Bills · HR 3444
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 3444Environmental assessment, monitoring, researchFederal-Indian relations
Tribal Self-Determination and Co-Management in Forestry Act of 2025
INTRO MAY 15· LAST ACTION JUN 10
READING
15MIN
COSPONSORS
6
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it seeks to address a long history of excluding Native American Tribes from the management of lands that are sacred and vital to their heritage, even when those lands are now under federal control. If this bill becomes law, it could lead to better land management outcomes by incorporating valuable traditional ecological knowledge and practices that have sustained these landscapes for centuries. It would also strengthen the sovereignty and self-determination of Tribes by giving them a direct role in decisions affecting lands intrinsically linked to their culture and well-being.
Without this bill, federal agencies would continue to largely manage these lands unilaterally, potentially missing opportunities for more effective and culturally sensitive stewardship, and maintaining a system that often disregards Tribal historical connections and expertise. This legislation represents a significant step towards collaborative conservation and honoring treaty obligations and trust responsibilities.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Directs federal land management agencies within the Department of the Interior to establish "Tribal Co-Management Plans" with Indian Tribes for lands historically, culturally, or geographically related to those Tribes.
This provision formally integrates Tribal voices and traditional knowledge into the management of specific federal lands within the Department of the Interior's jurisdiction.
PROVISION 02
Requires Department of the Interior employees involved in developing and carrying out these co-management plans to receive training.
This training ensures federal staff understand indigenous knowledge, Tribal history, and the trust relationship, facilitating more effective and respectful collaboration.
PROVISION 03
Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into agreements with Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations for them to perform certain activities of the Forest Service on National Forest System lands.
This allows Tribes to directly carry out activities like forest management and restoration on national forests that are significant to their communities.
PROVISION 04
Mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture enter into at least five such agreements with Tribes during the first four years after the bill becomes law.
This provision sets a clear minimum target to ensure that the new authority for Forest Service agreements is actively utilized and implemented.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 6
D· California
YRS IN OFFICE
13
BILLS LED
29
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 6 REP 0 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
4 EVENTSJUN 10
Subcommittee Hearings Held
JUN 3
Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands.
MAY 15
Introduced in House
MAY 15
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 3444
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedMay 15, 2025
Last actionJun 10, 2025
READER REACTIONS
OVERALL SENTIMENT
No reactions yet. Be the first to weigh in.
Discussion
Loading comments...
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED MAY 15, 2025
House BillHR 3444Environmental assessment, monitoring, researchFederal-Indian relations
Tribal Self-Determination and Co-Management in Forestry Act of 2025
INTRODUCED MAY 15, 2025· LAST ACTION JUN 10, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
15 min
COSPONSORS
6
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
