Sponsors (2)
The bill improves congressional access and potential oversight of border conditions on long-border reservations, which may aid national security, but does so at the cost of tribal control, legal friction with tribal sovereignty and privacy concerns for reservation residents, plus potential litigation expenses.
Federal lawmakers and their staff can enter long-border reservations to gather firsthand information, enabling more direct assessment of border security conditions and potential improvements to national security and border safety.
Allows Congress to conduct in-person oversight on reservation border areas, which may identify infrastructure or enforcement gaps more quickly than remote reports and inform faster policy or funding responses.
Tribal residents and governments may lose control over access to reservation lands (including roadways and easements), reducing tribal sovereignty and self-determination.
Authorizing access could create conflicts with tribal law and federal Indian law over jurisdiction and consent on Indian country, increasing legal and governance disputes.
Increased access by federal actors may raise privacy and personal safety concerns for residents living near the border on reservations.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Allows Members of Congress and their staff to lawfully enter Indian reservations with 50+ contiguous miles of the U.S.–Mexico border to gather information on national security, public safety, and border security.
Introduced January 3, 2025 by Andrew S. Biggs · Last progress January 3, 2025
Grants Members of Congress and their congressional staff lawful access to any Indian reservation that contains 50 or more contiguous miles of the U.S.–Mexico international boundary, including roadways and easements within Indian country, so they can gather information to assess national security, public safety, and international boundary security. One non-substantive provision sets the Act’s short title. The text does not provide funding, deadlines, or other new program authorities. The measure directly affects tribal lands along the U.S.–Mexico border and may raise issues about tribal sovereignty, coordination with tribal authorities, safety and logistics for staff and Members, and possible legal disputes over entry and oversight powers.