The U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee on Sept. 17 voted to approve a GOP-led bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI) that would affirm the rights of Native American tribes to govern labor relations on their own lands. “I am grateful for the support it received in the Education and Workforce Committee, and will continue my work to deliver this important protection for tribal communities,” said Rep. Moolenaar, who on Feb. 27 sponsored the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act, H.R. 1723 would exclude Indian tribes and tribal enterprises and institutions on tribal land from requirements for employers under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). “Tribal governments should have the same authority as every other level of government in America to make decisions for their people and their communities,” Rep. Moolenaar said. By placing tribes on equal footing with states and territories under the NLRA, the bill would bolster tribal self-governance and reaffirm the federal government’s commitment to honoring tribal sovereignty, he said.