Within six months after December 3, 1993, the Secretary, in consultation with affected Indian tribes, shall enter into a contract with a non-Federal entity knowledgeable in agricultural management on Federal and private lands to conduct an independent assessment of Indian agricultural land management and practices. Such assessment shall be national in scope and shall include a comparative analysis of Federal investment and management efforts for Indian trust and restricted agricultural lands as compared to federally-owned lands managed by other Federal agencies or instrumentalities and as compared to federally-served private lands.

The purposes of the assessment shall be—

(1) to establish a comprehensive assessment of the improvement, funding, and development needs for all Indian agricultural lands;

(2) to establish a comparison of management and funding provided to comparable lands owned or managed by the Federal Government through Federal agencies other than the Bureau; and

(3) to identify any obstacles to Indian access to Federal or private programs relating to agriculture or related rural development programs generally available to the public at large.

Within one year after December 3, 1993, the Secretary shall provide the Subcommittee on Native American Affairs of the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate with a status report on the development of the comparative analysis required by this section and shall file a final report with the Congress not later than 18 months after December 3, 1993.

(Pub. L. 103–177, title I, § 104, Dec. 3, 1993, 107 Stat. 2016.)