House Committee on Natural Resources:
Full Committee Meeting – Consideration of Committee Rules, Authorization and Oversight Plan, and Staff Resolution – January 22, 2025
The House Committee on Natural Resources, the legislative panel with jurisdiction over Indian issues, is meeting for the first time in the 119th Congress.
On Wednesday afternoon, members of the panel will consider rules [PDF], an oversight plan [PDF] and a resolution appointing staff members [PDF]. The work includes the House Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs, whose jurisdiction is defined as follows:
sovereignty of Native Americans.
(2) Measures relating to the welfare of Native Americans, including management of
Indian lands in general and special measures relating to claims that are paid out of Indian funds.
(3) All matters regarding Native Alaskans.
(4) All matters regarding the relations of the United States with Native Americans and
Native American tribes, including special oversight functions under House Rule X.
(5) All matters regarding Native Hawaiians.
(6) All matters regarding insular areas of the United States.
(7) All measures or matters regarding the Freely Associated States.
(8) General and continuing oversight and investigative authority over activities, policies,
and programs within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee.
A plaque for the House Committee on Natural Resources in Room 1334 of the Longworth House Office Building in Washington, D.C. Photo by Indianz.Com (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
The oversight plan further details the committee’s agenda for Indian Affairs. The document lists the following priorities:
Federal Barriers to Economic Development on Indian Lands
Tribal Forestry
Natural Resources Management
Land Fractionation
Alaska Natives
Law Enforcement in Indian Country
Transnational Crime in Indian Country
Indian Health Care / Indian Health Service (IHS)
Indian Education
The panel’s work also includes the House Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries. According to the oversight plan, its agenda includes the following:
Indian Water Rights Settlements
The House Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs is being led by Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-Colorado). He is a new member of the U.S. House of Representatives and his district includes the reservations of the Southern Ute Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe.
The full committee is once again being led by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Arkansas). He has served as chair since 2023 and previously was the ranking Republican member.
On the Democratic side, the new ranking member of the committee is Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California). He succeeds Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Arizona), who previously served as chair when Democrats controlled the House.
The committee’s organizational meeting takes place at 2pm Eastern in Room 1324 of the Longworth House Office Building. A livestream is available at youtu.be/A4XX_7VJThw
Full Committee Meeting — Consideration of Committee Rules, Authorization and Oversight Plan, and Staff Resolution (January 22, 2025)