[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 117, 108th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


117 STAT. 696

Public Law 108-22
108th Congress

An Act


 
To provide for the use and distribution of certain funds awarded to the
Gila River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, and for other purposes.


[NOTE: May 14, 2003 -  [S. 162]]     Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the United States of America in
Congress [NOTE: Gila River Indian Community Judgment Fund Distribution
Act of 2003. Arizona.] assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Gila River Indian
Community Judgment Fund Distribution Act of 2003''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Definitions.

TITLE I--GILA RIVER JUDGMENT FUND DISTRIBUTION

Sec. 101. Distribution of judgment funds.
Sec. 102. Responsibility of Secretary; applicable law.

TITLE II--CONDITIONS RELATING TO COMMUNITY JUDGMENT FUND PLANS

Sec. 201. Plan for use and distribution of judgment funds awarded in
Docket No. 228.
Sec. 202. Plan for use and distribution of judgment funds awarded in
Docket No. 236-N.

TITLE III--EXPERT ASSISTANCE LOANS

Sec. 301. Waiver of repayment of expert assistance loans to Gila River
Indian Community.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--
(1) on August 8, 1951, the Gila River Indian Community filed
a complaint before the Indian Claims Commission in Gila River
Pima-Maricopa Indian Community v. United States, Docket No. 236,
for the failure of the United States to carry out its obligation
to protect the use by the Community of water from the Gila River
and the Salt River in the State of Arizona;
(2) except for Docket Nos. 236-C and 236-D, which remain
undistributed, all 14 original dockets under Docket No. 236 have
been resolved and distributed;
(3) in Gila River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community v. United
States, 29 Ind. Cl. Comm. 144 (1972), the Indian Claims
Commission held that the United States, as trustee, was liable
to the Community with respect to the claims made in Docket No.
236-C;

[[Page 697]]

117 STAT. 697

(4) in Gila River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community v. United
States, 684 F.2d 852 (1982), the United States Claims Court held
that the United States, as trustee, was liable to the Community
with respect to the claims made in Docket No. 236-D;
(5) with the approval of the Community under Community
Resolution GR-98-98, the Community entered into a settlement
with the United States on April 27, 1999, for claims made under
Docket Nos. 236-C and 236-D for an aggregate total of
$7,000,000;
(6) on May 3, 1999, the United States Court of Federal
Claims ordered that a final judgment be entered in consolidated
Docket Nos. 236-C and 236-D for $7,000,000 in favor of the
Community and against the United States;
(7)(A) on October 6, 1999, the Department of the Treasury
certified the payment of $7,000,000, less attorney fees, to be
deposited in a trust account on behalf of the Community; and
(B) that payment was deposited in a trust account managed by
the Office of Trust Funds Management of the Department of the
Interior; and
(8) in accordance with the Indian Tribal Judgment Funds Use
or Distribution Act (25 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.), the Secretary is
required to submit an Indian judgment fund use or distribution
plan to Congress for approval.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Adult.--The term ``adult'' means an individual who--
(A) is 18 years of age or older as of the date on
which the payment roll is approved by the Community; or
(B) will reach 18 years of age not later than 30
days after the date on which the payment roll is
approved by the Community.
(2) Community.--The term ``Community'' means the Gila River
Indian Community.
(3) Community-owned funds.--The term ``Community-owned
funds'' means--
(A) funds held in trust by the Secretary as of the
date of enactment of this Act that may be made available
to make payments under section 101; or
(B) revenues held by the Community that--
(i) are derived from trust resources; and
(ii) qualify for an exemption under section 7
or 8 of the Indian Tribal Judgment Funds Use or
Distribution Act (25 U.S.C. 1407, 1408).
(4) IIM account.--The term ``IIM account'' means an
individual Indian money account.
(5) Judgment funds.--The term ``judgment funds'' means the
aggregate amount awarded to the Community by the Court of
Federal Claims in Docket Nos. 236-C and 236-D.
(6) Legally incompetent individual.--The term ``legally
incompetent individual'' means an individual who has been
determined to be incapable of managing his or her own affairs by
a court of competent jurisdiction.
(7) Minor.--The term ``minor'' means an individual who is
not an adult.

