National Convening on Building an Inclusive Human Services System
2023-03-28 - 2023-03-29
Dear Tribal Leader,
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) will host the 2023 National Convening on Building an Inclusive Human Services System from March 28-29, 2023 in College Park, Maryland. This will be an in-person and virtual event. Registration is free.
The National Convening on Building an Inclusive Human Services System will focus on series of knowledge and skill-building sessions, as well as opportunities for establishing collaborative networks to support, promote, and enhance the implementation of equitable policies and practices that benefit children and families from communities of color, tribal communities, and from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) persons, persons with disabilities, and persons from rural areas.
Additionally, the National Convening serves as the nation’s leading educational event for practitioners, advocates, and researchers within the field. While all the event’s sessions provide valuable information on supporting a more inclusive human services system, the “Empowerment for Equitable Outcomes in the Tribal Community” session provides specific information that will be helpful for tribal communities.
As mentioned earlier, registration is free. In-person and virtual attendees are required to register at www.ncbihss.com no later than March 20, 2023. During your registration, please select whether you will be attending in-person or virtually. Event information, including hotel lodging, is available at https://ncbihss.com/e/ncbihss-2023. The National Convening’s draft agenda is located at https://app.box.com/s/0wfru4blufw8ki6gn7n24uq46t0k53ah.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to email us at info@ncbihss.com.

ezFedGrant (eFG) for Tribes, Tribal Organizations, and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) webinar series
2023-03-29 12:00, 2023-04-12 12:00, 2023-04-19 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Virtual Event
USDAs’ Animal Plant Health Inspections Service (APHIS) has provided funding opportunities for Tribal Nations, Tribal Organizations, and Tribal Colleges and Universities. Most of the funding opportunities are made available through the ezFedGrant (eFG) system. The system is sometimes hard to navigate and may not seem user-friendly. The Office of National Tribal Liaison would like to formally invite you to ezFedGrant (eFG) for Tribal Nations, Tribal Organizations, and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) webinar series. The series is broken down into four modules:

Module 1 – Introduction to ezFedGrant: March 22 at 1:00 pm Eastern
Module 2 – Accessing ezFedGrant: March 29 at 1:00 pm Eastern
Module 3 – What happens after selection and award: April 12 at 1:00 pm Eastern
Module 4 – Amendments, closeouts, and recap: April 19 at 1:00 pm Eastern

ONTL is providing this opportunity so tribes can learn how to access and navigate the system, so Tribes can be better equipped to apply for funding opportunities through APHIS. Below you will find the registration link and webinar link.
Registration Link
Web Join URL
Meeting ID: 161 031 6583
Meeting Password: *$Q37ZKk
Dial-in information: 669-254-5252 | 646-828-7666
Contact information: Denise.Salvetti@usda.gov

National Advisory Council on Indian Education Meeting
2023-03-30 - 2023-03-31 | Virtual Event
March 30-31, 2023, from 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm Eastern
Register to attend via Zoom
The dial-in listen only phone number for the meeting is 1-669-254-5252, Meeting ID: 161 715 5166.
The purpose of this meeting is to convene NACIE and conduct the following business: discussion of bylaws and charter; taking action to establish meeting calendar and subcommittees; discussion of recommendations to be provided to the Secretary of Interior and Secretary of Education, including the U.S. Department of Education’s budget request; discussion of annual report action item follow-up; and discussion of invited federal partner updates, e.g., U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Native Americans and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities (Initiative) in accordance with Section 3 of Executive Order 14049, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and similar programs.

Self-Governance PROGRESS Act Negotiated Rulemaking Committee Meeting
2023-03-30 08:00 - 16:00
In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Self-Governance PROGRESS Act Negotiated Rulemaking Committee (Committee) will hold the sixth and seventh public meetings to negotiate and advise the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) on a proposed rule to implement the Practical Reforms and Other Goals To Reinforce the Effectiveness of Self-Governance and Self-Determination for Indian Tribes Act of 2019 (PROGRESS Act).
Dates:

Sixth public meeting: The meeting will be held Thursday, March 2, 2023, from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Eastern. Members of the public may attend in-person, at the 7th floor South Penthouse room, or virtually. Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before April 3, 2023.
Seventh public meeting: The meeting will be held Thursday, March 30, 2023, from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Eastern. Members of the public may attend in-person, at the 7th floor South Penthouse room, or virtually. Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before May 1, 2023.

