Brian Schatz (D-HI)
A bill to amend the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act to authorize grants to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations, and for other purposes.
A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
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 aims to amend the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act. It seeks to authorize various grant programs for Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is authorized to make grants and enter into agreements with tribes and tribal organizations. Additionally, the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations may make grants and enter into agreements with Native Hawaiian organizations. Other Federal agencies, such as those overseeing Commerce, Transportation, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, and Labor, are also authorized to provide these grants. Finally, the bill authorizes $35,000,000 for these purposes for fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
Yes· 3 of 13
- Scored +7
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
The bill provides significant funding and grant authority specifically for Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations.
- Scored +6
Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated?
The bill promotes economic equity for Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations through dedicated grant programs.
- Scored +5
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
The bill supports economic development in rural tribal and Native Hawaiian areas.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Grant Authority for Tribes and Organizations: The Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs may make grants and enter into agreements with Indian tribes and tribal organizations to carry out the purposes of the Act (Section 1, subsection a).
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Support for Native Hawaiian Organizations: The Director of the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations may make grants and enter into agreements with Native Hawaiian organizations to carry out the purposes of the Act (Section 1, subsection b).
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Inter-Agency Support: Heads of other Federal agencies, including Commerce, Transportation, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, and Labor, are authorized to make grants or enter into agreements with Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations (Section 1, subsection c).
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Dedicated Funding: The bill authorizes $35,000,000 to carry out these grant programs for the period of fiscal years 2025 through 2029 (Section 1, subsection d).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts or burdens are explicitly mentioned 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 provides significant funding and grant authority specifically for Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill supports economic development in rural tribal and Native Hawaiian areas. Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill supports tribal-led businesses and organizations through grant opportunities. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Economic stimulation through tourism can benefit low-income households within tribal communities.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The authorization of grant programs for tourism is likely to stimulate local tribal economies and job creation. Is this likely to grow the economy? — Increased funding for tribal tourism programs supports economic development within tribal territories. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Grant programs may support tribal-led small businesses in the tourism sector.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill promotes economic equity for Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations through dedicated grant programs. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Providing tourism grants can help reduce poverty in tribal communities by fostering economic opportunities.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill supports rural development through targeted tourism grants for tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations. Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests? — Tourism initiatives often involve managing and utilizing public lands on tribal territories. Does this repair or build roads and bridges? — Tourism-related grants often include infrastructure improvements to support visitor experiences.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill authorizes various federal agencies to manage and distribute grants to tribes.
- 12/17/2025
- Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Held at the desk.
- Received in the House.
- 12/16/2025
- Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8752; text: CR S8752)
- 5/8/2025
- Committee on Indian Affairs. Reported by Senator Murkowski without amendment. With written report No. 119-20.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 72.
- 3/5/2025
- Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- 2/18/2025
- 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.
Lisa MurkowskiRepublican · Alaska