[[Page 698]]

117 STAT. 698

(8) Payment roll.--The term ``payment roll'' means the list
of eligible, enrolled members of the Community who are eligible
to receive a payment under section 101(a), as prepared by the
Community under section 101(b).
(9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.

TITLE I--GILA RIVER JUDGMENT FUND DISTRIBUTION

SEC. 101. DISTRIBUTION OF JUDGMENT FUNDS.

(a) Per Capita Payments.--Notwithstanding the Indian Tribal Judgment
Funds Use or Distribution Act (25 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.) or any other
provision of law (including any regulation promulgated or plan developed
under such a law), the amounts paid in satisfaction of an award granted
to the Gila River Indian Community in Docket Nos. 236-C and 236-D before
the United States Court of Federal Claims, less attorney fees and
litigation expenses and including all accrued interest, shall be
distributed in the form of per capita payments (in amounts as equal as
practicable) to all eligible enrolled members of the Community.
(b) Preparation of Payment Roll.--
(1) In general.--The Community shall prepare a payment roll
of eligible, enrolled members of the Community that are eligible
to receive payments under this section in accordance with the
criteria described in paragraph (2).
(2) Criteria.--
(A) Individuals eligible to receive payments.--
Subject to subparagraph (B), the following individuals
shall be eligible to be listed on the payment roll and
eligible to receive a per capita payment under
subsection (a):
(i) All enrolled Community members who are
eligible to be listed on the per capita payment
roll that was approved by the Secretary for the
distribution of the funds awarded to the Community
in Docket No. 236-N (including any individual who
was inadvertently omitted from that roll).
(ii) All enrolled Community members who are
living on the date of enactment of this Act.
(iii) All enrolled Community members who
died--
(I) after the effective date of the
payment plan for Docket No. 236-N; but
(II) on or before the date of
enactment of this Act.
(B) Individuals ineligible to receive payments.--The
following individuals shall be ineligible to be listed
on the payment roll and ineligible to receive a per
capita payment under subsection (a):
(i) Any individual who, before the date on
which the Community approves the payment roll,
relinquished membership in the Community.
(ii) Any minor who relinquishes membership in
the Community, or whose parent or legal guardian
relinquishes membership on behalf of the minor,
before the date on which the minor reaches 18
years of age.

[[Page 699]]

117 STAT. 699

(iii) Any individual who is disenrolled by the
Community for just cause (such as dual enrollment
or failure to meet the eligibility requirements
for enrollment).
(iv) Any individual who is determined or
certified by the Secretary to be eligible to
receive a per capita payment of funds relating to
a judgment--
(I) awarded to another community,
Indian tribe, or tribal entity; and
(II) appropriated on or before the
date of enactment of this Act.
(v) Any individual who is not enrolled as a
member of the Community on or before the date that
is 90 days after the date of enactment of this
Act.

(c) Notice to Secretary.--On approval by the Community of the
payment roll, the Community shall submit to the Secretary a notice that
indicates the total number of individuals eligible to share in the per
capita distribution under subsection (a), as expressed in subdivisions
that reflect--
(1) the number of shares that are attributable to eligible
living adult Community members; and
(2) the number of shares that are attributable to deceased
individuals, legally incompetent individuals, and minors.

(d) Information Provided to Secretary.--The Community shall provide
to the Secretary enrollment information necessary to allow the Secretary
to establish--
(1) estate accounts for deceased individuals described in
subsection (c)(2); and
(2) IIM accounts for legally incompetent individuals and
minors described in subsection (c)(2).

(e) Disbursement of Funds.--
(1) [NOTE: Deadline.]  In general.--Not later than 30 days
after the date on which the payment roll is approved by the
Community and the Community has reconciled the number of shares
that belong in each payment subdivision described in subsection
(c), the Secretary shall disburse to the Community the funds
necessary to make the per capita distribution under subsection
(a) to eligible living adult members of the Community described
in subsection (c)(1).
(2) Administration and distribution.--On disbursement of the
funds under paragraph (1), the Community shall bear sole
responsibility for administration and distribution of the funds.

