Indian Trust Asset Reform Amendment Act

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Bill ID: 119/hr/5515
Last Updated: January 13, 2026

Sponsored by

Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3]

ID: H001100

Follow the money

The bill

Indian Trust Asset Reform Amendment Act

HR. 5515, 119th Congress — read as touching Agribusiness.

The sponsor

Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$73,400 raised

26 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

85% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Department of the Interior" section, p. 569-571 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Subcommittee Hearings Held

November 18, 2025

Introduced

Committee Review

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill moves to the floor for full chamber debate and voting.

🗳️

Floor Action

✅

Passed House

🏛️

Senate Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another exercise in legislative theater, courtesy of the 119th Congress. Let's dissect this farce and identify the underlying disease.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The Indian Trust Asset Reform Amendment Act (HR 5515) claims to amend the Indian Trust Asset Reform Act to improve trust asset management for Native American tribes. The bill's sponsors, Mr. Hurd of Colorado and Ms. Randall, likely want to appear as champions of tribal rights while lining their pockets with campaign contributions from interested parties.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill makes several changes to the Indian Trust Asset Reform Act, including:

1. Redefining "Indian tribe" and "tribal organization" to include more entities. 2. Expanding the scope of the Indian Trust Asset Management Project to allow tribal organizations to participate on behalf of tribes. 3. Amending the requirements for Indian trust asset management plans, including adding new provisions for plan amendments and eligibility for federal funding.

These changes are nothing but a smokescreen, designed to obscure the real motivations behind this bill. It's a classic case of "legislative lupus" – a disease where politicians use complex language to conceal their true intentions.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The affected parties include:

1. Native American tribes and tribal organizations 2. The Department of the Interior (DOI) and its Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) 3. Federal agencies responsible for managing trust assets, such as the U.S. Forest Service

These stakeholders will be forced to navigate the bureaucratic labyrinth created by this bill, wasting time and resources on compliance rather than actual asset management.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The real impact of this bill lies in its potential to:

1. Increase federal control over tribal assets, further eroding Native American sovereignty. 2. Create new opportunities for corruption and cronyism, as tribal organizations and federal agencies exploit loopholes in the legislation. 3. Divert attention from more pressing issues affecting Native American communities, such as poverty, healthcare disparities, and environmental degradation.

In conclusion, HR 5515 is a masterclass in legislative obfuscation, designed to benefit special interests rather than the people it claims to serve. It's a symptom of a deeper disease – the corrupting influence of money and power on our political system.

Related Topics

State & Local Government AffairsPublic Lands & Natural ResourcesFederal Budget & Appropriations
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$73,400
26 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$5,700
Committees
$0
Individuals
$67,700

No PAC contributions found

1
OTERO COUNTY REPUBLICAN WOMEN
1 transaction
$2,000
2
GARY DOEHLING PC
1 transaction
$2,000
3
MESA COUNTY REPUBLICAN MEN'S CLUB
1 transaction
$500
4
DEARMAN CONSULTING LLC
1 transaction
$500
5
L BAR SLASH RANCH
1 transaction
$500
6
MONTEZUMA COUNTY REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE
1 transaction
$200

No committee contributions found

1
BENSON, BRUCE
1 transaction
$5,000
2
ABBOTT, DEBRA
1 transaction
$3,300
3
ABBOTT, SARAH
1 transaction
$3,300
4
ABBOTT, THOMAS
1 transaction
$3,300
5
ABBOTT, WESLEY
1 transaction
$3,300
6
ADAMS, SCARLETT
1 transaction
$3,300
7
ANDREWS, SHARON
1 transaction
$3,300
8
ARMSTRONG, KRISTY
1 transaction
$3,300
9
ARMSTRONG, WIL
1 transaction
$3,300
10
BANCROFT, CLARA
1 transaction
$3,300
11
BANCROFT, JOHN R.
1 transaction
$3,300
12
BANCROFT, MARGE
1 transaction
$3,300
13
BANCROFT, PAUL
1 transaction
$3,300
14
BRAUER, CAMILLA
1 transaction
$3,300
15
BRAUER, STEPHEN
1 transaction
$3,300
16
BROWN, ABBY
1 transaction
$3,300
17
BROWN, DON
1 transaction
$3,300
18
BROWN, PEGGY
1 transaction
$3,300
19
CAGLE, BILL
1 transaction
$3,300
20
CARTER, JOE
1 transaction
$3,300

