The Senate Indian Affairs Committee recently approved a report for S.676, a bill to fix the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar.

The committee passed the bill over a year ago. But Report 112-166 wasn't adopted until May 17.

"As it is for all governments, land is important for tribal governments as it provides a means to advance tribal sovereignty and self-determination," the report states. "Tribal trust lands are especially important to this advancement."

S.676 has yet to come up for a vote on the Senate floor. The fix has been added to S.703, an Indian housing bill that's known as the HEARTH Act, but that hasn't come up for a vote either.

Get the Story:
Senate Carcieri Report Blames Supreme Court for Mess in Indian Country (Indian Country Today 5/24)

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Sen. Akaka and Rep. Cole: Action needed on land-into-trust fix (11/16)
DOI official reaffirms support for fix to land-into-trust ruling (11/02)