(f) Shares of Deceased Individuals.--
(1) In [NOTE: Regulations.] general.--The Secretary, in
accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary and in
effect as of the date of enactment of this Act, shall distribute
to the appropriate heirs and legatees of deceased individuals
described in subsection (c)(2) the per capita shares of those
deceased individuals.
(2) Absence of heirs and legatees.--If the Secretary and the
Community make a final determination that a deceased individual
described in subsection (c)(2) has no heirs or legatees, the per
capita share of the deceased individual and the interest earned
on that share shall--
(A) revert to the Community; and
(B) be deposited into the general fund of the
Community.

[[Page 700]]

117 STAT. 700

(g) Shares of Legally Incompetent Individuals.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall deposit the shares of
legally incompetent individuals described in subsection (c)(2)
in supervised IIM accounts.
(2) [NOTE: Regulations.]  Administration.--The IIM
accounts described in paragraph (1) shall be administered in
accordance with regulations and procedures established by the
Secretary and in effect as of the date of enactment of this Act.

(h) Shares of Minors.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall deposit the shares of
minors described in subsection (c)(2) in supervised IIM
accounts.
(2) Administration.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary shall hold the per
capita share of a minor described in subsection (c)(2)
in trust until such date as the minor reaches 18 years
of age.
(B) Nonapplicable law.--Section 3(b)(3) of the
Indian Tribal Judgment Funds Use or Distribution Act (25
U.S.C. 1403(b)(3)) shall not apply to any per capita
share of a minor that is held by the Secretary under
this Act.
(C) Disbursement.--No judgment funds, nor any
interest earned on judgment funds, shall be disbursed
from the account of a minor described in subsection
(c)(2) until such date as the minor reaches 18 years of
age.

(i) Payment of Eligible Individuals Not Listed on Payment Roll.--
(1) In general.--An individual who is not listed on the
payment roll, but is eligible to receive a payment under this
Act, as determined by the Community, may be paid from any
remaining judgment funds after the date on which--
(A) the Community makes the per capita distribution
under subsection (a); and
(B) all appropriate IIM accounts are established
under subsections (g) and (h).
(2) Insufficient funds.--If insufficient judgment funds
remain to cover the cost of a payment described in paragraph
(1), the Community may use Community-owned funds to make the
payment.
(3) Minors, legally incompetent individuals, and deceased
individuals.--In a case in which a payment described in
paragraph (2) is to be made to a minor, a legally incompetent
individual, or a deceased individual, the Secretary--
(A) is authorized to accept and deposit funds from
the payment in an IIM account or estate account
established for the minor, legally incompetent
individual, or deceased individual; and
(B) shall invest those funds in accordance with
applicable law.

(j) Use of Residual Funds.--On request by the governing body of the
Community to the Secretary, and after passage by the governing body of
the Community of a tribal council resolution affirming the intention of
the governing body to have judgment funds disbursed to, and deposited in
the general fund of, the Community, any judgment funds remaining after
the date on which

[[Page 701]]

117 STAT. 701

the Community completes the per capita distribution under subsection (a)
and makes any appropriate payments under subsection (i) shall be
disbursed to, and deposited in the general fund of, the Community.
(k) Reversion of Per Capita Shares to Tribal Ownership.--
(1) In general.--In accordance with the first section of
Public Law 87-283 (25 U.S.C. 164), the share for an individual
eligible to receive a per capita share under subsection (a) that
is held in trust by the Secretary, and any interest earned on
that share, shall be restored to Community ownership if, for any
reason--
(A) subject to subsection (i), the share cannot be
paid to the individual entitled to receive the share;
and
(B) the share remains unclaimed for the 6-year
period beginning on the date on which the individual
became eligible to receive the share.
(2) Request by community.--In accordance with subsection
(j), the Community may request that unclaimed funds described in
paragraph (1)(B) be disbursed to, and deposited in the general
fund of, the Community.

SEC. 102. RESPONSIBILITY OF SECRETARY; APPLICABLE LAW.

(a) Responsibility for Funds.--After the date on which funds are
disbursed to the Community under section 101(e)(1), the United States
and the Secretary shall have no trust responsibility for the investment,
supervision, administration, or expenditure of the funds disbursed.
(b) Deceased and Legally Incompetent Individuals.--Funds subject to
subsections (f) and (g) of section 101 shall continue to be held in
trust by the Secretary until the date on which those funds are disbursed
under this Act.
(c) Applicability of Other Law.--Except as otherwise provided in
this Act, all funds distributed under this Act shall be subject to
sections 7 and 8 of the Indian Tribal Judgment Funds Use or Distribution
Act (25 U.S.C. 1407, 1408).

