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This bill would update a 2004 law that helps tribes work on forest and rangeland protection. It gives tribes more room to take action not only to protect land, but also to restore it when needed. The bill also makes it easier for tribes to work with the federal government on projects that protect or restore nearby federal lands, especially when those lands are important to a tribe because of history, culture, or geography. It expands the kinds of land covered by the law, including some land in Alaska held by Alaska Native Corporations. In addition, it creates new funding for this work, so tribes and federal agencies could have more support for projects that reduce damage, improve land health, and restore areas affected by fire, pests, erosion, or other problems.
- Lets tribes seek help for projects to both protect and restore Indian forest land and rangeland.
- Allows projects on federal land when that land has special geographic, historical, or cultural importance to a tribe.
- Expands the land covered by the law to include certain Alaska Native Corporation lands.
- Authorizes $15 million per year from fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to carry out the law.
Official Summaries
Tribal Forest Protection Act Amendments Act of 2025
This bill reauthorizes through FY2031 the Tribal Forest Protection Act (TFPA) and expands the lands and activities eligible for inclusion in the TFPA.
Currently under the TFPA, the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) may enter into contracts and agreements with Indian tribes for tribes to carry out land management projects on federal lands. These projects are designed to protect Indian forest lands and rangelands from wildfire, disease, and other threats coming from federal lands. However, the TFPA is currently limited to projects on federal lands that border or are adjacent to Indian forest lands and rangelands under the jurisdiction of the tribe.
This bill removes certain limitations of the TFPA, first by expanding the definition of Indian forest land or rangeland to include land in Alaska that is held by Alaska Native corporations, thereby allowing these corporations to participate in TFPA projects.
Additionally, the bill removes the requirement that TFPA projects must occur on federal lands that border or are adjacent to Indian forest lands or rangelands. The bill instead requires the federal land involved to have a special geographic, historical, or cultural significance to the tribe.
The bill allows TFPA projects to be carried out directly on Indian forest lands and rangelands. (Currently, the TFPA only applies to work conducted on federal lands and not on tribal lands.)
The bill also updates a requirement for Interior and USDA to report to Congress on TFPA activities.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 719 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 719
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 to improve that Act,
and for other purposes.
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 Forest Protection Act
Amendments Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. TRIBAL FOREST PROTECTION ACT OF 2004 AMENDMENTS.
Section 2 of the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 (25 U.S.C.
3115a) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (2) and
inserting the following:
``(2) Indian forest land or rangeland.--The term `Indian
forest land or rangeland' means--
``(A) land that is held in trust by, or with a
restriction against alienation by, the United States
for an Indian tribe or a member of an Indian tribe,
and--
``(i) is Indian forest land (as defined in
section 304 of the National Indian Forest
Resources Management Act (25 U.S.C. 3103));
``(ii) has a cover of grasses, brush, or
any similar vegetation; or
``(iii) formerly had a forest cover or
vegetative cover that is capable of
restoration; and
``(B) land that is in the State of Alaska and held
by an Alaska Native Corporation pursuant to the Alaska
Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et
seq.).'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``or
Restore'' after ``Protect'';
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``to protect
Indian forest land or rangeland'' and all that follows
through ``Indian forest land or rangeland)'' and
inserting ``to protect or restore Indian forest land or
rangeland, or to carry out a project to protect or
restore Federal land''; and
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``that is--'' and
all that follows through the period at the end of
subparagraph (B) and inserting ``or Indian forest land
or rangeland.'';
(3) in subsection (c)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``for
Federal Land'' after ``Criteria'';
(B) by striking ``an Indian tribe,'' in the matter
preceding paragraph (1) and all that follows through
``Indian tribe--'' in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A) of paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
``Federal land, are whether--
``(1) the Federal land has a special geographic,
historical, or cultural significance to the Indian tribe and--
'';
(C) in paragraph (1) (as so designated)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking clause
(i) and inserting the following:
``(i) Indian forest land or rangeland;
or''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``or
watershed'' after ``land'';
(D) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as
paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively;
(E) in paragraph (2) (as so redesignated), by
striking ``subject'' and inserting ``Federal''; and
(F) in paragraph (3) (as so redesignated), by
striking ``Forest Service or Bureau of Land
Management'' and inserting ``Federal'';
(4) in subsection (g), by striking ``date of enactment of
this Act'' and inserting ``date of enactment of the Tribal
Forest Protection Act Amendments Act of 2025''; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this Act $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2026 through 2031.''.
Passed the Senate December 11, 2025.
Attest:
Secretary.
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 719
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 to improve that Act,
and for other purposes.