A Republican bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
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 "PROTECT Act of 2025," aims to expand the legal authority of Tribal courts and strengthen their jurisdiction. It amends the Stored Communications Act to recognize Tribal courts as courts of competent jurisdiction for obtaining electronic communications and records. Additionally, it modifies the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 to grant Tribal jurisdiction over controlled substance-related offenses and firearms offenses. The legislation also updates the Bureau of Prisons Tribal Prisoner Program to include certain offenders. These changes are intended to integrate Tribal judicial processes more deeply into federal communication and criminal laws.
Yes
- Scored +7
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
The bill significantly expands the judicial authority and criminal jurisdiction of Tribal courts.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Expanded Judicial Authority for Tribal Courts: By amending the Stored Communications Act, the bill allows Tribal courts to be recognized as courts of competent jurisdiction. This enables them to issue warrants for the disclosure of electronic communications and records (Section 2, Section 2).
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Enhanced Jurisdiction over Controlled Substances: The bill grants Tribal jurisdiction over offenses involving drug trafficking, unlawful drug possession, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. This provides Tribes with legal authority over specific criminal law violations occurring within Indian country (Section 3, Section 3).
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Increased Control over Firearms Offenses: The act confers jurisdiction over firearms offenses, specifically those involving the use or possession of a firearm in furtherance of a covered crime or by a person convicted of domestic violence (Section 3, Section 3).
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Expanded Scope of Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction: The bill expands the scope of special Tribal criminal jurisdiction to include controlled substance-related offenses and firearms offenses (Section 3, Section 3).
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Integration into Prisoner Programs: The bill updates the Bureau of Prisons Tribal Prisoner Program to include offenders convicted under the expanded Tribal criminal jurisdiction (Section 4, Section 4).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts or burdens are explicitly detailed within 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 significantly expands the judicial authority and criminal jurisdiction of Tribal courts.
- 6/5/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Tina SmithDemocrat · Minnesota