John Hoeven (R-ND)
North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2025
A Republican bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2025," allows the State of North Dakota to swap certain state land grant parcels for unappropriated Federal land. If a state land parcel is located within an Indian reservation, the Secretary of the Interior can take that land into trust for the benefit of the specific Indian Tribe upon request. The Act establishes rules for the valuation of land through independent appraisals to ensure the exchange is of substantially equivalent value. It also includes provisions for managing existing rights, such as grazing permits and mineral leases, during the transfer process. Finally, the bill mandates hazardous materials inspections and certifications for the land involved in these conveyances.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Restoration of Land to Indian Tribes: If a state land grant parcel is located within a reservation, the Secretary of the Interior can take that land into trust for the Indian Tribe, making it part of the reservation (Section 3(d)(1)).
-
Protection of Existing Grazing Rights: Individuals with active grazing leases, permits, or contracts can continue their grazing operations for the remainder of their current term (Section 5(d)(1)).
-
Continued Qualification of Base Properties: For those using state land to meet federal grazing requirements, that land will continue to qualify as base property for the remaining term of their lease or permit (Section 5(d)(2)(B)).
-
Ensuring Land Safety: The bill requires both the Secretary and the State to complete inspections and certifications regarding hazardous materials before any land is conveyed (Section 5(c)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Land Withdrawal Restrictions: Once the State selects unappropriated Federal land for conveyance, that land is withdrawn from entry, appropriation, disposal, and mining laws until the conveyance is complete (Section s 3(e)).
-
Potential for Value Imbalances: While the bill aims for equal value, it allows for imbalances that must be settled through cash payments or ledger accounts, which could create financial complexities between the State and the Federal government (Section 4(a)).
-
Potential Modification of Grazing Agreements: Despite protections for current terms, the Secretary or the State still maintains the power to cancel or modify grazing permits or contracts if the land is used for nongrazing purposes (Section 5(d)(2)(A)).
- 3/14/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
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.
Kevin CramerRepublican · North Dakota