Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians Restoration Act of 2023

Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians Restoration Act of 2023

This bill affirms federal recognition of the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians of Michigan.

Specifically, the bill makes the tribe and its members eligible for services and benefits provided to federally recognized tribes, without regard to the existence of a reservation for the tribe or the location of the residence of any member on or near a reservation. The service area of the tribe shall be Newaygo, Oceana, Kent, Muskegon and Ottawa Counties in Michigan.

Further, the tribe must submit a membership roll to the Department of the Interior as a condition of receiving recognition, services, and benefits. The tribe must maintain the membership roll.

The bill directs Interior to (1) acquire, for the benefit of the tribe, trust title to land within Muskegon, Newaygo, or Oceana Counties; and (2) accept into trust any real property located in those counties for the benefit of the tribe if the property is conveyed to Interior and, at the time of such acceptance, there are no adverse legal claims on such property (e.g., outstanding liens, mortgages, or taxes owed).

Additionally, the bill allows Interior to (1) acquire additional land for the benefit of the tribe, and (2) take into trust land in specified counties for the benefit of the tribe.

Any land taken into trust for the benefit of the tribe shall, upon request of the tribe, be considered part of the tribe's reservation.