Sponsors (2)
The bill guarantees small, dedicated annual shares of CAPTA section 209 funding for tribal and migrant-child services and clarifies funding references—improving targeted support and administration—but reduces flexible funds for states and other grantees and may create administrative burdens while still possibly underfunding needs in some communities.
Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations will receive a guaranteed 5% share of CAPTA section 209 appropriations each year to support child-protection services in tribal jurisdictions.
References are clarified to 'section 209', which should reduce ambiguity for the Children's Bureau and improve administration and fund allocation for state and local governments.
Programs serving children in migrant families will receive a guaranteed 1% share of section 209 appropriations to support migrant-focused child services.
States and other CAPTA grantees will have a combined 6% less of section 209 funds available, reducing flexible resources for child-protection programs across jurisdictions.
Indian Tribes and migrant families may still receive amounts that are too small relative to need because fixed percentage set‑asides (5% and 1%) could be insufficient in some years or communities.
States and local governments will face short-term administrative complexity and potential transitional costs as they adjust budgets and grant formulas to accommodate the new set-asides.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires that 5% of CAPTA section 209 appropriations be allotted to Indian Tribes/Tribal organizations and 1% be allotted to migrant programs.
Directs that, from the amount appropriated under section 209 of CAPTA each fiscal year, 5% must be allotted to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations and 1% must be allotted to migrant programs, and makes a technical relocation of certain statutory references. The change reallocates how existing CAPTA funds are distributed rather than creating new appropriations, and includes a short-title provision naming the Act.
Introduced March 24, 2026 by Lisa Murkowski · Last progress March 24, 2026