The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA) is seeking input from Tribal communities on the effects of the federal funding freeze, even though the freeze was recently rescinded (see Memo, 2/3). SCIA, led by Committee Chair Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), highlighted concerns about disruptions to critical housing programs and encourages Tribes and Tribally-Designated Housing Entities (TDHEs) to email [email protected] with feedback. All information will be kept confidential. The freeze, now rescinded, affected multiple HUD programs, including Tribes’ access to the Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) and other grants.
While the freeze has been rescinded following a federal judge’s intervention, during the freeze’s initial implementation NLIHC president and CEO Renee Willis warned in a press release that “Even a short pause in funding could cause significant harm to low-income families and their communities.” Multiple organizations have already announced that crucial portals and resources remained inaccessible days after the freeze was lifted. Tribal housing advocates have reported delays in payroll and other critical payment processes.
Senator Murkowski’s office has been actively tracking these developments, with SCIA now inviting feedback from Tribal leaders, housing organizations, and affected individuals to assess the broader implications of the freeze. “Your input is vital as we work to uphold the federal trust responsibility and support the well-being of Native communities,” the committee emphasized on the X platform.
SCIA is collecting responses via email at [email protected]. All contact information and responses will be kept confidential. Committee staff ask for responses to include the name of the agency and the program(s) affected in the response.
Read NLIHC’s statement on the freeze (https://tinyurl.com/3ttzbvd3) and its rescission (https://tinyurl.com/m9neryjn).
Tribes and TDHEs can send their experiences and concerns about the funding freeze to [email protected]