S. 239

Crow Revenue Act

Sponsor: Steve Daines

1 cosponsor
Follow this bill

Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

Crow Revenue Act

This bill addresses the exchange of mineral interests in Montana involving the federal government, the Crow Tribe of Montana, and a private party.

Specifically, the bill requires 

  • the Department of the Interior to accept the relinquishment of a specified federal coal lease associated with the Bull Mountains Mine near Roundup, Montana (the current operator of the mine is Signal Peak Energy); 
  • the Joe and Barbara Hope Mineral Trust (Hope Family Trust) to convey approximately 4,660 acres of subsurface mineral interests located within the boundaries of the Crow Indian Reservation in Big Horn County, Montana, to the tribe; and 
  • Interior to convey approximately 4,530 acres of subsurface mineral interests and 940 acres of surface interests located in Musselshell County, Montana, to the Hope Family Trust. 

Prior to these conveyances, the tribe must notify Interior that the tribe and the Hope Family Trust have agreed on a revenue-sharing formula for the development of the mineral and surface interests in Musselshell County, Montana.

The mineral interests conveyed by the Hope Family Trust to the tribe shall be held in trust by the United States for the benefit of the tribe, upon the tribe's request. These mineral interests shall not be subject to state or local taxation.

Text of the bill

Expand all
Sec. 2. Definitions Changed · Sep 28

Where this section came from

  1. Jan 24, 2025 · Introduced in Senate Referred to Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Jan 24, 2025
  2. Sep 28, 2026 · Reported to Senate Marked up by Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Aug 5 Reported by Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Sep 28 Committee members' individual votes aren't in our records.
What changed in the text

… 2 unchanged passages …

(2) Bull Mountains Mineral Tracts. The term Bull Mountains Mineral Tracts means the mineral interests that—

… 13 unchanged passages …

(xii) T. 7 N., R. 27 E., sec. 22; and (C) are generally depicted on the map entitled Bull Mountains Tracts and dated March 19, 2025. (3) Bull Mountains Surface Tracts. The term Bull Mountains Surface Tracts means the aggregate surface interests that— (A) are located in Musselshell County, Montana; (B) comprise approximately 940 acres of surface interests owned by the United States located in—

… 5 unchanged passages …

( D C ) are generally depicted on the map entitled Bull Mountains Tracts and dated January March 30 19 , 2024 2025 . ( 3 4 ) Hope Family Tracts. The term Hope Family Tracts means the aggregate mineral interests that—

… 19 unchanged passages …

( 4 5 ) Hope family trust. The term Hope Family Trust means the Joe and Barbara Hope Mineral Trust. ( 5 6 ) Lessee. The term Lessee means the lessee for the Bull Mountains Lease. ( 7) Musselshell Resources LLC. The term Musselshell Resources LLC means the Musselshell Resources Limited Liability Company, which is registered to do business in the State. (8) Musselshell Resources Tracts. The term Musselshell Resources Tracts means the aggregate surface interests that— (A) are located in Musselshell County, Montana; (B) comprise approximately 959 acres of surface interests owned by Musselshell Resources LLC located in— (i) T. 7 N., R. 27 E., N1/2NW1/4, NE1/4, and E1/2SE1/4 of sec. 35; (ii) T. 6 N., R. 26 E., NE1/4 of sec. 22 lying south and west of Old Divide Road; and (iii ) T. 6 N., R. 26 E., sec. 25; and (C) are generally depicted on the map entitled Bull Mountains Tracts and dated March 19, 2025. (9) Secretary. The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior. ( 7 10 ) State. The term State means the State of Montana. ( 8 11 ) Tribe. The term Tribe means the Crow Tribe of Montana.

What is a markup?

A markup is a committee meeting where members go through a bill and vote on changes before sending it to the full chamber.

In this Act:

(1) Bull Mountains Lease. The term Bull Mountains Lease means the Bureau of Land Management Lease MTM–97988 dated June 1, 2012.

(2) Bull Mountains Mineral Tracts. The term Bull Mountains Mineral Tracts means the mineral interests that—

(A) are located in Musselshell County, Montana;

(B) comprise approximately 4,530 acres of subsurface interests owned by the United States located in—

(i) T. 6 N., R. 26 E., sec. 2;

(ii) T. 6 N., R. 26 E., sec. 24;

(iii) T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 4;

(iv) T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 8;

(v) T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 10;

(vi) T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 14;

(vii) T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 22;

(viii) T. 7 N., R. 26 E., sec. 24;

(ix) T. 7 N., R. 26 E., sec. 26;

(x) T. 7 N., R. 26 E., sec. 34;

(xi) T. 7 N., R. 27 E., sec. 20; and

(xii) T. 7 N., R. 27 E., sec. 22; and

(C) are generally depicted on the map entitled Bull Mountains Tracts and dated March 19, 2025.

(3) Bull Mountains Surface Tracts. The term Bull Mountains Surface Tracts means the aggregate surface interests that—

(A) are located in Musselshell County, Montana;

(B) comprise approximately 940 acres of surface interests owned by the United States located in—

(i) T. 6 N., R. 26 E., sec. 2;

(ii) T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 8;

(iii) T. 6 N., R. 27 E., sec. 10;

(iv) T. 6 N., R. 28 E., sec. 8; and

(v) T. 7 N., R. 27 E., sec. 34; and

(C) are generally depicted on the map entitled Bull Mountains Tracts and dated March 19, 2025.

(4) Hope Family Tracts. The term Hope Family Tracts means the aggregate mineral interests that—

(A) are located in Big Horn County, Montana, within the boundaries of the Crow Reservation;

(B) comprise approximately 4,660 acres of subsurface interests owned by the Hope Family Trust located in—

(i) T. 4 S., R. 37 E., sec. 33;

(ii) T. 4 S., R. 37 E., sec. 34;

(iii) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 1;

(iv) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 2;

(v) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 3;

(vi) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 10;

(vii) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 11;

(viii) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 12;

(ix) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 13;

(x) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 14;

(xi) T. 5 S., R. 37 E., sec. 15;

(xii) T. 5 S., R. 38 E., sec. 5;

(xiii) T. 5 S., R. 38 E., sec. 8;

(xiv) T. 5 S., R. 38 E., sec. 9;

(xv) T. 5 S., R. 38 E., sec. 16; and

(xvi) T. 5 S., R. 38 E., sec. 17; and

(C) are generally depicted on the map entitled Hope Family Tracts and dated January 30, 2024.

(5) Hope family trust. The term Hope Family Trust means the Joe and Barbara Hope Mineral Trust.

(6) Lessee. The term Lessee means the lessee for the Bull Mountains Lease.

(7) Musselshell Resources LLC. The term Musselshell Resources LLC means the Musselshell Resources Limited Liability Company, which is registered to do business in the State.

(8) Musselshell Resources Tracts. The term Musselshell Resources Tracts means the aggregate surface interests that—

(A) are located in Musselshell County, Montana;

(B) comprise approximately 959 acres of surface interests owned by Musselshell Resources LLC located in—

(i) T. 7 N., R. 27 E., N1/2NW1/4, NE1/4, and E1/2SE1/4 of sec. 35;

(ii) T. 6 N., R. 26 E., NE1/4 of sec. 22 lying south and west of Old Divide Road; and

(iii) T. 6 N., R. 26 E., sec. 25; and

(C) are generally depicted on the map entitled Bull Mountains Tracts and dated March 19, 2025.

(9) Secretary. The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.

(10) State. The term State means the State of Montana.

(11) Tribe. The term Tribe means the Crow Tribe of Montana.