118th CONGRESS 1st Session |
To amend the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act to allow the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into self-determination contracts with Tribal organizations to carry out the authority of the Food Safety and Inspection Service, and for other purposes.
May 31 (legislative day, May 30), 2023
Mr. Mullin (for himself and Ms. Smith) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs
To amend the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act to allow the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into self-determination contracts with Tribal organizations to carry out the authority of the Food Safety and Inspection Service, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Promoting Regulatory Independence, Mastery, and Expansion for Meat Processing in Indian Country Act” or the “PRIME Meat Processing in Indian Country Act”.
SEC. 2. Self-determination for Food Safety and Inspection Service authority.
Title I of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5321 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“SEC. 112. Self-determination for Food Safety and Inspection Service authority.
“(a) Food Safety and Inspection Service self-determination authorized.—The Secretary of Agriculture shall enter into self-determination contracts, in accordance with subsection (c), with Tribal organizations, on the request of any Indian Tribe, by Tribal resolution, subject to subsection (b), to carry out the authority of the Food Safety and Inspection Service under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) and the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.).
“(b) Food Safety and Inspection Service contracts.—
“(1) IN GENERAL.—A Tribal organization seeking to enter into a self-determination contract described in subsection (a) shall, before requesting to enter into that contract, adopt, by Tribal resolution, a food and agriculture code approved by the Secretary of Agriculture, after which the Secretary of Agriculture shall exercise the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture under Public Law 87–718 (7 U.S.C. 1633) with respect to the Indian Tribe governed by that Tribal organization.
“(2) RURAL WATER, WASTE DISPOSAL, AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES LOANS AND GRANTS.—An Indian Tribe operating under a contract described in subsection (a) shall be eligible for grant and loan programs under section 306(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)).
“(c) Self-Determination contract.—A self-determination contract entered into under subsection (a) shall have the same terms and conditions, and be subject to the same procedures, regulations, and requirements, as a self-determination contract entered into under section 102, except that the Secretary of Agriculture and the Department of Agriculture shall be the appropriate Secretary and agency for purposes of a self-determination contract entered into under subsection (a).
“(d) Technical assistance.—The Office of Self-Governance of the Bureau of Indian Affairs shall provide technical assistance with respect to a self-determination contract authorized under subsection (a)—
“(1) to the Secretary of Agriculture; and
“(2) to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations that request that assistance.”.