The Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Modernization Act of 2026 reauthorizes federal housing assistance for Indian tribes and Native Hawaiians through fiscal year 2033 while expanding eligibility to include families with incomes up to 120 percent of the area median. The bill grants tribes greater autonomy by allowing them to set their own rent, procurement, and environmental review policies, and it streamlines regulatory processes by consolidating environmental reviews and exempting certain small-scale projects from specific federal requirements. Additionally, the legislation establishes new grant programs for homeless American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians, creates a rental assistance program for homeless Indian veterans, and extends leasehold interests on trust lands to 99 years to improve financing options.
The Indigenous Students Excel through Parity Act of 2026 directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct two studies aimed at improving funding and resources for Bureau-funded and tribally controlled schools. The first study will evaluate the current Indian School Equalization Formula to ensure it provides salaries for teachers and staff that match the highest rates found in public schools or the Department of Defense, while also considering specific needs of small and rural schools. The second study will explore potential new revenue sources to help bring these schools into financial parity with other school systems. Both studies require the Secretary to consult with tribal organizations and submit a report to Congress with findings and recommendations on how to update the funding formula.
The Protecting Indian Water Rights Settlements Act of 2026 creates two new funding accounts to support the implementation of specific Indian water rights settlements. One account provides $45 million annually through 2035 for ongoing operations and maintenance related to five existing settlements, while the second account offers $250 million annually for the same period to fund new or continuing settlements approved by Congress. These funds are automatically deposited into the Treasury and made available to the Secretary of the Interior without needing further approval for each use. The legislation allows the Interior Secretary to decide how quickly and in what order to distribute the money to ensure settlements are completed efficiently.
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Tribal Nations
The Indigenous Students Excel through Parity Act of 2026 directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct two studies aimed at improving funding and staffing for Bureau-funded and tribally controlled schools. The first study will examine how to update the Indian School Equalization Formula to ensure teacher and staff salaries match the highest rates found in public schools or the Department of Defense, while also considering specific needs of small and rural schools. The second study will explore potential revenue sources to bring these schools into financial parity with other school systems. Both studies must be completed within one year of the bill's enactment, and their findings will be reported to Congress and made public.
The Western Tribal Water Act of 2026 directs federal funding to improve drinking water infrastructure for tribes in the Upper Colorado River Basin. Specifically, it amends an existing program to include ten eligible projects within this region and allocates $60 million for each of fiscal years 2027 and 2028. This legislation aims to address critical water supply needs and aging infrastructure, such as the $50 million project planned for the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. The bill does not create new agencies or alter tribal sovereignty, but rather expands financial resources available through current federal mechanisms.
The Traumatic Births Research Act of 2026 directs the Department of Health and Human Services to study how traumatic birth experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder affect mothers, infants, and families. This legislation expands research funding to include states, Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations, requiring that study results be broken down by race and ethnicity. Additionally, the bill authorizes a pilot program to compare midwife-led care models against traditional medical care regarding their impact on birth trauma and mental health. To monitor progress, the Secretary must submit an interim report by the end of fiscal year 2028 and a final report by the end of fiscal year 2030.
The Western Tribal Water Act of 2026 expands the Indian Reservation Drinking Water Program to include ten specific projects in the Upper Colorado River Basin, an area where many tribes face significant water supply challenges. This legislation directs $60 million in funding for each of fiscal years 2027 and 2028 to support these infrastructure improvements, with a specific focus on addressing the needs of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in southwestern Colorado. By amending existing federal law, the bill ensures that tribes in this drought-prone region can access resources to repair aging water delivery systems and enhance overall water reliability.
This bill, the Tribal Tax and Investment Reform Act of 2026, treats federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Native entities as states for specific tax purposes, allowing them to issue tax-exempt bonds and maintain employee pension plans under the same rules as state governments. It creates a new $175 million annual tax credit allocation for investments in tribal areas, expands existing employment tax credits, and clarifies how tribal general welfare benefits and trust funds are treated for federal assistance programs. The legislation also establishes uniform fiduciary standards for tribal pension plans, provides technical assistance for tribal area investments, and ensures tribal areas qualify for certain affordable housing tax incentives.
This bill amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to include Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations alongside States in receiving federal funding for child abuse prevention and treatment programs. It specifically changes how funds are allocated by directing 5 percent of the appropriation to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations, while maintaining 1 percent for migrant programs. The legislation directly affects tribal communities by ensuring they have access to federal resources for addressing child abuse and neglect. These changes modify existing distribution rules within the federal child welfare funding system.
This bill reauthorizes and expands the Cooperative Watershed Management Program, which provides federal grants to local communities and Indian tribes for watershed restoration and management projects. It updates the program's definition to explicitly include Indian tribes as eligible recipients and increases the maximum annual grant amount from $100,000 to $150,000 for a minimum of three years. The legislation also adds provisions allowing grant continuations for up to two additional years based on satisfactory performance and enables multiple grant applications per year to increase funding opportunities. Finally, it authorizes $40 million in federal funding annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to support the program.
