Brian Schatz (D-HI)· Sep 29, 2026
S.Amdt. 6839: In the nature of a substitute.
Adopted
With no one objecting, no names recorded
Brian Schatz (D-HI)
Unlocking Native Lands and Opportunities for Commerce and Key Economic Developments Act of 2025
S. 3383 · Senate bill Native Americans
A Democratic bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Held at the desk.
Passed one chamber, waiting for the other to take it up
Passed one chamber, and the other has not yet sent it to a committee or put it on its calendar.
The other chamber will hand it to a committee, place it on its calendar, or leave it where it is. Nothing has been decided, and a bill can sit here indefinitely.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- Passed Senate unanimous consent
- Awaiting House
The Senate by unanimous consent (no one objected, so there was no vote): no senator's position on it was recorded.
What this bill would do
This bill is titled the Unlocking Native Lands and Opportunities for Commerce and Key Economic Developments Act of 2025. It amends past laws to make improvements related to tribal leases and rights-of-way across Indian land. Specifically, it updates rules for leasing trust or restricted lands and allows Indian tribes to grant rights-of-way over their tribal land for any purpose. These tribal grants can happen without the approval of the Secretary of the Interior if they follow an approved tribal regulation. The legislation also sets up rules for the Secretary to review these tribal regulations and handle compliance issues. Additionally, the bill outlines how the United States trust responsibility applies to these rights-of-way.
Yes· 3 of 10
- Scored +5
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
Empowers Native American tribes with increased self-determination, local control, and streamlined land management.
- Scored +3
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
Promotes economic activity and infrastructure development in rural tribal areas.
- Scored +3
Is this likely to grow the economy?
Simplifies leasing and rights-of-way procedures on Indian lands, encouraging commerce and economic development.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
Exempts the Secretary of the Interior's approval of tribal regulations from major federal environmental laws like NEPA and the ESA.
- Scored -2
Does this give the federal government more power?
Retains oversight and discretionary enforcement/cancellation authority for the Secretary of the Interior over tribal land rights.
How the text last changed
Engrossed in Senate (9/29/2026), compared with Reported to Senate. Each change is on the Text tab.
The newer version of the bill changes the rules for leasing certain Indian lands. It updates how specific tribes, bands, pueblos, villages, communities, or reservations are identified when applying lease rules. These changes rely on the most recent list published by the Secretary pursuant to section 104(a) of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131(a)).
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Section 2(c) adds a new Section 8 that allows an Indian tribe to grant a right-of-way across its tribal land for any purpose. This could benefit tribes by giving them more direct control over economic development and land use without always needing federal approval.
-
Section 2(c) creates Section 8(b)(2)(A)(ii), which requires tribal regulations to provide an environmental review process that informs the public and gives them a reasonable opportunity to comment on significant environmental impacts. This ensures community transparency and public input for projects.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Section 2(c) adds a new Section 8(b)(2)(B), which exempts the Secretary of the Interior from the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, historic preservation laws, and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 when making an approval decision on tribal regulations. Some might consider this negative because it removes standard federal environmental and cultural reviews for these specific approval decisions.
-
Section 2(c) adds a new Section 8(d)(1), which states that the United States shall not be liable for losses sustained by any party to a right-of-way granted by a tribe. This could be viewed as a burden or negative outcome for individuals or parties who suffer losses and cannot seek compensation from the federal government.
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? — Empowers Native American tribes with increased self-determination, local control, and streamlined land management. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Promotes economic activity and infrastructure development in rural tribal areas. Would business owners be better off under this? — Provides businesses clearer pathways to negotiate and establish leases and rights-of-way on tribal lands.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — Simplifies leasing and rights-of-way procedures on Indian lands, encouraging commerce and economic development. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Facilitates easier commercial access and development opportunities on tribal lands for enterprises. Is this likely to create jobs? — By streamlining long-term leasing and rights-of-way processes on tribal lands, the bill promotes economic development and potential job creation.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — Enhances tribal sovereignty and self-determination for Native American communities. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Economic development opportunities on tribal lands can contribute to local poverty reduction.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — Supports development and commerce across remote and rural tribal trust lands. Does this repair or build roads and bridges? — Streamlining rights-of-way approvals facilitates infrastructure and utility development across tribal lands. Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — Exempts the Secretary of the Interior's approval of tribal regulations from major federal environmental laws like NEPA and the ESA.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — Retains oversight and discretionary enforcement/cancellation authority for the Secretary of the Interior over tribal land rights.
The version one chamber actually passed
What changed from Reported to Senate
The newer version of the bill changes the rules for leasing certain Indian lands. It updates how specific tribes, bands, pueblos, villages, communities, or reservations are identified when applying lease rules. These changes rely on the most recent list published by the Secretary pursuant to section 104(a) of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131(a)).
Each change
- Section 2 removes specific references to a band, pueblo, village, community, component hand, or component reservation individually, and removes parenthetical inclusions, replacing them with a reference to the most recent list published by the Secretary pursuant to section 104(a) of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131(a)).
Written by an AI model from a comparison of this version’s text with the one before it, not by a person. .
- 10/5/2026
- Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Held at the desk.
- Received in the House.
- 9/29/2026
- Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5144-5145; text: CR S5144-5145)
- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5144-5145; text: CR S5144-5145)
- 7/16/2026
- Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 119-130.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 459.
- 6/17/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 12/17/2025
- Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- 12/8/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
- 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.
Lisa MurkowskiRepublican · Alaska
Thomas TillisRepublican · North Carolina