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The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) is planning significant revisions to the “Section 106 Process” that would eliminate protections for historic and cultural properties. The proposed changes would eliminate tribal consultation requirements and reduce tribal involvement in the Section 106 Process. The changes would also weaken requirements for identification and avoidance of impacts to historic and cultural properties, and would eliminate protections for cul

On June 24, 2026, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held a hearing to consider the nomination of Mark Cruz to serve as the Director of the Indian Health Service (IHS).

On June 11, 2026, the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced a proposed rule to “end racial discrimination” and “dismantle the race-based admissions framework” in the 8(a) Business Development framework. SBA reports that businesses owned by Indian tribes, Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs), and Native Hawaiian Organizations (NHOs) would not be affected by the proposed rule.

Last week, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies (Subcommittee) approved its Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 appropriations bill. The bill includes funding for Indian Affairs programs, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), and the Indian Health Service (IHS). Overall, the Subcommittee rejected the dramatic cuts proposed by the President for FY 2027.

On April 29, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision gutting Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act which was intended to prohibit discriminatory voting practices and procedures. In Louisiana v. Callais, 608 U. S. ____ (2026), the Court concluded that in order to prove voter discrimination, Section 2 requires showing an intent to discriminate. The decision is already impacting efforts by Indian tribes and tribal members to challenge voting districts that dilute the Native

Last month, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) finally released $289 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 funding to the Department of Treasury for the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund. The funding was released more than a year after it was passed by Congress. The funding includes $28 million for the Native American CDFI Assistance (NACA) Program which funds Native CDFIs.

On April 22, 2026, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued an Order re-scheduling certain medical marijuana products under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) from Schedule I to Schedule III. The DOJ Order includes products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or products that are subject to a state-issued medical marijuana license. The DOJ Order is available here.

On April 3, 2026, President Trump released his Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget request which includes significant cuts to Indian Affairs programs while increasing defense funding by 40 percent. The President’s proposed $1.5 trillion in defense spending would be the highest military expenditure in United States history. To offset these increases, the budget proposes to cut Indian Affairs and other domestic programs by $73 billion.

On February 23, 2026, Secretary Burgum signed a final rule cutting over 80 percent of the Department of the Interior’s (Interior) existing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations. Interior’s new NEPA procedures incorporate deadlines for NEPA reviews and page limits for NEPA documents.

On January 13, 2026, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a Proposed Rule that would limit the ability of Indian Tribes to review and approve infrastructure projects that may impact Tribal waters. Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) provides Indian Tribes and states, the ability to review and approve any federal license or permit for the construction or operation of facilities that will result in a discharge into Tribal waters.

On February 4, 2026, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report quantifying the impact of the Administration’s reductions in force on Indian Affairs programs and services. In brief, GAO found that Indian Affairs’ job cuts left critical vacancies impacting the effectiveness of programs that support law enforcement, schools, and natural resource management.

With a January 30, 2026 deadline approaching, Congress made more progress passing appropriations bills to keep the Federal government open. Bills to provide Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding for the Department of the Interior, the Indian Health Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and other key agencies passed Congress last week.

On January 8, 2026, the U.S. House of Representatives passed three government spending bills including the Fiscal Year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill by a bipartisan vote of 397-28. The three bills were passed as a “minibus” appropriations package that is now headed to the Senate. Quick action is needed to prevent another Federal government shutdown impacting the U.S. Department of the Interior on January 30, 2026.

On November 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced a sweeping reorganization, utilizing interagency agreements to move key functions to other federal departments. This move fulfills President Trump’s campaign promise to close the agency and streamline bureaucracy, but it will directly impact programs that fund and oversee the education of Native children and college students.

ONEIDA, WISCONSIN – In a significant win for Tribal sovereignty and the restoration of Tribal land bases, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin issued a Decision and Order on December 2, 2025 affirming the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) decision to take 499 acres of land into trust for the Oneida Nation under Section 5 of the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA).

Washington, D.C. – The recently enacted FY 2026 Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026, H.R. 5371, a part of a larger continuing resolution to fund and reopen the federal government last week, includes a major provision set to dramatically reshape the hemp industry.

Washington, D.C. – The Continuing Resolution and other appropriations bills passed by Congress to end the Federal government shutdown included provisions to prevent further Reductions in Force (RIF) until January 30, 2026. The bill language states that "no federal funds may be used to initiate, carry out, implement, or otherwise notice a reduction in force to reduce the number of employees within any department, agency, or office of the Federal Government."

Washington, D.C. – On October 29, 2025, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held an oversight hearing focused on the “Impacts of Government Shutdowns and Agency Reductions in Force on Native Communities.” Witnesses discussed the consequences of potential lapses in funding for critical programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund, and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

On October 29, 2025, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing to examine the Section 106 consultation process under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Chairman Lee opened the hearing commenting that “When a law written to protect our past starts to block our future, it can be worth examining where we are and how we got here.”

The five-week government shutdown shows no signs of resolution as talks in Congress remain frozen. While federal workers are now missing paychecks and effects are felt across Indian Country and the rest of the United States, the Senate is at a standstill.