Comments:
Send your comments to the Designated Federal Officer, Vickie Hanvey, by any of the following methods:

Preferred method: Email to comments@bia.gov with “PROGRESS Act” in subject line.
Mail, hand-carry or use an overnight courier service to the Designated Federal Officer, Ms. Vickie Hanvey, Office of Self-Governance, Office of the Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs, 1849 C Street NW, Mail Stop 3624, Washington, DC 20240.

Department of Energy Webinar: Funding for Transitioning Tribal Communities to Clean Energy
2023-03-30 12:00 - 14:00 | Virtual Event
March 30 at 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm Central
Register
In this webinar, the Office of Indian Energy will highlight its current funding opportunities and technical assistance opportunities. Guest speakers from the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Department of Energy (DOE), and DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory will share information on funding available to tribes, including:

USDA Rural Development’s Rural Utilities Service and Rural Business and Cooperative Service Inflation Reduction Act Programs
Tribal Home Energy Rebates Program
Clean Energy to Communities Program

Energizing Rural Communities Prize grants and loans for renewable energy and infrastructure.

Revised Definition of “Waters of the United States” (2023 Rule)
2023-03-30 13:00 - 14:30, 2023-04-05 13:00 - 14:30, 2023-04-12 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual Event
Dear Tribal Partners,
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army (Army) published the final “Revised Definition of ‘Waters of the United States’” rule in the Federal Register on January 18, 2023; the rule will become effective on March 20, 2023. The agencies developed this rule with consideration of the relevant provisions of the Clean Water Act and the statute as a whole, relevant Supreme Court case law, and the agencies’ technical expertise after more than 45 years of implementing the longstanding pre-2015 “waters of the United States” framework. This rule also considers the best available science and extensive public comment to establish a definition of “waters of the United States” that supports public health, environmental protection, agricultural activity, and economic growth.
EPA and Army are hosting a series of webinars in March and April specifically for Tribes and States to learn about the final rule and implementation considerations. The agencies will first present an overview webinar and will then present three additional webinars on topics of specific interest to Tribes and States. Participants will have the opportunity to submit questions before each topical webinar, and the agencies will use those questions to inform development of the presentations.
All webinars will be held from 2-3:30 p.m. ET and include time for questions and answers. Please submit questions in advance to wotus-outreach@epa.gov. Questions must be received at least one week in advance of the webinar to be considered.
Tribal and State officials can register for individual webinars listed below. Participants should register with their Tribal or State email address, if available, so that EPA can ensure attendance is limited to participants from Tribal and State government agencies and member organizations. The webinars, but not the Q&A sessions, will be recorded and posted to EPA’s website at https://www.epa.gov/wotus.
Please reach out to epa@horsleywitten.com with logistical questions about these webinars or to arrange for accommodations (e.g., sign language interpreters or translation). Accommodations will be provided if received no later than a week prior to each webinar.

Rule Overview

March 22, 2023, 2-3:30 p.m. ET
To register: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN__Qj6hC1ETQ-o6UyTEyGiTw
This webinar provides an overview of the final rule “Revised Definition of ‘Waters of the United States.’”

Relatively Permanent Standard

March 30, 2023, 2-3:30 p.m. ET
To register: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_kIqGLuAiTa-3xFFxzWBB3g
This webinar focuses on the relatively permanent standard for determining the jurisdictional status of certain waters.

Significant Nexus Standard

April 5, 2023, 2-3:30 p.m. ET
To register: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_SozIFw5rSResY36LyuEOAw
This webinar focuses on the significant nexus standard for determining the jurisdictional status of certain waters.

Exclusions and Other Topics

April 12, 2023, 2-3:30 p.m. ET
To register: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_iUDO7OfWTteFRh7oD5XL_A
This webinar discusses the rule’s eight categories of exclusions (waters and features that are not “waters of the United States”) and will include time for discussion of any topics not otherwise addressed in the webinar series.

