Dusty Johnson (R-SD)
Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2025
A Republican bill with 3 Democratic cosponsors · See all 7 cosponsors
Last activity — Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 439.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
The Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2025 requires the Bureau of Indian Affairs to follow specific deadlines when processing mortgage packages for Indian land. These packages include residential and business leasehold mortgages, land mortgages, and right-of-way documents. The bill establishes timelines for preliminary reviews, approvals, and the completion of certified title status reports. It also mandates that the Bureau notify lenders of missing documents or delays in processing. Additionally, the Act creates a Realty Ombudsman position to oversee these deadlines and facilitate communication. Finally, it requires annual reports to Congress and a GAO study regarding the digitization of land records.
Yes· 3 of 12
- Scored +7
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
The bill directly benefits Native Americans by streamlining land-related financial transactions.
- Scored +5
Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated?
The bill promotes equity by addressing bureaucratic delays that hinder land use and homeownership for Native Americans.
- Scored +5
Does this make housing cost less?
Streamlining land mortgages and leaseholds assists in residential home acquisition and construction.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Streamlined Mortgage Processing: The bill imposes strict deadlines on the Bureau of Indian Affairs to review and approve mortgage packages, which could speed up the process for residential and business mortgages on Indian land (Section 3(a)).
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Increased Transparency for Lenders and Applicants: The Bureau is required to notify lenders of missing documents within 2 days of a preliminary review and must provide notice of any delays in processing (Section 3(a)(2) and Section 3(b)(1)).
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Improved Access to Information: Relevant Federal agencies and Indian Tribes will be granted read-only access to portals containing land documents from the Trust Asset and Accounting Management System (Section 3(d)).
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Enhanced Oversight and Complaint Resolution: The creation of a Realty Ombudsman position provides a way for Indian Tribes, members, and lenders to submit inquiries and resolve complaints regarding mortgage documents (Section s 4(a) and 4(b)).
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Accountability through Reporting: The Director must submit an annual report to Congress detailing the number of requests received and whether the Bureau met its required deadlines (Section 3(e)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are explicitly detailed in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill directly benefits Native Americans by streamlining land-related financial transactions. Would business owners be better off under this? — Easier business leasehold mortgages support growth for tribal business owners. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill supports economic and residential stability in rural tribal lands.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make housing cost less? — Streamlining land mortgages and leaseholds assists in residential home acquisition and construction. Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill promotes equity by addressing bureaucratic delays that hinder land use and homeownership for Native Americans.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The act increases transparency through required annual reports to Congress and a GAO study. Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — The bill provides clear timelines and oversight mechanisms for administrative processes. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill imposes new administrative requirements and deadlines on a federal agency (BIA).
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — Streamlining mortgage processes for Indian land can facilitate economic development through easier access to capital. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The act supports business leasehold mortgages, facilitating economic activity on tribal lands.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests? — The bill improves the efficiency of managing land-related mortgage and title documentation. Does this invest in rural communities? — Improving mortgage processing supports economic development within rural Indian land areas.
- 2/23/2026
- Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-513.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 439.
- 2/17/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/11/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/10/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/22/2026
- Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs Discharged
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
- 5/20/2025
- Subcommittee Hearings Held
- 5/13/2025
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs.
- 3/21/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/14/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
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Ryan ZinkeRepublican · Montana