• No IFAI Policy Brief next week, July 14. IFAI staff will be engaged in the 11th annual Tribal Youth Summit. Read more about the Summit here. 

• A Federal Register notice this week has a call for comments by July 30 on an interim final rule that removes several USDA agency regulations that implement NEPA. 

• Three congressional hearings this week include the House Ag Committee examining the role of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, while the Senate Appropriations Committee holds markup on rural development funding. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will also examine the president’s budget request for the U.S. Forest Service. 

• The Indian Health Service is hosting four In-Person Tribal Consultations and one Virtual Consultation starting July 8 on proposed service realignments and strategic changes.  

• USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is seeking public comments on the Special Milk Program for Children and the Federal-State Supplemental Nutrition Programs Agreement. 

Calendar

About: The IHS is holding several in-person Tribal consultations on proposed realignment and possible strategic changes in relation to (1) Delivery of Direct Patient Care; (2) Enterprise/Operational Management; and (3) Supporting Tribal Self-Determination. 

Date(s), Time, and Location: 

• July 8, 2025 (Tuesday), from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. pacific – Seattle, WA (Register Here)
  • Seattle Airport Marriott (Washington Room)
  • 3201 South 176th Street, Seattle WA 

• July 10, 2025 (Thursday), from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. mountain – Phoenix, AZ (Register Here)
  • Marriott Phoenix Chandler
  • 1600 South Price Road, Chandler, AZ
•  July 15, 2025 (Tuesday), from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. central – Minneapolis, MN (Register Here)
  • Hyatt Regency Bloomington – Minneapolis
  • 3200 East 81 Street, Bloomington, MN 

• July 23, 2025 (Wednesday), from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. eastern – Washington, DC (Register Here)
  • Hubert H. Humphrey Building – Hall of Tribal Nations
  • 200 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC
    
•  July 28, 2025 (Monday), from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. eastern – Virtual (Register Here)

 Dear Tribal Leader and Urban Indian Organization Leader Letter 

The deadline to provide written comments is August 28, 2025 

Congressional Sessions:

Looking back: 

There were no relevant hearings last week. 

Looking ahead:

Hearing: House Agriculture Committee – Thursday, July 9 at 10 a.m. eastern 

Topic: Safeguarding U.S. Agriculture: The Role of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) 

Hearing: Senate Appropriations Committee – July 10 at 9:30 a.m. eastern 

Topic: Markup of “Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026”; and the “Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026.” 

Hearing: Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee – July 10 at 10 a.m. eastern 

Topic: Hearing on President’s Budget Request for the U.S. Forest Service for FY2026 

Nominations:

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee – due before July 18, 2025. 

Regulatory/Rulemaking Actions

Title: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 

• On July 3, 2025, USDA issued an interim final rule that removes several USDA agency regulations for implementing NEPA. These regulations were implemented as a supplement that incorporates and adopts the CEQ’s NEPA regulations. 

• The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued an interim final rule on Feb 25 removing the regulations that implement NEPA in response to President Trump’s EO 14154 Unleashing American Energy. 

• NEPA regulations required meaningful consultation with Tribal nations whose land, resources, or cultural sites may be affected by federal action but are no longer in effect. 

• Removing the regulations may cause some Tribes to challenge projects in court for failing to meet trust responsibilities. 

• Comments must be received by July 30, 2025. 

Posted: Week of July 7, 2025 

Title: Agency Information Collection Activities: Special Milk Program for Children 

• USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is seeking comments from the public about proposed information collection regarding the Special Milk Program for Children.  

• The Child Nutrition Act (CNA) authorizes the appropriation of sums necessary for the Secretary of Agriculture to encourage the consumption of fluid among children in the U.S.  

• This revision shows a decrease in reporting and recordkeeping burden as well as estimated burden hours due to a decrease in SMP participation.  

• Written comments must be received on or before September 5, 2025 

Posted: Week of July 7, 2025 

Title: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request about the Federal-State Supplemental Nutrition Programs Agreement 

• USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is seeking comments from the public about information collection requirements that have been submitted for OMB review and clearance.  

• The Federal-State Supplemental Nutrition Programs Agreement (FNS-339) is an annual contract between that must be entered between USDA and entities like an Indian Tribal Government that seek to operate programs such as WIC and WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.  

• The signed agreement authorizes USDA to make funds available to State agencies for administering several federal nutrition programs.  

• The State agency then agrees to comply with all provisions of statutes, regulations, and amendments.  

• Comments must be received by July 31, 2025. 

Posted: Week of July 7, 2025 

• USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service seeks public comments about proposed changes to the conservation practice standards (CPS) in the National Handbook of Conservation Practices (NHCP). 

• NRCS is requesting comments on the several CPS including, Access Control (Code 472), Pest Management Conservation System (Code 595), and Wildlife Habitat (Code 645). 

• Comments sent before July 30, 2025, will be considered.  

Posted: Week of June 30, 2025 

• USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) published a final rule regarding methods of publishing lists of States with and without State Meat or Poultry Inspection Programs.  

• FSIS is removing these lists from its regulations and will now maintain them on the agency’s website at www.fsis.usda.gov  

• This is an administrative that is not expected to change FSIS’ criteria for approving state MPI programs.  

• The final rule took effect on June 26, 2025 

Posted: Week of June 30, 2025 

• USDA’s Forest Service is requesting comments from nonprofit organizations, and/or State, Local or Tribal Governments about the renewal of currently approved information collection without revisions.  

• The Community Forest Program aims to facilitate community development through grants to local governments, Tribal Governments, and qualified nonprofits.  

• The information collected will be used to determine program eligibility, rank proposals, and cost management.  

• Comments must be received in writing on or before August 25, 2025. 

Posted: Week of June 30, 2025 

• USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has submitted for OMB review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the final rule on SNAP work requirements and screening.
• The final rule was published in the Federal Register on December 17, 2024, and became effective on January 16, 2025.
• The final rule required for State agencies to screen for exemptions from general work requirements and ABAWD time limit.
• Comments submitted by July 17, 2025, will be considered.

Posted: Week of June 23, 2025

• USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service has provided notice of a new system of records effective June 23, 2025 and July 23, 2025 for more routine uses.
• This new system is called USDA/FNS-15, National Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Information Database.
• The primary goal of this new system is to strengthen SNAP and government program integrity.
• FNS will use this new system to verify SNAP recipient eligibility in relation to information such as immigration status, duplicate enrollments, and identify theft.
• USDA will publish any changes, resulting from public comments.

Posted: Week of June 23, 2025