Meeting of VA Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs
2023-04-04 - 2023-04-06 | Virtual Event
The Federal Register published the VA Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs’ notice of meeting.
The Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs (ACTIA) will meet on April 4, 5, and 6, 2023 at the Seven Feathers Hotel Resort, 146 Chief Miwaleta Lane, Canyonville, OR 97417.
The meeting sessions will begin and end as follows:

April 4, 2023 11 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Eastern
April 5, 2023 11 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Eastern
April 6, 2023 11 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern

ACTIA meetings will be open to the public (virtually) during the meeting times listed.
The purpose of the Committee is to advise the Secretary on all matters relating to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and Native American Veterans. This includes advising the Secretary on the administration of healthcare services and benefits to American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) and Native Hawaiian Veterans; thereby assessing those needs and whether VA is meeting them.
On April 4, 2023, the agenda will include opening remarks from the Committee Chair, Executive Sponsor and other VA officials. There will be updates on the PACT Act, Tribal HUD-VASH, co-pay exemptions for Native American Veterans, Veterans Health Administration/Indian Health Service (HIS) Memorandum of Understanding, IHS/Tribal health program reimbursement agreements and purchased referred care.
On April 5, 2023, the agenda will include updates and a panel discussion with senior officials from VA and IHS. Subsequent updates and briefings will be provided on the White House Council on Native American Affairs Health Committee; Tribal Veterans Representation Expansion Project; Veterans Benefits Administration Claims events in Indian Country; Native American Direct Loan; and the Native American Veteran Program.
On April 6, 2023, from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. there will be Public Comment from those public members who have provided a written summary. The Committee will then receive a briefing on AI/AN Data for Veteran suicide/behavioral health. This will be followed by a discussion on the transition plan for the Committee with new and outgoing members. The Committee will then hold open discussion on topics relevant to the Committee and address follow-up and action items including dates for next meeting.
The meetings are open to the public (virtually) and will be recorded. Members of the public can attend the meeting by joining the Zoom meeting: https://veteransaffairs.webex.com/veteransaffairs/j.php?MTID=m84b407c76887afa5d1db9bb499c27d64.
Individuals who wish to speak are invited to submit a 1-2-page summary of their comments no later than March 31, 2023, for inclusion in the official meeting record. Members of the public may also submit written statements for the Committee’s review to Peter Vicaire, at Peter.Vicaire@va.gov. Any member of the public seeking additional information should contact Peter Vicaire at the email address above or by calling 612-558-7744.

HRSA IEA National Tribal Learning Session: Understanding Historical Trauma and its Impacts on the American Indian/ Alaska Native (AI/AN) Workforce
2023-04-05 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual Event
Please join HRSA’s Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs on a national webinar designed to enhance Tribal stakeholder knowledge of HRSA priorities, programs, technical assistance resources, and funding opportunities in Indian Country. This webinar will examine historical trauma and its impacts on the American Indian/ Alaska Native workforce and discuss programs and strategies to alleviate workforce shortages and grow the AI/AN workforce population.

The event, “HRSA IEA National Tribal Learning Session: Understanding Historical Trauma and its Impacts on the American Indian/ Alaska Native (AI/AN) Workforce” is scheduled for April 5, 2023 from 2:00 PM-3:30 PM EST (1:00 PM – 2:30 PM CST/ 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM MST/ 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM PST, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM AKST).

REGISTER HERE? or visit? https://hrsa-gov.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_I5GSHjZ8S5mI8Z3hS_aQvQ

Learning Objectives
As a result of this primer, Tribal stakeholders will:

Learn more about HRSA programs, resources, and funding to support tribal communities
Hear first-hand about how historical trauma has impacted the AI/AN workforce
Identify HRSA regional contacts and opportunities for technical support for Tribal Partners

Target Audience

Indian Health Service, Tribal and Urban Indian Health (I/T/U) Tribal leaders, members, and staff
Academic Institutions
Grant writers
Federal, State, and local community partners.

bi-weekly White House Health Community Engagement Call
2023-04-05 13:30 | Virtual Event
Bi-Weekly on Wednesdays at 2:30 pm Eastern
Register.

