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- By Native News Online Staff
WASHINGTON — In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other news released from Washington, D.C. that impacts Indian Country recently.
Upcoming House Financial Services Hearing on Housing – Tribal Representation in Focus
The House Financial Services Committee has scheduled a hearing titled “Housing in the Heartland: Addressing Our Rural Housing Needs” for Thursday, June 12, 2025. You can find the official notice here: Hearing Entitled: Housing in the Heartland: Addressing Our Rural Housing Needs | U.S. House Committee on Financial Services
The National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) is actively reaching out to committee staff to request that a Tribal witness is included on the agenda. It’s critical that Tribal housing needs are not left out of this conversation. Especially given the persistent and unique housing related challenges facing Native communities.
“Any conversation about addressing rural housing must include Tribal representation. This hearing presents a timely opportunity to ensure Native people are not left behind. It is well known that Indian Country encompasses some of the most rural and remote areas in our nation—areas with some of the most severe housing challenges," Rudy Soto, NAIHC executive director, said.
NCN Seeks Partners & Allies to Contact U.S. Senate to Protect Tribal Energy Development
The Native CDFI Network (NCN) invites all Native CDFIs and other key partners to sign on to a joint letter to U.S. Senate leadership regarding the Senate’s pending deliberations of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1), the budget reconciliation bill that passed the House of Representatives earlier this month. The letter requests the Senate make key changes to the House bill to retain key renewable and clean electricity investment tax credits and elective pay as established in amendments to the tax code under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which are critical to maximizing capital stack opportunities for tribal clean energy projects slated to be financed in part by Native CDFIs. Notable among these requested changes are:
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re-inserting a reasonable phase-out period for the clean electricity investment tax credit, starting in 2030 and ending in 2033;
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removing the requirement to begin construction within 60 days of enactment;
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removing the provision rescinding unobligated balances from the DOE Office of Indian Energy or Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee program (Congress just appropriated these funds in March 2025 and it is patently unfair to rescind them no); and
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clarifying that despite the repeal and rescission of funding of IRA programs – such as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction fund, the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, and the Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant – the rescissions should be stayed pending the outcome of litigation related to those programs. For more information on support for the IRA, click here.
Indian Affairs Consultations on Indian Affairs Workforce Efficiency & Productivity - EO 14210
Indian Affairs – the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA), and the Office of the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs – seeks to engage directly with federally recognized Tribal Nations to receive formal input on critical needs as Indian Affairs develops plans to implement operational improvements.
The upcoming consultations seek Tribal Nations’ feedback on Executive Order (EO) 14210: Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization Initiative and related topics, including:
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Restructuring of Indian Affairs to support more efficient interactions with Tribal Nations
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Addressing current funding structures, including identifying efficiency barriers to expedite funding to Tribal Nations and tribal programs
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Increasing Indian Affairs support for Tribal self-governance and self-determination
The Department will conduct six in-person/hybrid and one virtual tribal consultation sessions to accept oral and written comments. Please note that the tribal consultation sessions will be closed to the press and the public to protect any confidential information that may be discussed during the formal consultation sessions.
Consultation Schedule:
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Oklahoma, June 3 – 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT
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Washington, D.C., June 5 – 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET
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Open Session (Virtual Only), June 6 – 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET
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North Dakota, June 12 – 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT
Written comments may be submitted either by email to [email protected], or by mail to the Department of the Interior, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action, 1001 Indian School Road NW, Suite 229, Albuquerque, NM 87104, by 11:59 pm ET on Monday, July 7.
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