Heinrich Bill to Promote Tribal Buffalo Management Receives Key Hearing

WASHINGTON — The Indian Buffalo Management Act, legislation championed by U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), received a key hearing before the Senate Committeeon Indian Affairs this week. The legislation would help promote and support Tribalmanagement of buffalo herds. 

VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich highlights his Indian Buffalo Management Act during hearing in U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, June 12, 2024. 

During his remarks, Heinrich said, “Several years ago, I was proud to lead, along with Senator John Hoeven, the effort to designate the bison as our national mammal. This species has been a critical part of our culture in New Mexico, across the West, and most especially in Indian country. The growth of Tribal buffalo herds over the last few decades is both a symbol of the enduring resilience of this iconic species and a major economic development opportunity for many Tribes. Dozens of Tribes— and several in New Mexico including the Pueblos of Taos, Picuris, Pojoaque, and Sandia, have done important work to establish Tribal buffalo herds on their lands.”

Heinrich recalled his visit to see the production herd at Picuris Pueblo in 2022. He said, “Two years ago, I visited Picuris Pueblo and went out with their herd manager, Danny Sam, to see their operation up close. I learned about how the community is reincorporating bison meat back into their diets. And the Tribal herd of Picuris has allowed the Pueblo to distribute much of that healthy, locally grown, and culturally important protein to the community for free. Our bipartisan, bicameral bill, the Indian Buffalo Management Act, would strengthen federal support for Tribal bison programs like the one I saw at Picuris.”

Heinrich closed his remarks, “I hope that in my lifetime, thanks in large part to these Tribal buffalo herds, we will see bison return to the prominent place that it once occupied as a keystone species on America’s shortgrass prairies.”

The Indian Buffalo Management Act provides secure, consistent funding for Tribes and Tribal organizations that have established buffalo herds, as well as provides resources for Tribes that would like to establish new herds.

The bill creates a permanent buffalo restoration and management program within the Department of Interior to:

• Promote and develop the capacity of Tribes and Tribal organizations to manage buffalo and buffalo habitat;
• Protect and enhance buffalo herds for the maximum benefit of Tribes; and
• Ensure that Tribes are directly involved in the Interior Department decision-making regarding buffalo.

The bill has been endorsed by the InterTribal Buffalo Council, the National Bison Association, The Nature Conservancy, the National Wildlife Federation, and the National Parks Conservation Association.

“The hearing on Senators Heinrich and Mullin’s bipartisan legislation was a great day in the history of what we call Buffalo Nation.  Previous legislation had passed the House but now we see some real progress in the Senate. As I said in my testimony, the buffalo meant everything to the Indian people of this county. We relied on it for food, shelter, clothing, tools and more. It was central to our culture and when the buffalo were nearly wiped out, so were we. While Teddy Roosevelt and other conservationists play a key role in staving off extinction, it is the tribes that are now leading the charge at restoration. Now we hope the bill will advance to the full Senate, a critical step in it becoming law this year,” said Ervin Carlson, President of the InterTribal Buffalo Council.

The bill now awaits a full committee markup by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

A one-page summary of the bill is here. 

The text of the bill is here.

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