USDA APHIS Webinar: Avian Influenza and SARs-COV-2 Cervid Surveillance Projects
2023-04-10 12:00 | Virtual Event
April 10 at 1:00 pm Eastern
Register
Meeting ID: 160 144 2622
Web Join
Zoom Join
Meeting Password: [REDACTED]
Dial-in information:
+1 669-254-5252 US
+1 646-828-7666 US
The Office of National Tribal Liaison (ONTL) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) greatly values its partnerships with Tribal Nations and communities. To keep you abreast of some major APHIS activities, they have hosted several Tribal webinars over the last several months. These webinars are designed to give you a better insight into how APHIS is helping to protect U.S. and Tribal agricultural and natural resources—and citizens— from animal and plant disease and pest threats.
They invite you and your staff members to attend their next webinar session: “Avian Influenza and SARs-COV-2 Cervid Surveillance Projects” at April 10, 2023, at 1:00 pm Eastern.
APHIS’ Wildlife Services (W.S.) National Wildlife Disease Program (NWDP) currently conducts targeted wild bird surveillance activities in all four flyways (Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and Pacific) and investigations of morbidity/mortality events in wild birds.
During 2022/2023 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) surveillance season:

APHIS partnered with 49 states and has collected around 30,000 samples.
90% of its targeted samples have been collected, and the current surveillance season ends soon.

Since November 2021, the NWDP has also coordinated SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in cervid species. During the first surveillance season, samples were collected from around 11,000 white-tailed deer. During the second surveillance season, APHIS is:

Collaborating with 38 states, 5 Tribes, and 2 U.S. territories collecting over 17,700 samples from cervids.
Species sampled include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, mule deer, caribou, and others.

During this webinar session, they would like to take the time to update Tribal Nations on the current HPAI situation, the 2022/2023 wild bird HPAI surveillance program, the SARS-CoV-2 cervid surveillance, and encourage feedback for future communication and potential avenues for continued collaboration with Tribes.
If you have questions about the webinar, don’t hesitate to contact ONTL Program Analyst Denise Salvetti at denise.salvetti@usda.gov or Terry Clark at terry.w.clark@usda.gov.

IHS Information Systems Advisory Committee Semi-Annual Meeting
2023-04-11 - 2023-04-12 | Virtual Event
IHS Information Systems Advisory Committee Semi-Annual Meeting
The Indian Health Service (IHS) Information Systems Advisory (ISA) Committee will hold an in-person meeting in Rockville, Maryland on April 11-12, 2023. Interested participants may also join remotely using this Zoom link with Meeting ID: 160 431 9067, Passcode: [REDACTED] Questions should be directed to Christy Tayrien, at Christy.Tayrien@ihs.gov.

Tribal Interior Budget Council
2023-04-11 - 2023-04-14 | Washington Plaza Hotel, 10 Thomas Circle, NW, Washington, DC, United States
Agenda

DHS/FEMA virtual Tribal Consultation on Achieving Equitable Recovery: A Post-Disaster Guide for Local Officials
2023-04-11 14:00 | Virtual Event
Dear Tribal Leader Letter
Framing Paper
April 11 at 3:00 pm Eastern
Register to attend via Zoom
You are invited to attend a virtual Tribal consultation on April 11, 2023, on DHS/FEMA’s “Achieving Equitable Recovery: A Post-Disaster Guide for Local Officials (Equity Guide). The purpose of the Tribal consultation is to solicit feedback and recommendations, from Tribal officials and leaders, about the contents of the guide before final publication. The Tribal consultation will be hosted by FEMA Recovery senior leadership. Topics include:

Reducing recovery disparities for people who are under-resourced, underserved, and marginalized.
Building resilience for the whole community, reducing impacts of recurring disasters, and mitigating climate risks.
Aligning recovery efforts with Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, and the Justice40 Initiative.
Advancing FEMA Strategic Goal 1: Instill equity as a foundation of emergency management.
Building upon Community Assistance Recovery Support Function Technical Assistance and resource guides

All information will also be available on the FEMA website at: www.fema.gov/about/tribes/consultations. The consultation record will remain open after the virtual session for tribal leaders to submit feedback or comments to FEMA-CA-RSF@fema.dhs.gov. Final feedback and comments are due by Thursday, May 11, 2023. Email the comment matrix and/orcomments to FEMA-CA-RSF@fema.dhs.gov.