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 4 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6]

ID: R000621

Top Contributors

10

1
JAMESTOWN S'KLALLAM TRIBE
OrganizationSEQUIM, WA
$3,300
Dec 31, 2023
2
JAMESTOWN S'KLALLAM TRIBE
OrganizationSEQUIM, WA
$3,300
Oct 16, 2024
3
MUCKLESHOOT INDIAN TRIBE
OrganizationAUBURN, WA
$3,300
Nov 4, 2024
4
SNOQUALMIE TRIBE
OrganizationSNOQUALMIE, WA
$3,300
Oct 23, 2024
5
THE TULALIP TRIBES OF WASHINGTON
OrganizationTULALIP, WA
$3,300
Oct 28, 2024
6
QUINAULT INDIAN NATION
OrganizationTAHOLAH, WA
$1,500
Jul 30, 2024
7
SQUAXIN ISLAND TRIBE
OrganizationSHELTON, WA
$1,000
Apr 26, 2024
8
SAMISH TYEE
OrganizationANACORTES, WA
$1,000
Oct 30, 2024
9
JACOBS, IRWIN
NOT EMPLOYED • RETIRED
IndividualLA JOLLA, CA
$3,300
Dec 5, 2024
10
ANAND, SHELLY
SUR LEGAL COLLABORATIVE INC • ATTORNEY
IndividualDECATUR, GA
$3,300
Nov 21, 2023

Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]

ID: S001159

Top Contributors

10

1
SWINOMISH TRIBAL COMMUNITY
OrganizationLA CONNER, WA
$3,300
Dec 31, 2023
2
SWINOMISH TRIBAL COMMUNITY
OrganizationLA CONNER, WA
$3,300
Dec 31, 2023
3
AK-CHIN INDIAN COMMUNITY
OrganizationMARICOPA, AZ
$3,300
Mar 29, 2023
4
AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS
OrganizationPALM SPRINGS, CA
$3,300
Jun 30, 2023
5
MUCKLESHOOT INDIAN TRIBE
OrganizationAUBURN, WA
$3,300
May 16, 2023
6
NISQUALLY INDIAN TRIBE
OrganizationOLYMPIA, WA
$3,300
Jun 27, 2023
7
THE TULALIP TRIBES
OrganizationTULALIP, WA
$3,300
May 2, 2023
8
MUCKLESHOOT INDIAN TRIBE
OrganizationAUBURN, WA
$3,300
Jun 28, 2024
9
PUYALLUP TRIBE OF INDIANS
OrganizationTACOMA, WA
$3,300
Jun 28, 2024
10
THE TULALIP TRIBES
OrganizationTULALIP, WA
$3,300
Jun 18, 2024

Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4]

ID: H001094

Top Contributors

10

1
COQUILLE INDIAN TRIBE
OrganizationNORTH BEND, OR
$3,300
Mar 26, 2024
2
COW CREEK BAND OF UMPQUA TRIBE OF INDIANS
OrganizationROSEBURG, OR
$3,300
Mar 26, 2024
3
TOLOWA DEE-NI NATION
OrganizationSMITH RIVER, CA
$3,300
Mar 31, 2024
4
FEDERATED INDIANS OF GRATON RANCHERIA
OrganizationROHNERT PARK, CA
$3,300
May 25, 2023
5
FEDERATED INDIANS OF GRATON RANCHERIA
OrganizationROHNERT PARK, CA
$3,300
May 25, 2023
6
TOLOWA DEE-NI NATION
OrganizationSMITH RIVER, CA
$3,300
May 17, 2023
7
CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF SILETZ INDIANS
OrganizationSILETZ, OR
$3,300
Aug 22, 2023
8
CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF SILETZ INDIANS
OrganizationSILETZ, OR
$3,300
Aug 22, 2023
9
COQUILLE INDIAN TRIBE
OrganizationNORTH BEND, OR
$3,000
Dec 31, 2023
10
CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF GRAND RONDE
OrganizationGRAND RONDE, OR
$2,000
Mar 23, 2023

Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1]

