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119-s-3358119th Congress

Native American Seeds Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

Introduced

Summary

Protect Native American seeds. This bill would require the Secretary of the Interior to work with Indian Tribes to identify seeds of traditional or cultural importance, support tribal seed banks and traditional agriculture systems, and protect sensitive tribal information from disclosure.

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  • Indian Tribes: Tribes would lead determinations of which seeds are "Native American seeds" and can designate information as culturally sensitive, proprietary, or confidential to keep it protected.
  • Seed banks and traditional agriculture: The Secretary would be directed to support tribal efforts that protect Native American seeds, including seed banks, related facilities, and traditional farming systems that nurture and harvest those seeds.
  • Department and legal: The Secretary must begin work within one year and carry out activities only as appropriations allow, and courts would defer to the Secretary's reasonable interpretations of ambiguous provisions.

*Would not authorize new funds and limits activities to existing appropriations.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Defines tribes and Native seeds

If enacted, this bill would define key words used in the Act. It would use the federal definition of "Indian Tribe" from 25 U.S.C. 5304. It would define "Native American seed" as seeds with traditional or cultural significance to an Indian Tribe. It would make "Secretary" mean the Secretary of the Interior.

Interior must help tribal seed programs

If enacted, this bill would require the Interior Secretary, within one year of enactment, to work with tribes to identify which seeds are Native American seeds. The Secretary would also support tribal efforts to protect those seeds, Native American seed banks and related facilities, and traditional tribal farming systems that nurture and harvest the seeds. The bill would not authorize new funding; actions would depend on appropriations Congress has already made.

Tribes can keep seed info private

If enacted, this bill would bar the Interior Secretary from sharing information tribes give under the Act when a tribe identifies it as culturally sensitive, proprietary, or confidential. The ban would apply notwithstanding any other provision of law. The rule would only cover information submitted to the Secretary for purposes of this Act.

Courts must defer to Interior

If enacted, this bill would tell courts to defer to the Interior Secretary's reasonable interpretation of any ambiguous provision of this Act. It says this applies notwithstanding section 706 of title 5, U.S. Code. This would make it harder for parties to overturn the Secretary's decisions in legal disputes about the Act.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

NM • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]

    ID • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]

    ID • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Rep. Mullin, Markwayne [R-OK-2]

    OK • R

    Sponsored 12/8/2025

  • Sen. Armstrong, Alan [R-OK]

    OK • R

    Sponsored 6/9/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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