American Indian Empowerment Act of 2017

This bill requires the Department of the Interior, upon the request of an Indian tribe, to transfer land held in trust for the tribe to the tribe as restricted fee tribal land. (Restricted fee tribal land is land that is owned by a tribe and has restrictions against alienation and taxation.)

Tribes may lease, or grant an easement or right-of-way on, restricted fee land for any period of time without Interior's review and approval.

Tribal laws that establish a system of land tenure governing the use of restricted fee land have precedence over federal laws and regulations governing the use of such land, except the restriction against the land's alienation and taxation.