Don Young Doug LaMalfa Indian Buffalo Management Act

H.R. 7954 would create a permanent buffalo restoration and management program within the Department of the Interior. The bill would allow the federal government to provide grants, contracts, and technical assistance to Indian tribes and tribal organizations to establish or maintain buffalo herds on tribal lands. The legislation would support tribes in managing buffalo for cultural, spiritual, subsistence, and economic purposes. Supporters argue the bill would strengthen tribal sovereignty, create economic opportunities, provide a source of protein in rural areas, and help restore the buffalo's historical and cultural significance to Native American communities. The bill is named after the late Representative Don Young of Alaska, who originally championed this legislation. It currently has bipartisan support and is under consideration by the House Committee on Natural Resources.