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HR1451119th Congress

Quapaw Tribal Settlement Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Brecheen

In Committee

Summary

Creates a $137.5 million trust to settle Bear v. United States claims and pay the Quapaw Nation and specified individual claimants. The Department of the Interior will hold the funds and use mediation or a Secretary-led allocation process to decide final distributions.

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  • Quapaw Nation and named individual claimants: A one-time $137.5 million settlement is deposited in the Quapaw Bear Settlement Trust Account for distribution under a final plan. Claimants must seek mediation within 45 days or may trigger Secretarial Allocation, and mediation must conclude or give way to secretarial procedures within 18 months.
  • Department of the Interior, Bureau of Trust Funds Administration: Will administer the Trust Account, implement the approved distribution plan, and the Secretary has final authority to approve allocations.
  • Treasury Department: Must transfer a single, authorized payment from Treasury funds not otherwise appropriated into the Trust Account for use under the Act.
  • Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service: May provide technical and dispute-resolution support while the Secretary retains approval and implementation authority.

*Authorizes a one-time $137.5 million Treasury payment, increasing federal outlays by $137.5 million.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

One-time $137.5 million for Quapaw claimants

If enacted, this would create a Quapaw Bear Settlement Trust Account at the Interior Department. The Treasury would make one payment of $137.5 million into the account. The Secretary of the Interior would manage the funds through the trust office. Money would be used and distributed under a plan that follows the Review Panel report.

Who qualifies and how Quapaw funds split

If enacted, this would define who counts as a Claimant: the Quapaw Nation, the parties named in the Bear case, and listed Quapaw members. Within 45 days of enactment, Claimants would need to try confidential, non-binding mediation to split the money, sharing mediation costs. If Claimants agree, they could submit a plan for the Secretary to pay; if not, any Claimant could petition the Secretary, and an 18‑month backstop would trigger the Secretary’s allocation process. The Secretary would set a schedule, hold a hearing at least 60 days later, decide within 60 days, and distribute funds within 60 more days. The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service could help, but the Secretary would approve and carry out any final plan.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Brecheen

OK • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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