---
kind: "section"
citation: "25 U.S.C. § 1331"
title: "25"
title_heading: "Indians"
number: "1331"
heading: "Approval"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/25/1331"
units:
  - "Chapter 15 — Constitutional Rights of Indians"
  - "Subchapter IV — Employment of Legal Counsel"
---

# §1331. Approval


Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if any application made by an [Indian](/usc/25/1301.md?p=4), [Indian tribe](/usc/25/1301.md?p=1), [Indian](/usc/25/1301.md?p=4) council, or any band or group of [Indians](/usc/25/1301.md?p=4) under any law requiring the approval of the [Secretary](/usc/25/5130.md?p=1) of the Interior or the Commissioner of [Indian](/usc/25/1301.md?p=4) Affairs of contracts or agreements relating to the employment of legal counsel (including the choice of counsel and the fixing of fees) by any such [Indians](/usc/25/1301.md?p=4), tribe, council, band, or group is neither granted nor denied within ninety days following the making of such application, such approval shall be deemed to have been granted.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 90–284, title VI, § 601, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 80.)