[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2564 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2564

        To modernize prior legislation relating to Dine College.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 23, 2016

   Mr. Flake (for himself, Mr. McCain, Mr. Udall, and Mr. Heinrich) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                      Committee on Indian Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
        To modernize prior legislation relating to Dine College.

    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 2016''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) the Treaty between the United States of America and the 
        Navajo Tribe of Indians, done at Fort Sumner, New Mexico, June 
        1, 1868 (15 Stat. 667), 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 (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; and
            (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.

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 the internal and local 
        affairs of the Navajo Nation;
            (2) maintain and strengthen distinct institutions of higher 
        education through the teaching of the Navajo language, culture, 
        traditions, and history; and
            (3) improve the economic and social conditions of the 
        Navajo Nation and Navajo people 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) Infrastructure.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``infrastructure'' means 
                the buildings, water and sewer facilities, roads, and 
                information technology and telecommunications 
                infrastructure of the College.
                    (B) Inclusions.--The term ``infrastructure'' 
                includes classrooms and external matters such as 
                walkways.
            (4) Operation and maintenance.--The term ``operation and 
        maintenance'' means--
                    (A) costs and expenses associated with the 
                customary daily operation of the College; and
                    (B) necessary maintenance costs of the College.
            (5) Renovation and repair.--The term ``renovation and 
        repair'' means modernization and improvement to the 
        infrastructure.
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

SEC. 5. SURVEY, STUDY, AND REPORT.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Survey, study, and report.--Not later than January 31, 
        2017, in accordance with subsection (b), the Secretary shall 
        conduct, and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
        report on the results of, a detailed survey and study of all 
        capital projects and facility needs of the College.
            (2) Inclusions in report.--The report described in 
        paragraph (1) shall include--
                    (A) recommendations by the Secretary; and
                    (B) any recommendations or views submitted by the 
                College or the Navajo Nation regarding the capital 
                projects and facility needs of the College.
    (b) Inventory.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than August 1, 2016, the College 
        shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an inventory that 
        identifies the renovations and repairs necessary to meet--
                    (A) health and safety standards; and
                    (B) any other requirements the College determines 
                necessary.
            (2) Use of inventory.--The Secretary shall use the 
        inventory described in paragraph (1) as baseline data to inform 
        the survey, study, and report under subsection (a).
    (c) Administrative Expenses.--The Secretary may use to carry out 
this section amounts made available to the Secretary in general 
administrative appropriations.

SEC. 6. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.

    (a) Construction Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall make grants to the 
        College for construction activities, including the renovation 
        and repair or construction of buildings, water and sewer 
        facilities, roads, information technology and 
        telecommunications infrastructure, classrooms, and external 
        structures (such as walkways) identified in the survey, study, 
        and report under section 5.
            (2) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out paragraph (1) 
        $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2020, to 
        remain available until expended unless otherwise provided in an 
        appropriations Act.
    (b) Operation and Maintenance Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall make grants to the 
        College for operation and maintenance activities, including--
                    (A) basic, special, developmental, vocational, 
                technical, and special handicapped education costs;
                    (B) annual capital expenditures, including 
                equipment needs, minor capital improvements and 
                remodeling projects, physical plant maintenance and 
                operation costs, and an exceptions and supplemental 
                needs account;
                    (C) summer and special interest programs;
                    (D) major capital improvements, including internal 
                capital outlay funds and capital improvement projects;
                    (E) mandatory payments, including payments due on 
                bonds, loans, notes, or lease purchases;
                    (F) supplemental student services, including 
                student housing, food service, and the provision of 
                access to books and services; and
                    (G) improving and expanding the College, including 
                by providing for the Navajo people and others in the 
                community of the College--
                            (i) higher education programs;
                            (ii) career and technical education;
                            (iii) activities relating to the 
                        preservation and protection of the Navajo 
                        language, philosophy, and culture;
                            (iv) employment and training opportunities;
                            (v) economic development and community 
                        outreach; and
                            (vi) a safe learning, working, and living 
                        environment.
            (2) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out paragraph (1) 
        such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 2017 
        through 2020, to remain available until expended unless 
        otherwise provided in an appropriations Act.

SEC. 7. STATUS OF FUNDS.

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

SEC. 8. EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.

    This Act supersedes--
            (1) the Navajo Community College Act (25 U.S.C. 640a et 
        seq.);
            (2) the Navajo Community College Assistance Act of 1978 (25 
        U.S.C. 640a note; Public Law 95-471); and
            (3) the Navajo Nation Higher Education Act of 2008 (25 
        U.S.C. 640a note; Public Law 110-315).

SEC. 9. CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY FOR OTHER FEDERAL FUNDS.

    Except as explicitly provided in other Federal law, nothing in this 
Act precludes the eligibility of the College to receive Federal funding 
and resources under any program authorized under--
            (1) the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et 
        seq.);
            (2) the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 
        (7 U.S.C. 301 note; Public Law 103-382); or
            (3) any other applicable program for the benefit of 
        institutions of higher education, community colleges, or 
        postsecondary educational institutions.
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