H.R. 3744 would repeal the current process used by the Department of the Interior (DOI), to determine if Indian groups can be recognized as Indian tribes. The current process has been in place since 2015. Under the bill an Indian group could become a federally recognized Indian tribe only through the enactment of legislation to that effect.
The bill also would outline new administrative procedures for Indian groups to petition DOI for federal recognition. Those procedures would be similar to the procedures that existed before 2015. Using information from DOI, CBO estimates that implementing the procedures required in H.R. 3744 would not significantly change DOI’s administrative costs over the 2019-2023 period because personnel currently working to recognize Indian groups as Indian tribes would be shifted to process the tribal recognition petitions prior to submitting them to the Congress. In 2018, DOI allocated about $2 million for administrative expenses related to Indian tribal recognition.
Enacting H.R. 3744 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 3744 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2029.
H.R. 3744 would impose no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
