Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2013
Latest action. By Senator Tester from Committee on Indian Affairs filed written report. Report No. 113-209. Additional views filed.
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2013 - (Sec. 2) States that nothing in this Act affects the application of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 regarding agreements between states and Indian tribes.
Title I: Chickahominy Indian Tribe - (Sec. 103) Extends federal recognition to the Chickahominy Tribe.
Makes: (1) all U.S. laws of general applicability to Indians or nations, Indian tribes, or bands of Indians applicable to the Tribe and tribal members; and (2) the Tribe and tribal members eligible for all federal services and benefits provided to federally recognized Indian tribes without regard to the existence of a reservation for the Tribe.
Considers the federal service area of the Tribe to be the area comprised of New Kent, James City, Charles City, and Henrico Counties, Virginia.
(Sec. 104) States that the membership roll and governing documents of the Tribe shall be the most recent membership roll and governing documents submitted by the Tribe to the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) before the date of this Act's enactment.
(Sec. 105) States that the governing body of the Tribe shall be: (1) the governing body in place on the date of this Act's enactment, or (2) any subsequent duly elected governing body.
(Sec. 106) Provides, upon tribal request, that the Secretary: (1) shall take into trust any land held in fee by the Tribe that was acquired on or before January 1, 2007, and that is located within New Kent County, James City County, Charles City County, or Henrico County, Virginia; and (2) may take into trust lands held by the Tribe in fee that are located within those counties. Directs the Secretary to make a final determination of any such request within three years.
Considers, upon tribal request, any land taken into trust to be a part of the Tribe's reservation.
The summary continues for 48 more paragraphs. Read it in full on Congress.gov
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Reported to Senate without amendment" stage on April 3, 2014. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on July 14, 2014: By Senator Tester from Committee on Indian Affairs filed written report. Report No. 113-209. Additional views filed.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 113th Congress (2013-14), 296 of the 9,091 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 3.3 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
Timothy Kaine (D-VA) introduced it on May 23, 2013, and 1 member has since signed on as a cosponsor.
They are 1 Democrat.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on May 23, 2013, 4858 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 4441 days ago, on July 14, 2014.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 113th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2015 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers