---
type: "LegalText"
title: "25 U.S.C. § 3601"
description: "Findings"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 25
title_name: "INDIANS"
chapter_number: "38"
chapter_name: "INDIAN TRIBAL JUSTICE SUPPORT"
section: "3601"
citation: "25 U.S.C. § 3601"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc25@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t25/s3601"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-25/usc25.xml"
source_hash: "0a17fd1bf1a8f706fb7b38b7fa0884459930200c0626d999608899f262dfc956"
raw_snapshot_hash: "d4661d83bff6862be548ac8e843ba61e942ed983aade7cf83cb7dbc3dcd08168"
text_hash: "dcc6e879c584cc228ef9a1b65c0e5fd4b1fd0085215037dac75001a35bb8ad4d"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 25 U.S.C. § 3601 - Findings

## Text

The Congress finds and declares that—

(1) there is a government-to-government relationship between the United States and each Indian tribe;

(2) the United States has a trust responsibility to each tribal government that includes the protection of the sovereignty of each tribal government;

(3) Congress, through statutes, treaties, and the exercise of administrative authorities, has recognized the self-determination, self-reliance, and inherent sovereignty of Indian tribes;

(4) Indian tribes possess the inherent authority to establish their own form of government, including tribal justice systems;

(5) tribal justice systems are an essential part of tribal governments and serve as important forums for ensuring public health and safety and the political integrity of tribal governments;

(6) Congress and the Federal courts have repeatedly recognized tribal justice systems as the appropriate forums for the adjudication of disputes affecting personal and property rights;

(7) traditional tribal justice practices are essential to the maintenance of the culture and identity of Indian tribes and to the goals of this chapter;

(8) tribal justice systems are inadequately funded, and the lack of adequate funding impairs their operation; and

(9) tribal government involvement in and commitment to improving tribal justice systems is essential to the accomplishment of the goals of this chapter.

(Pub. L. 103–176, § 2, Dec. 3, 1993, 107 Stat. 2004.)

## Notes

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short TitlePub. L. 103–176, § 1, Dec. 3, 1993, 107 Stat. 2004, provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Indian Tribal Justice Act’.”