such survey and study to the 
appropriate committees of Congress not later than October 31, 2016. 
Such report shall include recommendations by the Secretary and any 
recommendations or views submitted by the College and the Navajo Nation 
regarding the capital projects and facility needs of the College.
    (b) Inventory.--Not later than January 31, 2016, an inventory 
prepared by Dine College identifying repairs, alterations, and 
renovations to facilities required to meet health and safety standards 
and other factors shall be submitted to the Secretary. The Secretary 
shall use the inventory as baseline data to inform the survey, study, 
and report required under subsection (a).
    (c) Administrative Expenses.--Funds to carry out this section may 
be drawn from general administrative appropriations to the Secretary.

SEC. 10. SUPERSESSION OF NAVAJO COMMUNITY COLLEGE ACT.

    This Act supersedes--
            (1) the Navajo Community College Act (Public Law 92-189; 25 
        U.S.C., 640a et seq.);
            (2) the Navajo Community College Assistance Act of 1978 
        (Public Law 95-471, 92 Stat. 1325, 1329); and
            (3) the Navajo Nation Higher Education Act of 2010 (Public 
        Law 110-315, 122 Stat. 3468).

SEC. 11. CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY FOR OTHER FEDERAL FUNDS.

    Except as explicitly provided for in other Federal law, nothing in 
this Act shall preclude the eligibility of the Dine College to received 
Federal funding and resources under any program authorized under the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), the Equity in 
Educational Land Grant Status Act (Title V, Part C, of Public Law 103-
382; 7 U.S.C. 301 note), or any other applicable program for the 
benefit of institutions of higher education, community colleges, or 
postsecondary educational institutions.
                                 <all>