Policy

Summary:  There are no Congressional hearings scheduled this week, but the House is set to return on Wednesday, Nov. 12, and vote on a funding bill that could reopen the government.   DOI’s Bureau of Indian Affairs series of consultations on Secretarial Order 3443,...

Summary:    Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry is holding a nomination hearing on Wednesday, November 5, for Glen Smith to be the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development. DOI’s Bureau of Indian Affairs scheduled two in-person...

Summary:  There are three Senate Committee meetings worth noting on Wednesday, Oct. 29, including a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing about the impacts of government shutdowns and Agency reductions in force on Native communities.  IFAI has released its...

Summary:  Today is the last day to register for the Oct. 22 Tribal consultation on proposed changes to SNAP. That consultation is still happening regardless of the government shut down. IFAI will release an analysis piece following the consultation.  IFAI has a...

IFAI Executive Director, Carly Griffith Hotvedt, was featured in a KOSU article discussing the impacts of federal funding uncertainty on Tribal food and agriculture.   After the Oct. 14 Tribal leader consultation on USDA’s departmental Reorganization Plan, there is...

While Congress is holding hearings through the government shutdown, there were none scheduled with direct impacts on Tribal food and agriculture this week.   Despite the shutdown, the USDA Office of Tribal Relations page still shows two Tribal leader consultations...

Congress’ focus is on government funding, with the House out until Oct. 1 and the Senate yet to pass a short-term agreement.   In a busy October, the USDA is hosting a virtual consultation on proposed changes to SNAP on Oct. 22 from 1-3 p.m. EST, with virtual-only...

The USDA scheduled two Tribal leader consultation sessions on Oct. 14 and Oct. 16 over its Reorganization Plan. Check out IFAI’s analysis of potential Indian Country impacts here. IFAI will hold a closed Tribal briefing on October 9, 2025, for elected Tribal leaders...

USDA is holding two Tribal leader consultation sessions on Oct. 14 and Oct. 16 over its Reorganization Plan. Check out IFAI’s analysis of potential Indian Country impacts here. IFAI will hold a closed Tribal briefing on October 9, 2025 for elected Tribal leaders and...

The USDA Tribal Advisory Committee’s Sept. 18 Federal Register notice is out. Proceedings start at noon EST, with public comments open from 3-4 p.m. The TAC is also taking nominations for new members through Sept. 22, 2025.   Senator Lisa Murkowski’s office is calling...