IHS Tribal Consultation on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Allocation Method
2023-04-12 14:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
Please make plans to join us for a virtual Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Allocation Method on Wednesday, April 12, 2023.
Session details follow:
DATE: Wednesday, April 12, 2023
TIME: 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
TELEPHONE: (833) 568 8864
Toll-free Meeting ID: 161 726 7966
Passcode: [REDACTED]
ZOOM INFORMATION: https://ihs-gov.zoomgov.com/j/1617267966?pwd=[REDACTED]
Event Website

FCC Virtual Tribal Consultation NPRM on E-Rate program
2023-04-13 14:00 | Virtual Event
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has invited Tribal leaders to a virtual consultation on Thursday, April 13 at 3:00 p.m. EST, to discuss a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) adopted on February 16, seeking comment on improvements to the E-Rate program that would increase access to E-Rate support for Tribal schools and libraries.
Information about the consultation is available at https://www.fcc.gov/news-events/events/2023/04/tribal-consultation-proposed-rules-address-barriers-e-rate-access. Tribal leaders may register by sending an email message to Tribal.Events@fcc.gov, and are encouraged to bring staff and library, school, and information technology (IT) representatives to the Tribal consultation as observers. Tribal leaders may also designate a proxy(ies) to attend on their behalf.
The NPRM seeks comment on the following:

Simplifying E-Rate forms and cost-allocation requirements;
Providing an additional competitive bidding exemption for low-cost services and equipment for Tribal applicants;
Increasing the maximum discount rate for Category Two services from 85% to 90% for Tribal applicants;
Allowing Tribal college libraries that serve a dual role by also serving as the Tribal community’s public library to be eligible for E-Rate support;
Providing an extended or separate application filing window for Tribal libraries to align with their Tribal procurement requirements and approval processes;
Increasing the Category Two $25,000 funding floor for Tribal applicants;
Adding a Tribal representative to the Universal Service Administrative Company’s Board of Directors, which administers the program for the FCC; and
Considering other potential reforms to encourage greater participation by Tribal or similarly situated small or rural applicants, particularly if they face barriers that impede equitable access to the E-Rate program.

Tribal governmental entities and other stakeholders are encouraged to review the NPRM and to consider filing comments in CC Docket No. 02-6 in the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings/standard.

Comments are due Monday, April 24, 2023.
Reply Comments are due Tuesday, May 23, 2023.
Interested parties are also welcome to submit information for this proceeding after the May 23, 2023 deadline, if additional time is needed.

Please email the Office of Native Affairs and Policy with any questions at native@fcc.gov.

IHS Monthly All-Tribal and Urban Leader Call
2023-04-13 14:00 | Virtual Event
IHS Monthly All-Tribal and Urban Leader Call
The Indian Health Service (IHS) will hold its monthly update call for Tribal and Urban Indian Organization (UIO) Leaders on April 13, 2023 at 3:00 pm EST. For more information please contact Rose Weahkee at (301) 443-1083, or by email at Rose.Weahkee@ihs.gov.

NIHB Tribal Environmental Health Summit
2023-04-14 | Choctaw Conference Center, Durant, OK, United States
The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to host a series of regional summits surrounding environmental health in Indian Country. Each summit will feature Tribal leaders, environmental health practitioners, environmental health subject matter experts, Tribal, local, state, and federal partners engaging on topics relevant to each region.
Summit attendance will be free of charge, and will be held on April 14, 2023 at the Choctaw Conference Center in Durant, Oklahoma. There is not a registration fee to attend, however, attendees will be responsible for their own travel and lodging. NIHB is able to provide some travel assistance if needed.
In order to get a better idea of attendance and travel accommodation needs, they have created a sign up form. If you plan to attend a summit(s), please fill out the form on the website located here. If you have a need for hotel accommodations, please book through the link located here to secure a room in their hotel blocks.

