
Hurd
43:43 - 44:26
"The Indian Tribal Regulatory Reform and Business Development Act of 2000 was enacted to help identify and remove federal barriers to investment barriers to business development, as well as barriers to wealth creation in Indian Country. Under current law, the Secretary of Commerce was directed to create a 21-member authority to carry out that work, with Interior serving as a supporting role."
“The Indian Tribal Regulatory Reform and Business Development Act of 2000 was enacted to help identify and remove federal barriers to investment barriers to business development, as well as barriers to wealth creation in Indian Country. Under current law, the Secretary of Commerce was directed to create a 21-member authority to carry out that work, with Interior serving as a supporting role.”
As the subcommittee has seen, economic development opportunities are crucial for continued growth throughout Indian Country. Limited opportunities, systemic barriers, and inadequate infrastructure all contribute to high rates of poverty on many reservations. The Indian Tribal Regulatory Reform and Business Development Act of 2000 was enacted to help identify and remove federal barriers to investment barriers to business development, as well as barriers to wealth creation in Indian Country. Under current law, the Secretary of Commerce was directed to create a 21-member authority to carry out that work, with Interior serving as a supporting role. Today, proponents of this legislation assert that Interior is better suited than Commerce to lead an authority dedicated to tribal economic development.
A House subcommittee took testimony June 9 on legislation that would transfer a dormant 2000 tribal regulatory reform mandate from Commerce to Interior, 25 years after the authority was supposed to convene.

A House subcommittee heard testimony Tuesday on legislation authorizing Indian Health Service to fund veterinary care in rural Alaska communities facing endemic rabies and high dog-bite rates, addressing a public health gap that has left villages without basic animal disease prevention.
