Summary
- Farm Bill markup will take place on Thursday, May 23. The exact time is to be confirmed, but it is slated for 12 noon ET. The House majority released their bill language on May 17. IFAI is working on an analysis and will release it this week.
- USDA has numerous consultations during the first week of June at NCAI mid-year to discuss self-determination policies in forestry, food safety, and nutrition programs. IFAI will facilitate an online Tribal caucus with partners on May 23. Other consultations are also taking place this month, including one at NCAI mid-year on Tribal Treaties.
- The USDA Tribal Advisory Committee will hold an in-person meeting on May 29-30 with opportunities for virtual participation.
- USDA scheduled Tribal consultations on Build America Buy America Act impacts on Tribal entities for May 22-23. Caucus times and framing papers are now up on the OTR web page.
- There are Congressional hearings in the Senate and House Appropriations Committees
- The submission deadline for nominations for the Invasive Species Advisory Committee has been extended to June 7.
- Two of the Federal Register notices this week are comments about submissions for Office Management and Budget review; one from the Food and Nutrition Service Agency and another from the Office of the Chief Information Officer.
Title of Event: Greater Tribal Community Virtual Consultation Meeting
About: The consultation allows Tribal leaders to provide input on the Minority Business Development Agency’s (MBDA) services in Indian Country, Alaska, and Hawaii and their implications in these communities. The MBDA is a subagency of the U.S. Department of Commerce that promotes minority-owned businesses, and Native American firms.
Date(s): May 17, 2024, (Register here)
Those who can’t make the virtual meeting but would still like to provide comments can send written submissions by June 16, 2024, to regulations.gov.
Click the button below to learn more:
About: Under BABAA, entities such as Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Corporations must domestically source steel, iron, manufactured products, and construction materials when their projects receive federal funding. USDA is required to seek feedback from Indian Country directly on how the application of BABAA to USDA programs will affect covered Tribal entities.
Date(s):
- May 22, 2024 – Caucus: 2-3 p.m. ET; Consultation/Listening Session: 3-5 p.m. ET. Register here
- May 23, 2024 – Caucus: 2-3 p.m. ET; Consultation/Listening Session: 3-5 p.m. ET. Register here
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About: The TAC provides advice and guidance to the USDA Secretary on matters relating to Tribal and Indian Affairs. The Committee’s work does not replace government-to-government consultation between USDA and Indian tribes. This will be an in-person meeting with a virtual webinar and a call-in option. Members of the public may file written comments to the TAC by May 13, 2024, via email at Tribal.Relations@usda.gov.
Dates:
About: USDA is holding a Tribal Consultation at this year’s NCAI Mid-Year Conference at Cherokee, North Carolina during the week of June 3. 2024. This will be a hybrid nation-to-nation consultation. All attendees, including those attending in-person, must register/RSVP. Proxies may submit their proxy forms to tribal.relations@usda.gov
Consultation Dates:
- Forestry – June 3, 2024: 1-4 p.m. ET (Register here)
- Meat Inspections – June 3, 2024: 4:30-7:30 p.m. ET (Register here)
- Food and Nutrition Programs – June 5: 1-4 p.m. ET (Register here)
Caucus Date: May 23, 2024
- 1-2 p.m. CST – Meat Inspection-related topics (FSIS)
- 2-3 p.m. CST – Food and Nutrition-related topics (FNS)
- 3-4 p.m. CST – Forestry-related topics (USFS)
- Caucus registration here
About: This is a consultation and listening session is about a searchable and indexed database of all treaties between the United States government and Tribal nations. The database is in its beta version as additional information is continuously added to the website. USDA encourages Tribal attorneys and Tribal subject matter experts to attend and share comments. This event can be accessed in-person or by virtual means.
Dates:
- June 5, 2024: 1-3 p.m. ET (Register here)
Congressional updates
Looking Back:
Hearing: Senate Committee on Energy, & Natural Resources, Thursday, May 16
Topic: Budget Request for FY 25 for the US Forest Service
Witness: USDA Forest Service Chief Randy Moore
Highlights: Chief of the US Forest Service, Randy Moore, gave testimony on the progress of the Forest Service and mentioned the co-management with Tribes and his hopes for the expansion of Good Neighbor Authority in the upcoming Farm Bill.
Looking Ahead
Hearing: House Appropriations Committee, Wednesday, May 22 at 10:00 a.m. ET.
