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25 USC § 3051 - Purposes

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t25/s3051"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "25 USC § 3051 - Purposes"
title_number: 25
title_name: "INDIANS"
section_number: "3051"
section_name: "Purposes"
chapter_number: 32
chapter_name: "CULTURAL AND HERITAGE COOPERATION AUTHORITY"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2025-07-14"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 110–234, title VIII, § 8101, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1286; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VIII, § 8101, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2048.)"
---

# § 3051. Purposes

The purposes of this chapter are—

**(1)** to authorize the reburial of human remains and cultural items on National Forest System land, including human remains and cultural items repatriated under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.);

**(2)** to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of information regarding reburial sites, including the quantity and identity of human remains and cultural items on sites and the location of sites;

**(3)** to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to ensure access to National Forest System land, to the maximum extent practicable, by Indians and Indian tribes for traditional and cultural purposes;

**(4)** to authorize the Secretary to provide forest products, without consideration, to Indian tribes for traditional and cultural purposes;

**(5)** to authorize the Secretary to protect the confidentiality of certain information, including information that is culturally sensitive to Indian tribes;

**(6)** to increase the availability of Forest Service programs and resources to Indian tribes in support of the policy of the United States to promote tribal sovereignty and self-determination; and

**(7)** to strengthen support for the policy of the United States of protecting and preserving the traditional, cultural, and ceremonial rites and practices of Indian tribes, in accordance with Public Law 95–341 (commonly known as the American Indian Religious Freedom Act; 42 U.S.C. 1996).

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 110–234, title VIII, § 8101, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1286; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VIII, § 8101, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2048.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, referred to in par. (1), is , , , which is classified principally to chapter 32 (§ 3001 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under  and Tables.

The American Indian Religious Freedom Act, referred to in par. (7), is , , , which is classified to sections 1996 and 1996a of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under  and Tables.

### Codification

and  enacted identical sections.  was repealed by .

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section and repeal of  by  effective , the date of enactment of , see , set out as a note under , Agriculture.

### Definition of “Secretary”

“Secretary” as meaning the Secretary of Agriculture, see , Agriculture.