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S 621

Manassess J. Campbell, retirement

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Overture Walker

Revokes the Lower Sioux Indian Community's Section 17 IRA corporate charter by Congress at the Tribe's request, removing a burdensome, unused structure to boost economic development.

Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence
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Bill Summary · S 621

Summary — S. 621 (119th Congress): Revocation of the Lower Sioux Indian Community Section 17 Charter

Purpose

S. 621 would accept the Lower Sioux Indian Community’s request that Congress revoke the tribe’s corporate charter issued under Section 17 of the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) and thereby revoke that charter. The revocation is at the Tribe’s request to remove an unused and burdensome governance structure that limits the Community’s corporate and economic activities.

Key provisions

  • Approves and implements the Lower Sioux Indian Community’s formal request to surrender the corporate charter issued July 17, 1937, under Section 17 of the IRA (25 U.S.C. § 5124).
  • Revokes that Section 17 charter by act of Congress. The bill contains a single substantive section effecting that revocation.

Background and rationale

  • Section 17 of the IRA authorized federally chartered tribal corporations; such charters can only be revoked by Congress. The Lower Sioux’s Section 17 charter requires Secretary of the Interior approval for many business actions and prohibits sale of corporate land. The Tribe has not used the charter for decades and views it as an impediment to economic development and self-determination.
  • The Department of the Interior has supported the Tribe’s choice to revoke the charter, consistent with tribal self-governance principles.
  • An identical measure (S. 2868) was considered in the 118th Congress and the Committee previously held hearings; that prior bill passed the Senate by voice vote on November 21, 2024.

Who is affected

  • Directly: the Lower Sioux Indian Community (federally recognized Indian Tribe in Minnesota). Revocation removes the Tribe’s Section 17 corporate structure and associated statutory limits on corporate activities.
  • Indirectly: federal oversight responsibilities tied to that charter (for example, Secretary approvals required under the charter) would no longer apply to that corporate form for the Tribe.

Budgetary and regulatory impact

  • Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates administrative costs to implement S. 621 would not be significant; any spending would be subject to appropriations.
  • Committee report states minimal regulatory or paperwork impacts.

Procedural history (selected)

  • Introduced in the Senate: February 18, 2025 (sponsored by Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar).
  • Committee on Indian Affairs: ordered reported favorably without amendment (March 5, 2025).
  • Reported to Senate with Committee report No. 119–77 and placed on Senate Legislative Calendar (Calendar No. 186) on October 14, 2025.

Notes on source documents

The materials provided include an unrelated state-level Massachusetts draft (also labeled “S. 621” / Senate Docket No. 1190) concerning solid waste and municipal recycling, and mixed referral/sponsorship entries that appear to conflate separate measures. The federal S. 621 summarized here is the Senate measure concerning the Lower Sioux Community charter revocation; readers should treat the state docket language and unrelated committee referrals as separate items not part of the federal bill described in the Senate Report (119–77).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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