Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 1223 - Indian Self-Determination Amendments of 1987

(House)
(Rep. Udall (D) AZ and Richardson (D) NM)

While the administration supports efforts to improve Indian self-determination contracting, it opposes enactment of H.R. 1223. The bill is premature in that the Department of the Interior is currently working on a proposal to amend the Self-Determination Act. Moreover, the bill is internally contradictory because it exempts contracts under the Act from Federal procurement laws and regulations, while simultaneously locking into place the existing complicated system for determining allowable costs established by these same laws and regulations. Finally, H.R. 1223 inaccurately characterizes self-determination contracts as "intergovernmental trust responsibility agreements" which implies that these activities are trust responsibilities under the Federal Government.