RESPECT Act
Dec 27, 2022
Statute: 136 Stat. 4419
Became law: Dec 27, 2022
Dec 27, 2022
Statute: 136 Stat. 4419
Became law: Dec 27, 2022
Summary
Removes several old, outdated, and unfair laws from the United States Code that specifically targeted Native American people.
What problem does this solve?
Many old, offensive, and unused laws about Native Americans were still officially part of United States law. This act formally removes these outdated laws to clean up the legal code and show respect to tribal nations.
What does this law do?
Removes law allowing the President to cut off goods to tribes
Repeals a law that allowed the President to cancel providing goods to a tribe if they were believed to have bad intentions.
Removes law forcing tribes to help arrest people
Repeals a law that required tribes to help arrest people who had committed crimes and fled to their land.
Removes law allowing money to be withheld from tribes
Repeals a law that allowed the government to hold back payments to a tribe if a member of that tribe had taken something from a citizen.
Removes rule about withholding money for captives
Changes a law to remove language that let the Secretary of the Interior hold back money from any tribe that held non-Indian captives.
Removes law about withholding goods for stolen property
Repeals a law that allowed the government to hold back goods from a tribe if a member of that tribe had stolen property from a citizen.
Removes law about paying for stolen property
Repeals a law that required the government to pay for property stolen by a Native American if the tribe did not pay.
Removes law about refusing payments to tribes at war
Repeals a law that allowed the government to refuse payments to any tribe or band that was at war with the United States.
Who does this affect?
- Native American Tribes
- Indigenous Peoples
What is the real world impact?
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Modernizes federal law
Removes old, unfair, and unused laws about Native Americans from the U.S. legal code. This action cleans up the laws and shows respect for tribal nations.
When does this start?
This law became effective when it was signed on December 27, 2022.