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- By Native News Online Staff
The 25th Navajo Nation Council unanimously passed Legislation No. 0180‑25, introduced by Speaker Crystalyne Curley, urging U.S. Congress to back the Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act of 2025.
The bill would authorize advance appropriations for key Indian programs overseen by the Indian Health Service (IHS), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), covering law enforcement, health care, housing assistance, road maintenance, and educational services.
Speaker Curley stated, “The Navajo Nation has experienced the repeated consequences of funding delays through continuing resolutions and government shutdowns. Advance appropriations would allow us to plan ahead, support our workforce, and ensure vital services continue uninterrupted for our communities.”
The legislation highlights the systemic issues created by short‑term federal funding—delayed hiring, interrupted procurement, and challenges in long‑term planning—and how these impair the federal government’s ability to honor treaty responsibilities and trust obligations under the 1868 Treaty.
Speaker Curley added, “The Treaty of 1868 and long‑standing federal laws affirm the government’s obligation to support the health, safety, and welfare of Indian Country. It is not a matter of discretion—it is a matter of justice. This resolution puts the Navajo Nation on record in support of predictable funding for our people.”
Under 2 N.N.C. § 164(A)(16), which allows for emergency measures given the critical nature of services at risk from federal delays, the Council moved swiftly. The Tribal Budget and Interior Council (TIBC) is scheduled for August 4–7, 2025, to discuss FY 2026 appropriations, prompting this timely advocacy.
The Indian Programs Advance Appropriations Act of 2025—set to be introduced by Senator Ben Ray Luján—would authorize advance funding for IHS, BIA, and BIE, institutionalize tribal consultation in the federal budget process, and require annual reports from the Secretaries of Interior and Health and Human Services to ensure funding aligns with real service demands.
Legislation 0180‑25 reinforces the Naabik’íyáti’ Committee’s earlier adoption of Resolution NABIJA‑02‑25, which established 2025 federal legislative priorities and identified advance and mandatory appropriations as key priorities for Indian Affairs programs.
The bill passed with 12 votes in favor, none opposed, and now awaits final approval by the Navajo Nation Council.
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