TITLE II--CONDITIONS RELATING TO COMMUNITY JUDGMENT FUND PLANS

SEC. 201. PLAN FOR USE AND DISTRIBUTION OF JUDGMENT FUNDS AWARDED
IN DOCKET NO. 228.

(a) Definition of Plan.--In this section, the term ``plan'' means
the plan for the use and distribution of judgment funds awarded to the
Community in Docket No. 228 of the United States Claims Court (52 Fed.
Reg. 6887 (March 5, 1987)), as modified in accordance with Public Law
99-493 (100 Stat. 1241).
(b) Conditions.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Community shall modify the plan to include the following conditions with
respect to funds distributed under the plan:
(1) Applicability of other law relating to minors.--Section
3(b)(3) of the Indian Tribal Judgment Funds Use or Distribution
Act (25 U.S.C. 1403(b)(3)) shall not apply to any per capita
share of a minor that is held, as of the date of enactment of
this Act, by the Secretary.

[[Page 702]]

117 STAT. 702

(2) Share of minors in trust.--The Secretary shall hold a
per capita share of a minor described in paragraph (1) in trust
until such date as the minor reaches 18 years of age.
(3) Disbursal of funds for minors.--No judgment funds, nor
any interest earned on judgment funds, shall be disbursed from
the account of a minor described in paragraph (1) until such
date as the minor reaches 18 years of age.
(4) Use of remaining judgment funds.--On request by the
governing body of the Community, as manifested by the
appropriate tribal council resolution, any judgment funds
remaining after the date of completion of the per capita
distribution under section 101(a) shall be disbursed to, and
deposited in the general fund of, the Community.
SEC. 202. PLAN FOR USE AND DISTRIBUTION OF JUDGMENT FUNDS AWARDED
IN DOCKET NO. 236-N.

(a) Definition of Plan.--In this section, the term ``plan'' means
the plan for the use and distribution of judgment funds awarded to the
Community in Docket No. 236-N of the United States Court of Federal
Claims (59 Fed. Reg. 31092 (June 16, 1994)).
(b) Conditions.--
(1) Per capita aspect.--Notwithstanding any other provision
of law, the Community shall modify the last sentence of the
paragraph under the heading ``Per Capita Aspect'' in the plan to
read as follows: ``Upon request from the Community, any residual
principal and interest funds remaining after the Community has
declared the per capita distribution complete shall be disbursed
to, and deposited in the general fund of, the Community.''.
(2) General provisions.--Notwithstanding any other provision
of law, the Community shall--
(A) modify the third sentence of the first paragraph
under the heading ``General Provisions'' of the plan to
strike the word ``minors''; and
(B) insert between the first and second paragraphs
under that heading the following:
``Section 3(b)(3) of the Indian Tribal Judgment Funds Use or
Distribution Act (25 U.S.C. 1403(b)(3)) shall not apply to any
per capita share of a minor that is held, as of the date of
enactment of the Gila River Indian Community Judgment Fund
Distribution Act of 2003, by the Secretary. The Secretary shall
hold a per capita share of a minor in trust until such date as
the minor reaches 18 years of age. No judgment funds, or any
interest earned on judgment funds, shall be disbursed from the
account of a minor until such date as the minor reaches 18 years
of age.''.

TITLE III--EXPERT ASSISTANCE LOANS

SEC. 301. WAIVER OF REPAYMENT OF EXPERT ASSISTANCE LOANS TO GILA
RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law--
(1) the balance of all outstanding expert assistance loans
made to the Community under Public Law 88-168 (77 Stat. 301) and
relating to Gila River Indian Community v. United

[[Page 703]]

117 STAT. 703

States (United States Court of Federal Claims Docket Nos. 228
and 236 and associated subdockets) are canceled; and
(2) the Secretary shall take such action as is necessary--
(A) to document the cancellation of loans under
paragraph (1); and
(B) to release the Community from any liability
associated with those loans.

Approved May 14, 2003.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 162:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

SENATE REPORTS: No. 108-17 (Comm. on Indian Affairs).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 149 (2003):
Mar. 13, considered and passed Senate.
Apr. 29, considered and passed House.