H.R. 5328: Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act of 2025

The Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act of 2025 aims to modify how certain federal appropriations are allocated to programs serving Native American tribes. Specifically, it seeks to amend the Indian Self-Determination Act and the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to enable advance appropriations for specific accounts related to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), and the Indian Health Service (IHS). Here are the main points of the bill:

Advance Appropriations Authorization

The bill authorizes advance appropriations for the following key accounts:

• Bureau of Indian Affairs:
  • Operation of Indian Programs
  • Contract Support Costs
  • Indian Guaranteed Loan Program
  • Construction
  • Payments for Tribal Leases
• Bureau of Indian Education:
  • Operation of Indian Education Programs
  • Education Construction
• Indian Health Service:
  • Indian Health Services
  • Contract Support Costs
  • Payments for Tribal Leases
  • Indian Health Facilities

Implementation Timeline

Beginning with fiscal year 2026, the bill stipulates that any new budget authority provided for the covered accounts must be made available for the fiscal year and must include advance new budget authority for the following fiscal year.

Budget Estimates and Reports

The Secretary of the Interior will be required to submit detailed estimates of the funds necessary for the covered accounts in documents sent to Congress. Additionally, the Secretary must provide an annual report by July 31, including assessments of resource sufficiency for the upcoming fiscal year and workload demand data based on consultation with Indian tribes.

Changes to Budget Submission Process

Provisions are introduced to require the annual budget request for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education to include estimates related to the fiscal year following the budget submission along with justifications for those amounts.

Furthermore, provisions are made to ensure that budgeting for the Indian Health Service reflects changes in health service costs and population sizes, enhancing the accuracy of future funding needs.

Overall Objective

The primary objective of the bill is to provide greater financial stability for Indian programs by allowing for advanced budgeting, thereby improving the predictability of funding for essential services for Native American tribes in areas such as education, health care, and infrastructure development.

Relevant Companies

None found