Sponsors (18)
The bill gives tribal governments, health systems, and schools more predictable, consultative multi‑year funding and more accurate budget justifications, but does so by locking in near‑term federal spending, reducing annual budget flexibility, and adding administrative burdens that could raise costs and risk persistent shortfalls if estimates prove incorrect.
Indigenous tribal governments, tribal schools, and IHS/tribal health facilities gain predictable, multi‑year funding visibility (advance appropriations and next‑year estimates) allowing better planning for staffing, services, and capital projects.
IHS and tribal health systems receive more accurate budget justifications that account for inflation and population changes, improving the alignment of health funding with actual needs.
Education programs on tribal lands obtain greater budget stability for operations and construction through mandated advance appropriations and forward estimates.
All taxpayers face higher near‑term federal budget commitments because advance appropriations and larger forward estimates lock in spending obligations across fiscal years.
Annual budget flexibility for Congress is reduced, making it harder to reallocate funds quickly in response to emergencies or changing priorities.
Preparing annual next‑year estimates, inflation/population justifications, consultations, and reports increases administrative workload and compliance costs for federal agencies and tribal governments, which may slow program delivery.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Requires advance appropriations and next‑year budget estimates for key BIA, BIE, and IHS accounts, starting with FY2026.
Introduced September 11, 2025 by Betty McCollum · Last progress September 11, 2025
Requires annual advance appropriations and next‑year budget estimates for key Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, and Indian Health Service accounts, starting with fiscal year 2026. It directs the Secretary of the Interior and agency budget submissions to include forward-year budget authority, and requires an annual report to Congress, prepared in consultation with Tribes, on resource sufficiency and workload estimates.