ID: L000578

Top Contributors

10

1
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$3,300
Oct 31, 2024
2
AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS
OrganizationPALM SPRINGS, CA
$3,300
Sep 29, 2023
3
LEECH LAKE BAND OF OJIBWE
OrganizationCASS LAKE, MN
$2,000
Nov 4, 2024
4
VANN BROTHERS
UNINCORPORATED • PARTNERSHIP
OrganizationWILLIAMS, CA
$1,500
Jun 27, 2023
5
ONEIDA NATION
OrganizationONEIDA, WI
$1,000
Oct 31, 2024
6
SANTA ROSA RANCHERIA, .
SOVEREIGN NATION • INDIAN TRIBE
IndividualLEMORE, CA
$6,600
May 6, 2024
7
NECHAY, JULIA
N/A • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualROSEVILLE, CA
$5,000
Oct 26, 2024
8
OSAGE NATION, .
SOVEREIGN NATION • INDIAN TRIBE
IndividualPAWHUSKA, OK
$3,300
Oct 8, 2024
9
MCLAUGHLIN, RANDY
OLD DURHAM WOOD • ORCHARD TEMOVAL
IndividualDURHAM, CA
$3,300
Oct 13, 2024
10
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA, .
SOVEREIGN NATION • INDIAN TRIBE
IndividualDURANT, OK
$3,300
Oct 16, 2024

Donor Network - Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Loading...

Showing 56 nodes and 38 connections (44 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $111,700

Top Donors - Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3]

Showing top 25 donors by contribution amount

6 Orgs20 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 3 helped.

  • +Agribusinessconfidence 0.80

    Section 205(c) allows Indian tribes to manage their trust assets, including natural resources, which could benefit agribusiness companies working with these tribes.

  • Section 203(b) and Section 205(c) imply potential construction and engineering activities related to trust asset management, such as forest land management, which could benefit companies in this industry.

  • Section 204(d) mentions amendment of approved plans, which might include energy infrastructure projects on tribal lands, potentially benefiting energy infrastructure companies.

Who funds the sponsor on these industries

For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022–present cycles. Donations are not proof of intent — they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.

Industries this bill HELPS

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.AI-enhanced analysis provides detailed alignment ratings.

Department of the Interior

Strong
Vector: 61%
Pages: 569-571AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill aligns strongly with Project 2025's goal of restoring tribal self-governance and economic development by enhancing tribal control over trust assets, including energy and mineral resources on Indian lands, which directly supports the policy's emphasis on fulfilling federal trust responsibilities and enabling tribal resource development."

Key themes:tribal self-governancetrust asset managementenergy and mineral developmentfederal trust responsibilitytribal economic development

— 536 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 2. Engaging in real-time monitoring of operations. l Reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies by consolidating federal water working groups. l Implement actions identified in the Federal Action Plan for Improving Fore- casts of Water Availability,93 especially by adopting improvements related to: 1. Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations; and 2. Arial Snow Observation Systems. l Clarify the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act94 to ensure consistent application with other federal infrastructure loan programs under the Federal Credit Reform Act. This should be done to foster opportunities for locally led investment in water infrastructure. l Reinstate Presidential Memorandum on Promoting the Reliable Supply and Delivery of Water in the West.95 AMERICAN INDIANS AND U.S. TRUST RESPONSIBILITY The Biden Administration has breached its federal trust responsibilities to American Indians. This is unconscionable. Specifically, the Biden Administra- tion’s war on domestically available fossil fuels and mineral sources has been devastating. To wit: l The ability of American Indians and tribal governments to develop their abundant oil and gas resources has been severely hampered, depriving them of the revenue and profits to which they are entitled during a time of increasing worldwide energy prices, forcing American Indians—who are among the poorest Americans—to choose between food and fuel. l Indian nations with significant coal resources have some of the highest quality and cleanest-burning coal in the world, but the Biden Administration has sought to destroy the market for their coal by eliminating coal-fired electricity in the country and to prevent the transport of their coal for sale internationally. Meanwhile, the Biden Administration, at great public expense, artificially boosted the demand for electric vehicles, which, because of their remote locations, the absence of increased electricity demands for charging electric vehicles nearby, and the distances to be traveled, are not a choice for Indian communities. — 537 — Department of the Interior l A significant percentage of critical minerals needed by the United States is on Indian lands, but the Biden Administration has actively discouraged development of critical mineral mining projects on Indian lands rather than assisting in their advancement. l Despite Indian nations having primary responsibility for their lands and environment and responsibility for the safety of their communities, the Biden Administration is reversing efforts to put Indian nations in charge of environmental regulation on their own lands. Moreover, Biden Administration policies, including those of the DOI, have dis- proportionately impacted American Indians and Indian nations. l By its failure to secure the border, the Biden Administration has robbed Indian nations on or near the Mexican border of safe and secure communities while permitting them to be swamped by a tide of illegal drugs, particularly fentanyl. l When ending COVID protocols at Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools, Biden’s DOI failed to ensure an accurate accounting of students returning from school shutdowns, which presents a significant danger to the families that trust their children to that federal agency. l The BIE is not reporting student academic assessment data to ensure parents and the larger tribal communities know their children are learning and are receiving a quality education. The new Administration must take the following actions to fulfill the nation’s trust responsibilities to American Indians and Indian nations: l End the war on fossil fuels and domestically available minerals and facilitate their development on lands owned by Indians and Indian nations. l End federal mandates and subsidies of electric vehicles. l Restore the right of tribal governments to enforce environmental regulation on their lands. l Secure the nation’s border to protect the sovereignty and safety of tribal lands.

