Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 498 - Indian Law Enforcement

(House)
(Rhodes (R) Arizona and Udall (D) Arizona)

Although the Administration supported H.R. 498 as introduced, it opposes the bill as reported by the House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee.

As reported, H.R; 498 would require the Department of Justice to turn over its investigative case files to affected Indian tribes if the Department declines or terminates an investigation or prosecutorial action. Such a file would include, among other things, information from confidential sources. This disclosure requirement would have a serious detrimental effect on Federal law enforcement efforts. Moreover, the requirement for the Department to report to tribes on the reasons for every declination or termination of an investigation or prosecutorial action would be burdensome administratively.