The U.S. House of Representatives considers H.R.663, the Native American Child Protection Act, on September 18, 2023.

The bill updates the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act, a federal law that hasn’t been significantly addressed since 1990. It reauthorizes and revises programs to ensure tribes have the tools they need to treat, prevent, investigate and prosecute instances of family violence, child abuse and child neglect involving Native children and families.

Consideration of H.R.663 took place under a suspension of the rules, a process typically used for non-controversial bills. However, the measure was not immediately passed by the House — as is usual practice — following a procedural objection raised by a member of the Republican majority.

The bill was called up later in the day for a recorded vote, with two-thirds majority needed to pass. It was approved by a tally of 378 to 32, with all the “Nays” coming from Republicans. The measure otherwise enjoys bipartisan support in the 118th Congress.

The House Committee on Natural Resources approved H.R.663 during a markup session on May 17 No testimony was taken on the bill, as a prior version had been considered and advanced during the last session of Congress.