Department of the Interior

Strong
Vector: 60%
Pages: 569-571AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill aligns with Project 2025's emphasis on correcting federal trust responsibility failures by enhancing tribal self-governance and economic development through improved trust asset management, directly addressing the policy's criticism of the Biden Administration's undermining of tribal resource development."

Key themes:tribal self-governancetrust responsibilityeconomic developmentresource managementfederal-tribal relations

— 536 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 2. Engaging in real-time monitoring of operations. l Reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies by consolidating federal water working groups. l Implement actions identified in the Federal Action Plan for Improving Fore- casts of Water Availability,93 especially by adopting improvements related to: 1. Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations; and 2. Arial Snow Observation Systems. l Clarify the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act94 to ensure consistent application with other federal infrastructure loan programs under the Federal Credit Reform Act. This should be done to foster opportunities for locally led investment in water infrastructure. l Reinstate Presidential Memorandum on Promoting the Reliable Supply and Delivery of Water in the West.95 AMERICAN INDIANS AND U.S. TRUST RESPONSIBILITY The Biden Administration has breached its federal trust responsibilities to American Indians. This is unconscionable. Specifically, the Biden Administra- tion’s war on domestically available fossil fuels and mineral sources has been devastating. To wit: l The ability of American Indians and tribal governments to develop their abundant oil and gas resources has been severely hampered, depriving them of the revenue and profits to which they are entitled during a time of increasing worldwide energy prices, forcing American Indians—who are among the poorest Americans—to choose between food and fuel. l Indian nations with significant coal resources have some of the highest quality and cleanest-burning coal in the world, but the Biden Administration has sought to destroy the market for their coal by eliminating coal-fired electricity in the country and to prevent the transport of their coal for sale internationally. Meanwhile, the Biden Administration, at great public expense, artificially boosted the demand for electric vehicles, which, because of their remote locations, the absence of increased electricity demands for charging electric vehicles nearby, and the distances to be traveled, are not a choice for Indian communities.

Department of the Interior

Moderate
Vector: 60%
Pages: 563-565AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill focuses on improving tribal trust asset management and self-governance, which aligns with Project 2025's broader theme of reducing federal overreach and empowering state and local control over natural resources, particularly in Alaska. While the bill does not directly address Alaska-specific wildlife, water, or land policies outlined in Project 2025, it shares the underlying objective of transferring management authority from federal agencies to tribal entities, reflecting a similar dec"

Key themes:tribal self-governancefederal land managementresource authority transferreduced federal bureaucracyAlaska Native inclusion