Topic: Nutritious Foods in the SNAP Program
Witnesses:
- Robert Seligson, CEO of The Physicians Foundation
- Robert Lustig, Emeritus professor in the University of California San Francisco’s Department of Pediatrics
- Angela Rachidi, Senior fellow, and scholar at the American Enterprise Institute
- Michael Gay, Independent grocer on behalf of the National Grocers Association
Hearing: House Agriculture Committee, Wednesday, May 23, TBD
Topic: Markup of the Farm-Food-National Security Act
Witnesses: not listed
Hearing: Senate Appropriations Committee, (Rescheduled) Wednesday, May 23 at 10:30 a.m. ET.
Topic: A Review of the President’s FY 25 Budget Request for Indian Country
Witnesses:
- Roselyn Tso, Director of the Indian Health Service
- Bryan Newland, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Dept. of Interior
What is the nomination for? Invasive Species Advisory Committee
Description: This is the second request for nominations for qualified persons to serve as members of the Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC), which advises the National Invasive Species Council (NISC). Some criteria for prospective ISAC members include: (1) knowledge related to the prevention, eradication, and/or control of invasive species; and (2) familiarity with relevant Federal government programs and policy-making procedures, as well as their interface with non-federal entities.
Deadline for submission? June 7, 2024
Where can I submit a nomination? Electronic nominations are preferred and can be sent to invasive_species@ios.doi.gov; Hard copy nominations can be sent to Stanley W. Burgiel, Executive Director, National Invasive Species Council (OS/NISC), Regular/Express Mail: 1849 C Street NW (Mailstop 3530), Washington, DC 20240.
Regulatory/Rulemaking Actions:
Title: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request on SNAP-Ed Connection Resource Sharing Form 889
- USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service seeks public comment on whether collecting information through the SNAP-Ed Connection Resource Sharing Form FNS 889 is necessary for the proper performance of the agency.
- Information collected via this Resource Sharing Form (FNS-889) enables FNS to review and approve resources to be shared publicly on the SNAP-Ed Connection website to provide technical assistance, best practices, and enhance program activities.
- Comments must be submitted by June 20, 2024.
Posted: Week of May 20
Title: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request on Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery
- USDA’s Office of the Chief Information Officer seeks public comments on USDA’s submission for Generic Clearance on collecting qualitative feedback about agency service delivery.
- The solicitation of feedback will target areas such as timeliness, appropriateness, accuracy of information, courtesy, efficiency of service delivery, and resolution of issues with service delivery.
- Comments must be submitted by July 15, 2024.
Posted: Week of May 20
Title: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request on Report of Commodity Distribution for Disaster Relief and Report of Disaster SNAP Benefit Issuance
- USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service seeks public comments on whether reporting food distribution activities as part of disaster assistance is necessary for the proper performance of the agency.
- Distributing agencies, including Indian Tribal Organizations that administer FNS programs, must report to FNS the number of location of sites used for food distribution and the types and amounts of donated foods from distributing or recipient agency storage facilities used in disaster assistance.
- Comments must be submitted by June 12, 2024.
Posted: Week of May 13
- USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service seeks public comments on whether information from state and local agencies, applicants, and retail vendors to determine eligibility for the WIC program is necessary for the proper performance of the agency.
- FNS also uses the information to manage, plan, evaluate, make decisions, and report on WIC Program operations.
- Written comments must be submitted by June 12, 2024.
Posted: Week of May 13
- USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service seeks public comments on whether information collected about the process of initiating collection activities on over-issuance in SNAP is necessary for the proper performance of the agency.
- To initiate collection action, State agencies must provide affected Individuals/Households (I/HH) with written notification informing them of the claim and demanding repayment.
- Written comments must be submitted by July 9, 2024.
Posted: Week of May 13
- USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service seeks public comments on whether information collected about a revision to the currently approved Special Nutrition Programs QRS is necessary for the proper performance of the agency.
- Quick Response Surveys enable FNS to quickly obtain information needed to answer policy and program implementation questions.
- Tribal Governments are among the expected respondents.
- Written comments should be submitted by June 7, 2024.
Posted: Week of May 13
- USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service issued a proposed rule to align SNAP regulations with three provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.
- Some of the proposed regulations include: (1) assisting low-income adults in obtaining employment; (2) increasing the age-based exceptions to 55 years of age or older by October 1, 2024; and (3) adding to the existing list of exceptions individuals experiencing homelessness, veterans, and individuals who are 24 years of age or younger and in foster care on their 18th birthday.
- During March 15, 2024 consultation, Tribal representatives provided minimal comments.
Written comments for this proposed rule must be received by May 30, 2024.