Sponsors (4)
This bill would speed up how the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) handles mortgages and right‑of‑way paperwork on Indian land. It sets clear timelines: a 10‑day preliminary check after receiving an application and a 2‑day notice if anything is missing; final decisions within 20 days for mortgages tied to leases and 30 days for land mortgages and right‑of‑way documents, with written reasons if a loan is denied . It also requires quick title status reports—within 10 days after approval or 14 days after a request—and notice to lenders when those reports are ready; if the agency misses a deadline, it must immediately tell the applicant and lender and respond to update requests within 2 days. BIA must also let lenders know when it receives the paperwork.
The bill directs BIA to deliver title status reports directly to lenders and the relevant federal agency that insures or guarantees the loan, and it opens read‑only access to land records in the BIA’s TAAMS system for federal agencies and tribes starting the day this becomes law. It requires a yearly report by March 1 on how fast requests are handled, orders a GAO study within one year on digitizing records to speed things up, and creates a Realty Ombudsman inside BIA to track deadlines, work with other agencies, and help tribes, tribal members, and lenders resolve problems; some tribal‑run leasing cases are exempt from the deadlines .
Updated 1 week ago
Last progress March 14, 2025 (9 months ago)
Received in the House.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Last progress December 15, 2025 (2 weeks ago)
Introduced on February 25, 2025 by John Thune