Bipartisan Bill Aims to Boost Tribal Buffalo Programs in New Mexico

U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., reintroduced the bipartisan Indian Buffalo Management Act in December 2025. The legislation directs the U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary to coordinate with tribes and tribal organizations that have established buffalo herds and management programs, and to provide resources for tribes that would like to establish new herds.

The bill sets out three core directives for the Interior Secretary: promote and develop the capacity of tribes and tribal organizations to manage buffalo and buffalo habitat; protect and enhance buffalo herds for the maximum benefit of tribes; and ensure that tribes are directly involved in Interior Department decision-making regarding buffalo. Those provisions aim to formalize federal-tribal collaboration on a species that has deep cultural and ecological significance across the region.

“For generations, buffalo have been a critical part of our culture - in New Mexico, the West, and especially in Indian Country,” Heinrich said. “And I hope that within my lifetime, thanks to our broad coalition, buffalo will return to the prominent place they once occupied as the keystone species on American shortgrass prairies. That’s why I’m proud to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation to strengthen federal support for Tribal buffalo programs and continue the growth of tribal buffalo herds.”

The measure has drawn endorsements from conservation and ranching organizations, including the InterTribal Buffalo Council, the National Wildlife Federation, the Nature Conservancy, the World Wildlife Fund, and the National Bison Association. “We are so pleased that Senators Heinrich and Mullin are reintroducing this important legislation,” representatives of the InterTribal Buffalo Council and tribal leaders said in a joint statement, noting cultural, ecological, and management benefits and the long historical ties between buffalo and many Indigenous communities.

For McKinley County residents, the act represents a potential expansion of federal support for tribal land management and cultural revival initiatives. Tribes that manage or seek to establish buffalo herds could gain technical assistance, habitat development, and greater participation in federal decision-making, factors that can influence local land use, tourism, and food sovereignty efforts tied to traditional practices. The legislation also aligns with broader conservation trends that recognize Indigenous stewardship as a global model for restoring keystone species and resilient ecosystems.

The bill was reintroduced in the current congressional session and will require committee consideration and further legislative steps to take effect. If enacted, the Indian Buffalo Management Act would formalize a cooperative federal-tribal approach to buffalo restoration that could have lasting cultural and environmental impacts across New Mexico and on tribal communities in McKinley County.