A bill aimed at benefiting the Crow Tribe dominated discussion at a hearing in Washington, D.C., on November 19, 2024.

Members of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources asked numerous questions about the H.R.8952, the Crow Revenue Act. The bill would transfer about 4,660 acres of privately-held mineral rights on the Crow Reservation in Montana to the Crow Tribe.

In exchange, the measure directs the federal government to transfer about 5,470 acres in land and mineral rights off the reservation to the Hope Family. The family, who are non-Native, owns the mineral rights that would be transferred to the tribe.

Republican supporters of H.R.8952 largely directed questions to Derf Johnson from the Montana Environmental Information Center, an organization that has raised questions about the bill. The group has worked with the Apsáalooké Allottees Alliance, an organization focused on the rights of individual Indian landowners on the Crow Reservation.

The Apsáalooké Allottees Alliance submitted a statement for the record in opposition to H.R.8952.

The list of lawmakers who asked questions about the bill follow:

• Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Montana) [00:00]
• Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California) [06:09]
• Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Montana) [11:15]
• Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-California) [15:02]
• Rep. Garret Graves (R-Louisiana) [20:26]
• Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Virginia) [25:46]

Legislative Hearing on H.R. 7662, H.R. 7807, H.R. 8952 & H.R. 10005 (naturalresources.house.gov)
Legislative Hearing on the following bills: H.R. 7662 (Rep. Houlahan), “Critical Minerals Security Act of 2024”; H.R. 7807 (Rep. Obernolte), “Intergovernmental Critical Minerals Task Force Act”; H.R. 8952 (Rep. Zinke), “Crow Revenue Act”; and H.R. 10005 (Rep. Hageman), “Expedited Appeals Review Act” or the “EARA” (docs.house.gov)
Hearing Memo: Legislative Hearing on H.R. 7662, H.R. 7807, H.R. 8952, and H.R. 10005 (naturalresources.house.gov)