— 531 — Department of the Interior Wildlife and Waters. Throughout Alaska’s history, the federal government has treated Alaska as less than a sovereign state. This is especially the case when it comes to two of Alaska’s most valued resources, its wildlife and its waters. Immediate action is required to end, at least in part, this injustice. A new Admin- istration should: l Revoke National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rules regarding predator control and bear baiting, which are matters for state regulation. Such revocation is permitted under the 2017 Congressional Review Act.62 l Recognize Alaska’s authority to manage fish and game on all federal lands in accordance with ANILCA as during the Reagan Administration, when each DOI agency in Alaska signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game ceding to the state the lead on fish and wildlife management matters.63 l Issue a secretarial order declaring navigable waters in Alaska to be owned by the state so that the lands beneath these waters belong to Alaska. This will force the BLM to prove that water is not navigable, since in the case of non-navigability, any submerged lands belong to the BLM. Currently, BLM requires Alaska to prove navigability at its own expense—including the BLM’s preposterous assertion that the mighty Yukon River is non-navigable. l Reinstate President Trump’s 2020 Alaska Roadless Rule64 for the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, which was replaced by a Biden Roadless Rule that continues a 2001 Clinton rule affecting 9.37 million of the forest’s 16.7 million acres.65 The Clinton rule affects an area where communities are in small islands with no road access. It has prevented multiple infrastructure projects, including roads, electric transmission lines, and water and sewer projects, and it forces residents to use a heavily subsidized ferry system. Logging has been shut down to the extent that New York harvests more timber than does all of Alaska. OTHER ACTIONS The 30 by 30 Plan.66 President Biden’s Executive Order 14008 (30 by 30 plan)67 requires that the federal government, which already owns one-third of the country: (1) remove vast amounts of private property from productive use; and (2) end congressionally mandated uses of all federal land. The end result will be “total federal control of an additional 440 million acres of land or oceans in the U.S. by 2030.”68 — 532 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise Although the new President should vacate that order, DOI under a conservative President must take immediate action on the 30 by 30 plan by vacating a secre- tarial order issued by the Biden DOI69 that eliminated the Trump Administration’s requirement for the approval of state and local governments before federal acquisi- tion of private property with monies from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.70 National Monument Designations. As has every Democratic President before him beginning with Jimmy Carter, Joe Biden has abused his authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906. Like the outrageous, unilateral withdrawals from public use of multiple use federal land under the Carter, Clinton, and Obama Administrations, Biden’s first national monument was one in Colorado—adopted over the objections of scores of local groups and at least one American Indian tribe.71 In the days before the 2024 election, Biden will likely designate more western monuments. Although President Trump courageously ordered a review of national mon- ument designations, the result of that review was insufficient in that only two national monuments in one state (Utah) were adjusted.72 Monuments in Maine and Oregon, for example, should have been adjusted downward given the finding of Secretary Ryan Zinke’s review that they were improperly designated. The new Administration’s review will permit a fresh look at past monument decrees and new ones by President Biden. Furthermore, the new Administration must vigorously defend the downward adjustments it makes to permit a ruling on a President’s authority to reduce the size of national monuments by the U.S. Supreme Court. Finally, the new Administration must seek repeal of the Antiquities Act of 1906, which permitted emergency action by a President long before the statutory author- ity existed for the protection of special federal lands, such as those with wild and scenic rivers, endangered specials, or other unique places. Moreover, in recent years, Congress has designated as national monuments those areas deserving of such congressional action. Oregon and California Lands Act. One national monument worthy of down- ward adjustment is in Oregon, where its designation and subsequent expansion interfere with the federal obligation to residents to harvest timber on its BLM lands. A federal district court ruled in 2019 that land subject to the Oregon and California (O&C) Grant Lands Act of 193773 was set aside by Congress to be har- vested for the benefit of the people of Oregon. Specifically, those federal lands are to be “managed…for permanent forest production” and its timber “sold, cut, and removed in conformity with the princip[le] of sustained yield.”74 As the district court concluded,75 beginning in 1990, the federal government erected a trifecta of illegal barriers to the accomplishment of the congressional mandate, beginning with a response to the listing of the northern spotted owl,76 continuing a decade later with the designation of the Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument,77 and concluding in 2017 with an expansion of that monument.78 In

Showing 3 of 5 policy matches

About These Correlations

Policy matches are calculated using a hybrid approach: initial candidates are found using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text, then an AI model (Llama 3.1 70B) provides detailed alignment ratings and analysis. Ratings range from 1 (minimal alignment) to 5 (very strong alignment). This analysis does not imply direct causation or intent.

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