Bill Summary
The Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2019 is a bill that aims to clarify the rights of Native American individuals and tribes on their own lands under the National Labor Relations Act. It defines "employer" to include not only businesses and organizations, but also Indian tribes and their enterprises located on their lands. The bill also defines important terms such as "Indian tribe," "Indian," and "Indian lands" to provide a clear understanding of the scope of this legislation.
Possible Impacts
1. This legislation could affect Indian tribes and their members by clarifying their rights in the workplace under the National Labor Relations Act. It also defines the terms "Indian tribe" and "Indian" for the purposes of this act.
2. This legislation could potentially affect businesses and organizations owned and operated by Indian tribes, as they would now be considered employers under the National Labor Relations Act.
3. This legislation could affect the state of Oklahoma, as it includes a provision for lands within the state that are within the boundaries of a former reservation of a federally recognized Indian tribe.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 779 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 779
To clarify the rights of Indians and Indian tribes on Indian lands
under the National Labor Relations Act.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 24, 2019
Mr. Moolenaar (for himself, Mr. Calvert, Mr. Cole, Mr. Gianforte, Mr.
Gosar, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Mooney of West Virginia, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Austin
Scott of Georgia, Mrs. Walorski, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr.
Allen, Mr. Young, and Mr. Peterson) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To clarify the rights of Indians and Indian tribes on Indian lands
under the National Labor Relations Act.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of
2019''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF EMPLOYER.
Section 2 of the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 152) is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``or any Indian tribe,
or any enterprise or institution owned and operated by an
Indian tribe and located on its Indian lands,'' after
``subdivision thereof,''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(15) The term `Indian tribe' means any Indian tribe,
band, nation, pueblo, or other organized group or community
which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and
services provided by the United States to Indians because of
their status as Indians.
``(16) The term `Indian' means any individual who is a
member of an Indian tribe.
``(17) The term `Indian lands' means--
``(A) all lands within the limits of any Indian
reservation;
``(B) any lands title to which is either held in
trust by the United States for the benefit of any
Indian tribe or Indian or held by any Indian tribe or
Indian subject to restriction by the United States
against alienation; and
``(C) any lands in the State of Oklahoma that are
within the boundaries of a former reservation (as
defined by the Secretary of the Interior) of a
federally recognized Indian tribe.''.
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