Maria Cantwell: “Section 8105 of this bill authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to ``provide free of charge to Indian tribes any…”

“Section 8105 of this bill authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to ``provide free of charge to Indian tribes any trees, portions of trees or forest products from National Forest Service land for traditional and cultural purposes as long as those products are not used for commercial purposes.'' Several Indian tribes in Washington State are successors in interest to tribes and bands who were signatory to treaties with the United States which expressly reserved the right to gather forest products from lands which currently include National Forest System lands. These treaties are regarded as the supreme law of the land and cannot be modified by Congress unless Congress clearly intends to do so. Am I correct that section 8105 is not in any way intended to modify or supersede the treaty rights of these tribes?”