S. 630 — Quapaw Tribal Settlement Act of 2025

This section establishes the Quapaw Bear Settlement Trust Account in the Department of the Interior Bureau of Trust Funds Administration and authorizes a $137,500,000 payment from the Treasury—not otherwise appropriated—to the account for distribution to specified claimants (i.e., the Quapaw Nation and individual members identified in Bear v. United States, No. 13-51X (Fed. Cl.), per a January 2020 Court of Federal Claims Review Panel report). The Secretary of the Interior must administer the funds, with distribution occurring pursuant to a claimants' plan developed through (1) mediation initiated within 45 days of enactment (confidential and non-binding unless agreed, with costs shared equally; successful agreement submitted to the Secretary for immediate distribution) or (2) Secretarial allocation if mediation fails or no agreement is reached within 18 months of enactment (involving a petition, scheduling order, hearing with pre- and post-hearing briefs, and a final Secretarial distribution plan per the report).