Bill > HR3255

This bill seeks to reaffirm and clarify the federal recognition of the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians of Michigan as a federally recognized tribe. The bill provides a comprehensive historical background highlighting the tribe's continuous presence in west Michigan since the early 19th century, noting their descent from signatories of several historical treaties and their persistent efforts to gain federal recognition. It formally affirms the tribe's federal recognition, making them eligible for all federal services and benefits typically provided to recognized Native American tribes, regardless of whether they have a reservation or where tribal members reside. The bill specifically defines the tribe's service area as Newaygo, Oceana, Kent, Muskegon, and Ottawa Counties in Michigan, and requires the tribe to submit a membership roll to the Secretary of the Interior within 18 months of enactment. Additionally, the legislation mandates that the Secretary of the Interior acquire trust land for the tribe in Muskegon, Newaygo, or Oceana Counties and provides a mechanism for the tribe to have additional lands taken into trust. The bill emphasizes that it does not diminish any existing rights or privileges of the tribe and addresses the historical injustices the tribe has faced in its long journey toward federal recognition, including administrative delays and lack of federal support since the 1930s.