Clerk session vote number: 26
Description: Indian Tribal Economic Development and Contract Encouragement Act
Bill summary: Indian Tribal Economic Development and Contract Encouragement Act of 1999 - Amends Federal law to revise provisions regarding contracts with Indian tribes to invalidate any contract with an Indian tribe that encumbers Indian lands for seven or more years unless it is approved by the Secretary of the Interior. Applies such requirement to Indian lands the title to which is held by the United States in trust for a tribe or held by a tribe subject to a restriction by the United States against
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alienation.
Directs the Secretary to refuse to approve a contract if it: (1) violates Federal law; or (2) does not include provisions that provide for remedies in case of breach of contract, that reference a tribal code, ordinance, or court ruling that discloses the tribe's right to assert sovereign immunity as a defense in an action brought against the tribe, or that include an express waiver of such right to sovereign immunity.
Requires the Secretary to issue regulations for identifying contracts that are not covered by this Act.
Amends the Indian Reorganization Act to remove a requirement that a tribe's choice of legal counsel and fixing of fees be subject to the Secretary's approval.
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Bill titles: A bill to encourage Indian economic development, to provide for the disclosure of Indian tribal sovereign immunity in contracts involving Indian tribes,and for other purposes.
Links for more info on the vote: congress.gov