[Report No. 119–436]
January 24, 2025
Mr. Downing (for himself and Mr. Zinke) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
January 12, 2026
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic
For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 24, 2025
To take certain mineral interests into trust for the benefit of the Crow Tribe of Montana, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Crow Revenue Act
.
Sec. 2. Definitions
In this Act:
(1) Bull Mountains Lease
The term Bull Mountains Lease means the Bureau of Land Management Lease MTM–97988 dated June 1, 2012.
(2) Bull Mountains Mineral Tracts
The term Bull Mountains Mineral Tracts means the mineral interests that—
(A)
are located in Musselshell County, Montana;
(B)
comprise approximately 4,530 acres of subsurface interests owned by the United States located in—
(i)
T. 6 N., R. 26 E., sec. 2;
(ii)
T. 6 N., R. 26 E., sec. 24;
(iii)
T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 4;
(iv)
T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 8;
(v)
T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 10;
(vi)
T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 14;
(vii)
T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 22;
(viii)
T. 7 N., R. 26 E., sec. 24;
(ix)
T. 7 N., R. 26 E., sec. 26;
(x)
T. 7 N., R. 26 E., sec. 34;
(xi)
T. 7 N., R. 27 E., sec. 20; and
(xii)
T. 7 N., R. 27 E., sec. 22; and
(C)
are generally depicted on the map entitled Bull Mountains Tracts
and dated March 19, 2025.
(3) Bull Mountains Surface Tracts
The term Bull Mountains Surface Tracts means the aggregate surface interests that—
(A)
are located in Musselshell County, Montana;
(B)
comprise approximately 940 acres of surface interests owned by the United States located in—
(i)
T. 6 N., R. 26 E., sec. 2;
(ii)
T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 8;
(iii)
T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 10;
(iv)
T. 6 N., R. 28 E., sec. 8; and
(v)
T. 7 N., R. 27 E., sec. 34; and
(C)
are generally depicted on the map entitled Bull Mountains Tracts
and dated March 19, 2025.
(4) Hope Family Tracts
The term Hope Family Tracts means the aggregate mineral interests that—
(A)
are located in Big Horn County, Montana, within the boundaries of the Crow Reservation;
(B)
comprise approximately 4,660 acres of subsurface interests owned by the Hope Family Trust located in—
(i)
T. 4 S., R. 37 E., sec. 33;
(ii)
T. 4 S., R. 37 E., sec. 34;
(iii)
T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 1;
(iv)
T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 2;
(v)
T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 3;
(vi)
T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 10;
(vii)
T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 11;
(viii)
T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 12;
(ix)
T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 13;
(x)
T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 14;
(xi)
T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 15;
(xii)
T. 5 S., R. 38 E., sec. 5;
(xiii)
T. 5 S., R. 38 E., sec. 8;
(xiv)
T. 5 S., R. 38 E., sec. 9;
(xv)
T. 5 S., R. 38 E., sec. 16; and
(xvi)
T. 5 S., R. 38 E., sec. 17; and
(C)
are generally depicted on the map entitled Hope Family Tracts
and dated January 30, 2024.
(5) Hope Family Trust
The term Hope Family Trust means the Joe and Barbara Hope Mineral Trust.
(6) Lessee
The term Lessee means the lessee for the Bull Mountains Lease.
(7) Musselshell Resources LLC
The term Musselshell Resources LLC means the Musselshell Resources Limited Liability Company, which is registered to do business in the State.
(8) Musselshell Resources Tracts
The term Musselshell Resources Tracts means the aggregate surface interests that—
(A)
are located in Musselshell County, Montana;
(B)
comprise approximately 959 acres of surface interests owned by Musselshell Resources LLC located in—
(i)
T. 7 N., R. 27 E., N1/2NW1/4, NE1/4, and E1/2SE1/4 of sec. 35;
(ii)
T. 6 N., R. 26 E., NE1/4 of sec. 22 lying south and west of Old Divide Road; and
(iii)
T. 6 N., R. 26 E., sec. 25; and
(C)
are generally depicted on the map entitled Bull Mountains Tracts
and dated March 19, 2025.
(9) Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
(10) State
The term State means the State of Montana.
(11) Tribe
The term Tribe means the Crow Tribe of Montana.
Sec. 3. Mineral rights to be taken into trust
(a) Completion of mineral conveyances
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, in a single transaction—
(1)
notwithstanding any other provision of law, including sections 3480.0–6(d)(8) and 3452.1 through 3452.1–3 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), if the Lessee offers to relinquish the Bull Mountains Lease, the Secretary shall accept the relinquishment;
(2)
the Hope Family Trust shall convey to the Tribe all right, title, and interest in and to the mineral interests in the Hope Family Tracts; and
(3)
subject to valid existing rights, and on relinquishment of the Bull Mountains Lease, the Secretary shall convey to the Hope Family Trust all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the mineral interests in the Bull Mountains Mineral Tracts.
(b) Trust status
On the request of the Tribe, the mineral interests conveyed to the Tribe under subsection (a)(2) shall be held in trust by the United States for the benefit of the Tribe.
(c) No State taxation
The mineral interests conveyed to the Tribe under subsection (a)(2) shall not be subject to taxation by the State (including any political subdivision of the State).
(d) Revenue sharing agreement
Before the conveyances under subsection (a), the Tribe shall notify the Secretary, in writing, that the Tribe and the Hope Family Trust have agreed on a formula for sharing revenue from development of the mineral interests described in subsection (a)(3) if those mineral interests are developed at a later date.
(e) Withdrawal prior to exchange
Subject to valid existing rights, pending the conveyances under paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (a), the tracts conveyed under those paragraphs shall be withdrawn from—
(1)
all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws;
(2)
location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
(3)
operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.
Sec. 4. Unlocking public access
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, in a single transaction—
(1)
Musselshell Resources LLC shall convey to the United States all right, title, and interest in and to the surface interests in the Musselshell Resources Tracts; and
(2)
subject to valid existing rights, the Secretary shall convey to Musselshell Resources LLC all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the surface interests in the Bull Mountains Surface Tracts.
Sec. 5. Eligibility for other Federal benefits
No amounts or other benefits provided to the Tribe under this Act shall result in the reduction or denial of any Federal services, benefits, or programs to the Tribe or any member of the Tribe to which the Tribe or member of the Tribe is entitled or eligible because of—
(1)
the status of the Tribe as a federally recognized Indian Tribe; or
(2)
the status of the member as a member of the Tribe.