
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 25USC477]

 
                            TITLE 25--INDIANS
 
                        CHAPTER 14--MISCELLANEOUS
 
    SUBCHAPTER V--PROTECTION OF INDIANS AND CONSERVATION OF RESOURCES
 
Sec. 477. Incorporation of Indian tribes; charter; ratification 
        by election
        
    The Secretary of the Interior may, upon petition by any tribe, issue 
a charter of incorporation to such tribe: Provided, That such charter 
shall not become operative until ratified by the governing body of such 
tribe. Such charter may convey to the incorporated tribe the power to 
purchase, take by gift, or bequest, or otherwise, own, hold, manage, 
operate, and dispose of property of every description, real and 
personal, including the power to purchase restricted Indian lands and to 
issue in exchange therefor interests in corporate property, and such 
further powers as may be incidental to the conduct of corporate 
business, not inconsistent with law; but no authority shall be granted 
to sell, mortgage, or lease for a period exceeding twenty-five years any 
trust or restricted lands included in the limits of the reservation. Any 
charter so issued shall not be revoked or surrendered except by Act of 
Congress.

(June 18, 1934, ch. 576, Sec. 17, 48 Stat. 988; Pub. L. 101-301, 
Sec. 3(c), May 24, 1990, 104 Stat. 207.)


                               Amendments

    1990--Pub. L. 101-301 substituted ``by any tribe'' for ``by at least 
one-third of the adult Indians'', ``by the governing body of such 
tribe'' for ``at a special election by a majority vote of the adult 
Indians living on the reservation'', and ``twenty-five years any trust 
or restricted lands'' for ``ten years any of the land''.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 396b, 473, 473a, 478-1, 
713b, 2108 of this title.
