S 2771119th CongressIntroduced

Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act of 2025

Introduced: Sep 11, 2025

Economy & TaxesHealthcareSocial Services

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act of 2025 would change how key federal Indian programs are funded by adding a mechanism for advance appropriations. Specifically, it amends the Indian Self-Determination Act to create a set of “covered accounts” for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) in the Department of the Interior, and for the Indian Health Service (IHS) in the Department of Health and Human Services. For fiscal years starting in 2026, new budget authority for these accounts would be available for the fiscal year in which it is enacted and would include advance authority that first becomes available in the following fiscal year. The bill also requires detailed estimates, annual reporting, and consultation with tribes to track resources, workload, and demand. It also adds a parallel advance-appropriations framework for the IHS, identifying its own set of “covered accounts” (IHS, Contract Support Costs, Payments for Tribal Leases, and Indian Health Facilities) and imposing the same requirements for advance funding, budget estimates for the following year, and annual workload/demand reporting. Additionally, the bill broadens budget documentation requirements to include information on these following-year appropriations and directions for BIA, BIE, and IHS to consult with tribes in developing budget requests, with inflation and population considerations addressed for IHS. The overall aim is to reduce funding volatility for essential tribal programs and facilities by ensuring advance funding in the annual budget process.

Key Points

1Establishes “covered accounts” for advance appropriations:
2- BIA and BIE: Operation of Indian Programs, Contract Support Costs, Indian Guaranteed Loan Program, Construction, Payments for Tribal Leases; and Operation of Indian Education Programs, Education Construction respectively.
3- IHS: IHS appropriations, Contract Support Costs, Payments for Tribal Leases, Indian Health Facilities.
4Advance appropriations start in fiscal year 2026:
5- New budget authority enacted for a given year would be available for that year and include advance authority for the subsequent year.
6Budget estimates and reporting requirements:
7- The President’s budget must include detailed estimates for the following year for the covered accounts.
8- An annual (by July 31) report to Congress on resource sufficiency, including workload and demand data, with tribal consultation.
9Expanded budget-justification requirements:
10- BIA and BIE budget submissions must include estimates for the following year for the covered accounts; must be developed with tribal participation.
11- IHS budget materials must address inflation, population served, and include estimates for the following year for the IHS-covered accounts.
12Information on appropriations estimates added to budget process:
13- Section 1105(a) would be amended to require information on estimates of the following year for the covered accounts referenced in the act.
14- Specific amendments to BIA, BIE, and IHS budget processes to integrate the following-year estimates and tribal consultation.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected:- Native American tribes and tribal organizations, and the federal programs that serve them (BIA, BIE, and IHS).- Federal agencies implementing Indian programs (Department of the Interior and Department of Health and Human Services).Secondary group/area affected:- Federal budget and appropriations process, including Congress and the Executive Branch, with a shift toward establishing advance funding for specific Indian accounts.- Tribal education programs, health facilities, housing/loans, and contract support costs—areas explicitly named as covered accounts.Additional impacts:- Potential reduction in funding volatility and shutdown risk for critical services and facilities serving tribal communities.- Increased emphasis on tribal consultation and workload/demand planning in annual budgeting.- Possible inflation- and population-adjustment considerations in IHS budgeting, aligning funding more closely with needs over time.

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