IHS Tribal Consultation on the Small Ambulatory Program
2023-04-14 12:30 - 14:00 | Virtual Event
The IHS is holding a virtual Tribal Consultation on Friday, April 14 from 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern on agency proposals to enhance the Small Ambulatory Program (SAP) and to make its administration more locally focused.
The letter (and information to join the meeting) is available online at: https://www.ihs.gov/newsroom/triballeaderletters/

DOI Tribal Consultation on Training Modules regarding Consultation
2023-04-17 13:00 - 15:00 | Virtual Event
Dear Tribal Leader Letter
April 17 at 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Eastern
Zoom Registration Link
The new Presidential Memorandum also directs the Secretary of the Interior and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, in consultation with Tribal Nations, to establish training modules regarding Tribal consultation. These modules will be available to all government employees who work with Tribal Nations including any policies or programs with Tribal implications. The Presidential Memorandum further directs that the training modules should explain the concepts of Tribal consultation, the Nation-to-Nation relationship, and Tribal sovereignty.
TRIBAL CONSULTATION TRAINING
FOR FEDRAL EMPLOYEES

What are the key elements that should be included in the consultation training modules?
What areas should the consultation training modules cover to prepare agency staff to meet the standards outlined in the Presidential Memorandum?
What aspects of Tribal consultation should the federal government fix/address most urgently?
Do you have an example of a consultation that went very well? What made that consultation stand out as being successful?
Do you have examples of training materials that you have used successfully when working with federal officials?
What role can Tribal governments and other Tribal organizations play in helping to ensure that federal officials are adequately educated on Tribal consultation?

US. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Annual Tribal Budget Consultation (ATBC)
2023-04-18 - 2023-04-19 | Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC, United States
Dear Tribal Leader Letter

April 13, 2023
Dear Tribal Leaders, Public Health Officials, and Indian Country Professionals:
I write to share with you additional updates related to the 25th U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Annual Tribal Budget Consultation (ATBC), which will take place in-person on April 18–19, 2023, in the Great Hall of the Hubert H. Humphrey Building at 200 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC. As in years past, the ATBC will provide a forum for tribes to collectively share their views and priorities with HHS senior leadership and officials on national health and human services funding priorities and to make recommendations for the Department’s FY 2025 budget request.
ANYONE ATTENDING IN-PERSON, PLEASE REGISTER HERE: https://forms.office.com/g/S8QyuYVmDg (-> click.connect.hhs.gov)
The schedule for this year’s consultation has been finalized as follows and the Updated draft agenda is available:
Tuesday, April 18 (9:30am – 5:00pm ET):

HHS Overview – a comprehensive overview of the Department, its Divisions, and the programs and resources that are available to tribes. This session will be held from 10:00 – 12:00am ET.
HHS Budget Update – an overview of the HHS Budget and updates on the current budget process and planning. This session will be held from 10:30 – 11:30pm ET.
Swearing-In Ceremony – Please join us for a special swearing-in ceremony for the new Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans, Patrice H. Kunesh at 1:30 PM ET.
One-on-One Meetings between Tribes and HHS Divisions – tribes who have requested to meet one-on-one with an HHS Division will be scheduled for a 30-minute timeslot during the afternoon to share their specific health and human services issues with HHS officials.

Wednesday, April 19 (9:00am – 5:25pm ET):

Division Consultations and Senior HHS Leadership Discussion – these sessions will provide an opportunity for Tribal representatives, Division leadership, budget staff, and senior HHS leadership to engage in two-way discussions on the HHS FY 2025 budget.

In accordance with HHS’s Tribal Consultation Policy, written comments on the HHS FY 2025 budget may also be submitted for the consultation record to consultation@hhs.gov through May 19, 2023.
Thank you for your continued support of the consultation process. We look forward to a robust dialogue with you on the Department’s FY 2025 budget at the upcoming ATBC. Please contact Devin Delrow, Associate Director for Tribal Affairs, at (202) 868-0013 or email consultation@hhs.gov with any questions.

