To authorize leases of up to 99 years for land held in trust for federally recognized Indian Tribes.
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5910
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Native Americans
- Status
- Passed House
- Latest Action
- 2026-03-04: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-11T14:30:00Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 5910
Purpose
This legislation aims to expand the authority for long-term leasing of land held in trust by the federal government for federally recognized Indian Tribes, allowing leases of up to 99 years.
Key Provisions
- The bill amends the Act of August 9, 1955 (25 U.S.C. 415(a)), which governs leasing of certain trust lands.
- It adds language to include "land held in trust for any other Indian Tribe included on the list published by the Secretary pursuant to section 104 of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131)" after the reference to the Chehalis Reservation in the second sentence of subsection (a).
- This change extends the 99-year lease maximum to trust lands of additional federally recognized tribes.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- The amendment broadens the scope of the 1955 Act, which previously limited the 99-year lease option to specific tribes or reservations like the Chehalis Reservation.
- It incorporates all tribes on the official federal list of recognized Indian Tribes, removing prior restrictions on which tribes qualify for this extended lease term.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: The Department of the Interior, responsible for managing trust lands, may see increased administrative workload in approving longer-term leases.
- Citizens and tribes: Federally recognized Indian Tribes could gain greater flexibility in economic development through extended leases for housing, businesses, or infrastructure.
- International relations: No direct effects identified, as the bill focuses on domestic tribal land management.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federally recognized Indian Tribes and their members, who hold land in trust.
- The Secretary of the Interior and Bureau of Indian Affairs, which oversee trust land leases.
- Potential lessees, such as businesses or developers seeking long-term use of tribal trust lands.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The bill enhances tribal authority over trust lands without altering the federal trust relationship.
- It raises no apparent constitutional concerns, as it builds on existing statutes related to tribal land leasing.
- Politically, it promotes uniformity in leasing rules across all recognized tribes, potentially reducing disparities in economic opportunities.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Hageman, Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large]
Cosponsors (4)
Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3], Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3], Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1], Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]
Recent Actions
- 2026-03-04: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
- 2026-03-03: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- 2026-03-03: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2348)
- 2026-03-03: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2348)
- 2026-03-03: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5910.
- 2026-03-03: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2348-2349)
- 2026-03-03: Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- 2026-01-14: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 388.
- 2026-01-14: Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-453.
- 2026-01-14: Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-453.
- 2025-12-17: Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
- 2025-12-17: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 2025-11-04: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- 2025-11-04: Introduced in House
- 2025-11-04: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- An Act To authorize leases of up to 99 years for land held in trust for federally recognized Indian Tribes. — issued 2026-03-03 — PDF (4 pages)
- To authorize leases of up to 99 years for land held in trust for federally recognized Indian Tribes. — issued 2025-11-04 — PDF (2 pages)
- An Act To authorize leases of up to 99 years for land held in trust for federally recognized Indian Tribes. — issued 2026-03-04 — PDF (2 pages)
- To authorize leases of up to 99 years for land held in trust for federally recognized Indian Tribes. — issued 2026-01-14 — PDF (4 pages)