# 25 C.F.R. § 83.1 (2025): What terms are used in this part? > Federal · Regulations · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T25_P83_S83_1 ## Section - **Citation:** 25 C.F.R. § 83.1 (2025) - **Heading:** What terms are used in this part? - **Jurisdiction:** Federal - **Kind:** Regulations - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** Title 25 CFR: Indians / Chapter I: BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR / Part 83: PROCEDURES FOR FEDERAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF INDIAN TRIBES / Subpart A: General Provisions / § 83.1: § 83.1 What terms are used in this part? ## Text As used in this part: ALJ means an administrative law judge in the Departmental Cases Hearings Division, Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA), Department of the Interior, appointed under 5 U.S.C. 3105. Assistant Secretary or AS-IA means the Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs within the Department of the Interior, or that officer's authorized representative, but does not include representatives of the Office of Federal Acknowledgment. Autonomous means independent of the control of any other Indian governing entity. Bureau means the Bureau of Indian Affairs within the Department of the Interior. Continental United States means the contiguous 48 states and Alaska. Department means the Department of the Interior, including the Assistant Secretary and OFA. Documented petition means the detailed arguments and supporting documentary evidence submitted by a petitioner claiming that it meets the Indian Entity Identification (§ 83.11(a)), Governing Document (§ 83.11(d)), Descent (§ 83.11(e)), Unique Membership (§ 83.11(f)), and Congressional Termination (§ 83.11(g)) Criteria and claiming that it: (1) Demonstrates previous Federal acknowledgment under § 83.12(a) and meets the criteria in § 83.12(b); or (2) Meets the Community (§ 83.11(b)) and Political Authority (§ 83.11(c)) Criteria. Federally recognized Indian tribe means an entity listed on the Department of the Interior's list under the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994, which the Secretary currently acknowledges as an Indian tribe and with which the United States maintains a government-to-government relationship. Historical means before 1900. Indigenous means native to the continental United States in that at least part of the petitioner's territory at the time of first sustained contact extended into what is now the continental United States. Member of a petitioner means an individual who is recognized by the petitioner as meeting its membership criteria and who consents to being listed as a member of the petitioner means before 1900. Indigenous means native to the continental United States in that at least part of the petitioner's territory at the time of first sustained contact extended into what is now the continental United States. Member of a petitioner means an individual who is recognized by the petitioner as meeting its membership criteria and who consents to being listed as a member of the petitioner. Office of Federal Acknowledgment or OFA means the Office of Federal Acknowledgment within the Office of the Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior. Petitioner means any entity that has submitted a documented petition to OFA requesting Federal acknowledgment as a federally recognized Indian tribe. Previous Federal acknowledgment means action by the Federal government clearly premised on identification of a tribal political entity and indicating clearly the recognition of a relationship between that entity and the United States. Re-petition authorization process means the process by which the Department handles a request for re-petitioning filed with OFA by an unsuccessful petitioner under §§ 83.47 through 83.62, from receipt to issuance of a decision as to whether the unsuccessful petitioner is authorized to re-petition for acknowledgment as a federally recognized Indian tribe. A grant of authorization to re-petition allows a petitioner to proceed through the Federal acknowledgment process by submitting a new documented petition for consideration under subpart C of this part. Re-petitioning means, after receiving a negative final determination that is final and effective for the Department and receiving subsequent authorization to re-petition, the submission of a new documented petition for consideration under subpart C of this part. Roll means a list exclusively of those individuals who have been determined by the tribe to meet the tribe's membership requirements as set forth in its governing document ing a negative final determination that is final and effective for the Department and receiving subsequent authorization to re-petition, the submission of a new documented petition for consideration under subpart C of this part. Roll means a list exclusively of those individuals who have been determined by the tribe to meet the tribe's membership requirements as set forth in its governing document. In the absence of such a document, a roll means a list of those recognized as members by the tribe's governing body. In either case, those individuals on a roll must have affirmatively demonstrated consent to being listed as members. Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior within the Department of the Interior or that officer's authorized representative. Tribe means any Indian tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village or community. Unsuccessful petitioner means an entity that was denied Federal acknowledgment after petitioning under the acknowledgment regulations at part 54 of this chapter (as they existed before March 30, 1982) or part 83. [80 FR 37887, July 1, 2015, as amended at 90 FR 3643, Jan. 15, 2025] ## Nearby sections - [25 C.F.R. § 83.1 (2025) § 83.1 What terms are used in this part?](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T25_P83_S83_1.md) - [25 C.F.R. § 83.2 (2025) § 83.2 What is the purpose of the regulations in this part?](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T25_P83_S83_2.md) - [25 C.F.R. § 83.3 (2025) § 83.3 Who does this part apply to?](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T25_P83_S83_3.md) - [25 C.F.R. § 83.4 (2025) § 83.4 Who cannot be acknowledged under this part?](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T25_P83_S83_4.md) - [25 C.F.R. § 83.5 (2025) § 83.5 How does a petitioner obtain Federal acknowledgment under this part?](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T25_P83_S83_5.md) - [25 C.F.R. § 83.6 (2025) § 83.6 What are the Department's duties?](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T25_P83_S83_6.md) - [25 C.F.R. § 83.7 (2025) § 83.7 How does this part apply to documented petitions submitted before August 17, 2015?](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T25_P83_S83_7.md) - [25 C.F.R. § 83.8 (2025) § 83.8 May the deadlines in this part be extended?](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T25_P83_S83_8.md) - [25 C.F.R. § 83.9 (2025) § 83.9 How does the Paperwork Reduction Act affect the information collections in this part?](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T25_P83_S83_9.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T25_P83_S83_1. 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