BIA Land Acquisition Consultation
2023-04-18 12:00 - 14:00, 2023-04-20 15:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
Dear Tribal Leader Letter

April 18 at 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern
Register
April 20 at 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Eastern
Register

The BIA obtained an increase in funding for a land acquisition effort intended to foster and restore lands to new and landless Tribes, at Regional authority levels, for the development of conservation practices, law enforcement, applicable regulatory policies, and sustainable Tribal communities and economic development. Given the expected Tribal interest in determining the best methodology for distribution of the additional funding, the BIA will conduct the Tribal consultation sessions prior to making any final determination on how this will be accomplished.

Department of Homeland Security External Tribal Quarterly Meeting
2023-04-18 13:00 | Virtual Event
Participate in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs upcoming 2023 quarterly DHS Tribal meetings.
Meeting participants will include DHS personnel and Tribal partners (including leaders, program personnel and advocates).
Please register for the meetings using the following registration links:

January 17 at 2:00 pm Eastern
Register in advance for this meeitng.
April 18 at 2:00 pm Eastern
Register in advance for this meeting
July 18 at 2:00 pm Eastern
Register in advance for this meeting
October 17 at 2:00 pm Eastern
Register in advance for this meeting

USDA Forest Service | Tribal Forum | Mitigation of Adverse Impacts
2023-04-19 12:00 | Virtual Event
Please join the USDA Forest Service for a Tribal forum on proposed directives for the mitigation of adverse impacts on National Forest System lands. Representatives from the Ecosystem Management Coordination staff will share information and be available to discuss the proposed national policy and Tribal implications.
The Forest Service follows Land Management Planning and National Environmental Policy Act regulations to assess the need for and include mitigation in both its activities and those activities it authorizes. The Agency does not currently have a separate mitigation policy. The proposed directives will clarify the agency’s mitigation authority and provide standard national direction to encourage consistency, improve transparency, and increase effectiveness.
Tribal Forum Details
Date: Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Register: Meeting Registration – Zoom (zoomgov.com)
Please contact the Office of Tribal Relations at sm.fs.otrtribalcon@usda.gov or (202) 205-1514, with any questions.

FEMA Tribal Consultation on Tribal Disaster Declarations Guidance
2023-04-20 14:00 - 16:00 | Virtual Event
FEMA will host a virtual consultation with Tribal Nations to discuss the Tribal Disaster Declarations Guidance on April 20, 3:00–5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Consultation Overview
FEMA invites Tribal Nations to attend the first in a series of Tribal consultations on the Tribal Disaster Declarations Guidance. The purpose of the consultation is to gather Tribal Nations’ feedback on how to best improve the Presidential disaster declaration process to ensure that Tribal Nations can access FEMA resources during and after disasters in Indian Country.
FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery will host the Tribal consultation and FEMA’s National Tribal Affairs Advocate will moderate the discussion.
Participation:
The virtual Tribal consultation will be on the Zoom for Government platform.

Date: Thursday, April 20, 2023
Time: 3:00–5:00 m. ET
Register to attend via Zoom or Phone

Please see the Dear Tribal Leader Letter, and FEMA will also be issuing an agenda and framing paper with questions for Tribal leader consideration prior to the consultation date. All information will also be available on: www.fema.gov/about/tribes/consultations.
Written Comments:
Tribal Nations can submit their written comments and any questions via email with the subject line “Tribal Declarations Guidance – Written Comments” to fema-tribal@fema.dhs.gov. Final feedback and comments from Tribal Nations are due by September 17, 2023.
Contact information for FEMA Tribal Liaisons is available at www.fema.gov/about/contact.

White House Invest in Nature Summit
2023-04-20 14:00 - 16:30 | Virtual Event
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is pleased to invite you to join us virtually for the White House Invest in Nature Summit. The event will be on Thursday, April 20, 2023 from 3:00 pm – 5:30 pm ET from the White House.
Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking aggressive action to conserve and restore nature, provide communities the tools they need to be resilient, and tackle the climate crisis. The White House Invest in Nature Summit will bring together Administration officials, academia, industry, non-profits, philanthropies, and others to report on progress made, underscore the importance of these ongoing efforts, and highlight the work ahead to drive even more progress.
Event Details
What: White House Invest in Nature Summit
When: Thursday, April 20, 2023 from 3:00 pm – 5:30 pm ET
Where: https://youtube.com/live/SHfBet7_EA4
