Native American Business Development, Trade Promotion, and Tourism Act of 1998

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Task Force on Regulatory Reform and Business

Development

Title II: Native American Business Development

Native American Business Development, Trade Promotion, and Tourism Act of 1998 - Title I: Task Force on Regulatory Reform and Business Development - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a task force on regulatory reform and business development in Indian country.

(Sec. 102) Requires the task force to review laws relating to activities on Indian lands and report findings and proposed revisions to regulations and laws relating to such activities to specified congressional committees and the governing bodies of Indian tribes.

Title II: Native American Business Development - Establishes the Office of Native American Business Development within the Department of Commerce, to be headed by a Director of Native American Business Development.

Provides for: (1) financial and technical assistance and administrative services for business development and legal and regulatory compliance to Indian tribes, organizations, and businesses (eligible entities); and (2) other assistance to enhance the economies of Indian tribes.

Bars assistance for activities related to gaming activities on Indian lands.

(Sec. 202) Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director, to carry out a Native American export and trade promotion program.

Provides for technical assistance and administrative services to eligible entities for: (1) identifying and entering appropriate markets for Indian goods and services; (2) complying with foreign or domestic laws and practices with respect to financial institutions with respect to exports and imports of such goods and services; and (3) entering into financial arrangements to provide for such exporting and importing.

(Sec. 203) Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director, to conduct a Native American tourism program to facilitate tourism demonstration projects by Indian tribes on a tribal, intertribal, or regional basis. Authorizes grants to, or other arrangements with, Indian tribes and organizations to carry out such program.

Requires a demonstration project to be conducted for: (1) Indians of the Four Corners area between Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico; (2) Indians of the area known as the Great Northwest; (3) the Oklahoma Indians in Oklahoma; and (4) Indians of the Great Plains area.

Provides for financial and technical assistance and administrative services for feasibility studies, market analyses, participation in tourism and trade missions, and related activities to participants selected to carry out tourism development projects.

(Sec. 205) Provides for: (1) priority consideration and expediting of processing of applications involving the establishment of foreign-trade zones on Indian lands or the establishment of ports of entry necessary to permit the establishment of such zones; and (2) approval of such applications, to the maximum extent practicable.