Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act of 2025
The Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act of 2025 would allow advance appropriations for select annual accounts of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education, and the Indian Health Service, starting in FY2026. It requires that new budget authority for these accounts be available in the budget year and include advance authority for the next year, along with detailed estimates and an annual Congress report on funding needs and workload. It also updates budgeting rules to require next-year appropriation estimates and tribal consultation in the budgeting process.
Key Points
- 1Creates a set of “covered accounts” for BIA, BIE, and IHS that can receive advance appropriations starting FY2026.
- 2Each covered account must have advance new budget authority for the following fiscal year and include detailed next-year estimates in budget documents.
- 3Requires annual reporting (by July 31) with resource sufficiency, workload data, and tribal consultation, and expands budget request requirements to include next-year estimates for these accounts.
The Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act of 2025 would add new authorizations to two major federal Indian programs to provide advance (front-loaded) funding. Specifically, it amends the Indian Self-Determination Act to create an “advance appropriations” mechanism for selected accounts within the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), and it amends the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to do the same for certain accounts within the Indian Health Service (IHS). Starting with fiscal year 2026, these covered accounts would receive budget authority for the coming year in the current year's appropriation, effectively ensuring funds are available in advance of the budget year. The bill also requires detailed forward-looking budget estimates, annual workload/demand reporting, and ongoing consultation with Indian tribes as part of budget processes and oversight. In addition to creating advance appropriations, the bill expands budget disclosure requirements for the affected agencies, mandating information on estimates for the following year in the President’s budget and in agency budget submissions. It also requires annual reporting on resource sufficiency and workload data, to be produced in consultation with tribes.
Key Points
- 1Creates a defined set of “covered accounts” for the BIA, BIE, and IHS that would be eligible for advance appropriations:
- 2- BIA/BIE: Operation of Indian Programs, Contract Support Costs, Indian Guaranteed Loan Program, Construction, Payments for Tribal Leases; and for BIE: Operation of Indian Education Programs, Education Construction.
- 3- IHS: Indian Health Services, Contract Support Costs, Payments for Tribal Leases, Indian Health Facilities.
- 4Advance appropriations authority:
- 5- For each fiscal year starting in 2026, newly authorized budget authority for the covered accounts would be available for that fiscal year and would include advance authority for the first fiscal year after the budget year.
- 6Budget estimates and planning requirements:
- 7- The President’s budget documents must include detailed estimates of the funds needed for the covered accounts in the following fiscal year.
- 8- Agencies must adjust their budget submissions to explicitly include estimates for the following year for these accounts.
- 9Annual reporting and tribal consultation:
- 10- By July 31 of each fiscal year, the Secretary must submit a report (in consultation with Indian Tribes) on the sufficiency of resources for the upcoming fiscal year, including workload and demand data.
- 11Expanded budget process for each agency:
- 12- BIA: budget requests must include forward-year estimates for covered accounts and require tribal consultation.
- 13- BIE: amendments to budget request processes to incorporate forward-year estimates and planning data.
- 14- IHS: budget justification and planning documents must reflect anticipated costs and forward-year estimates for the covered accounts.