Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 114 Part 1.djvu/748

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114 STAT. 712 PUBLIC LAW 106-260—AUG. 18, 2000 25 USC 458aaa SEC. 3. DECLARATION OF POLICY. It is the policy of Congress— (1) to permanently establish and implement tribal self- governance within the Department of Health and Human Services; (2) to call for full cooperation from the Department of Health and Human Services and its constituent agencies in the implementation of tribal self-governance— (A) to enable the United States to maintain and improve its unique and continuing relationship with, and responsibility to, Indian tribes; (B) to permit each Indian tribe to choose the extent of its participation in self-governance in accordance with the provisions of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act relating to the provision of Federal services to Indian tribes; (C) to ensure the continuation of the trust responsibility of the United States to Indian tribes and Indian individuals; (D) to affirm and enable the United States to fulfill its obligations to the Indian tribes under treaties and other laws; (E) to strengthen the government-to-government relationship between the United States and Indian tribes through direct and meaningful consultation with all tribes; (F) to permit an orderly transition from Federal domination of programs and services to provide Indian tribes with meaningful authority, control, funding, and discretion to plan, conduct, redesign, and administer programs, services, functions, and activities (or portions thereof) that meet the needs of the individual tribal communities; (G) to provide for a measurable parallel reduction in the Federal bureaucracy as programs, services, functions, and activities (or portion thereof) are assumed by Indian tribes; (H) to encourage the Secretary to identify all programs, services, functions, and activities (or portions thereof) of the Department of Health and Human Services that may be managed by an Indian tribe under this Act and to assist Indian tribes in assuming responsibility for such programs, services, functions, and activities (or portions thereof); and (I) to provide Indian tribes with the earliest opportunity to administer programs, services, functions, and activities (or portions thereof) from throughout the Department of Health and Human Services. SEC. 4. TRIBAL SELF-GOVERNANCE. The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: