§117c Standards for Approval of Tribal Payments; United States Not Liable for Distribution of Funds; Continuing Responsibility Under Other Provisions

Summary

The Secretary must create clear rules for approving tribal payment plans under the tribal distribution law. If a tribe’s plan follows those rules and gets approved, the United States is not legally responsible for how the tribe pays out those funds. Those rules do not remove any other U.S. duties to Native Americans. The United States still keeps its special trust duties and obligations from treaties, executive orders, or agreements with tribes.