[Senate Report 111-84]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                       Calendar No. 170
111th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session                                                     111-84

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AUTHORIZING THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO PROVIDE AN ANNUAL GRANT TO 
    FACILITATE AN IRON WORKING TRAINING PROGRAM FOR NATIVE AMERICANS

                                _______
                                

               September 30, 2009.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

    Mr. Dorgan, from the Committee on Indian Affairs, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 1129]

    The Committee on Indian Affairs, to which was referred the 
bill (H.R. 1129) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
provide an annual grant to facilitate an iron working training 
program for Native Americans, having considered the same, 
reports favorably thereon with amendments and recommends that 
the bill (as amended) do pass.

                                PURPOSE

    The purpose of H.R. 1129 is to authorize the Secretary of 
the Interior, to the extent that funds are available for such 
purpose, to provide annual grants to facilitate a training 
program for Native American iron workers.

                               BACKGROUND

    The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) established an iron 
workers training program for Native Americans in 1972 as part 
of its general obligations to improve the economic conditions 
of Indian country. Congress has since annually approved 
appropriations for the program; however, the program has never 
been specifically authorized in law.
    H.R. 1129 would specifically authorize an iron worker 
training program for Native Americans. Under the bill, and 
subject to available funds, the Secretary would be directed to 
provide grants for classroom and on-the-job training in iron 
working skills to adult members of federally recognized Indian 
tribes. The grantee would also be required to facilitate 
participant job placement. To be eligible to receive a grant 
under the Act, an entity must show proven experience in 
providing successful iron working training programs to Native 
Americans, and have the facilities necessary to carry out such 
a program.
    The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Office of Indian Energy 
and Economic Development (OIEED) has administered the grant 
over the past several fiscal years. The program has the support 
of the Council for Tribal Employment Rights (CTER) and a number 
of individual tribes.

                          LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

    On February 23, 2009, Congressman Stephen Lynch introduced 
H.R. 1129, and the bill was referred to the House Committee on 
Natural Resources. On July 7, 2009, the House considered H.R. 
1129 under suspension of the rules. It was agreed to by a vote 
of 329-75. On July 8, 2009, H.R. 1129 was received in the 
Senate and referred to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

                          SUMMARY OF AMENDMENT

    During an open business meeting on August 6, 2009, the 
Committee considered and approved an amendment to H.R. 1129, 
offered by Vice Chairman Barrasso. The amendment would make 
federally recognized Indian tribes and tribal colleges eligible 
to receive iron worker training grants under the bill. The 
amendment was accepted by voice vote.

                        COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

    The Committee approved of the bill by voice vote, as 
amended, at the open business meeting on August 6, 2009, and 
ordered the bill reported to the full Senate with the 
recommendation that the bill, as amended, do pass.

                   COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

                                                   August 24, 2009.
Hon. Byron L. Dorgan,
Chairman, Committee on Indian Affairs,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1129, to authorize 
the Secretary of the Interior to provide an annual grant to 
facilitate an iron-working training program for Native 
Americans.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Leigh Angres.
            Sincerely,
                                              Douglas W. Elmendorf.
    Enclosure.

H.R. 1129--An act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide 
        an annual grant to facilitate an iron-working training program 
        for Native Americans

    H.R. 1129 would specifically authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior, acting through the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), to 
provide annual grants for iron-working training programs for 
Native Americans. Eligible grantees would include federally 
recognized tribes, tribal colleges and universities, and other 
entities that have proven experience in such programs. Based on 
information provided by BIA, CBO estimates that implementing 
H.R. 1129 would cost about $2 million over the 2010-2014 
period, subject to the availability of appropriated funds. 
Enacting H.R. 1129 would not affect direct spending or 
revenues.
    BIA has administered an iron-working training program for 
Native Americans since 1972. Over the past few years, the BIA 
has funded one grant a year at an average level of about 
$400,000. The act would codify and expand the current program 
to provide multiple grants to eligible entities. However, given 
the current demand for such training programs, CBO estimates 
that one grant a year would continue to be awarded at the same 
funding level.
    H.R. 1129 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector 
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and 
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Leigh Angres. 
The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.

               REGULATORY AND PAPERWORK IMPACT STATEMENT

    Paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the 
Senate requires that each report accompanying a bill to 
evaluate the regulatory and paperwork impact that would be 
incurred in carrying out the bill. The Committee has concluded 
that the regulatory and paperwork impacts of H.R. 1129, if any, 
would be de minimis.

                        EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

    The Committee has received no communications from the 
Executive Branch regarding H.R. 1129.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    In compliance with subsection 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee finds that the 
enactment of H.R. 1129 will not result in any changes in 
existing law.

                                  
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