United South & Eastern Tribes

IHS Tribal Consultation & Urban Confer - Proposed Realignment
2025-12-17 15:00 - 18:00, 2026-01-06 15:00 - 18:00, 2026-01-08 12:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
Dear Tribal Leader Letter

As part of this second Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer process, the IHS will convene four (4) in-person Tribal Consultation sessions and one (1) virtual Urban Confer session to provide multiple opportunities for feedback and discussion on the proposed IHS realignment.

We invite you to register for the sessions you plan to attend using the following link: https://ihs-gov.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/0WsSdf0JRFm8dA6aTjqXdA.

Tribal Consultation No. 1 – Durant, OklahomaDate: Monday, December 15, 2025Time: 1:00 – 4:00 PM CTVenue To Be Determined

Tribal Consultation No. 2 – Denver, ColoradoDate: Tuesday, December 16, 2025Time: 1:00 – 4:00 PM MTVenue To Be Determined

Tribal Consultation No. 3 – San Diego, CaliforniaDate: Wednesday, December 17, 2025Time: 1:00 – 4:00 PM PTVenue To Be Determined

Tribal Consultation No. 4 – Seattle, WashingtonDate: Tuesday, January 6, 2026Time: 1:00 – 4:00 PM PTVenue To Be Determined

Urban Confer Session – VirtualDate: Thursday, January 8, 2026Time: 1:00 – 4:00 PM ET

The comment submission deadline for both the Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer is February 9, 2026.

Please email Tribal Consultation comments to consultation@ihs.gov.

Please email Urban Confer comments to urbanconfer@ihs.gov.

Please use the SUBJECT LINE: IHS Proposed Realignment.

Tribal Engagement on the Proposed Rule Updated Definition of "Waters of the United States" with EPA and Army
2025-12-18 15:00 - 16:30 | Virtual Event
This meeting is for U.S. EPA and the U.S. Department of the Army to gather Tribal input on the proposed rule that would clarify the definition of “waters of the United States” and fully implement the SCOTUS decision in Sackett.  Participants may register below to attend the meeting and indicate if they would like to speak. Note that this meeting is reserved for Tribes, Tribal members, and their respective associations. Registration ends on December 18, 2025 at 4:00 pm ET. For questions or to arrange accommodations, email wotus-outreach@epa.gov. Accommodations will be provided if received no later than Dec. 11, 2025. This meeting will not be recorded. EPA will use your registration information solely for this meeting. We will not share your information with any third party.

FCC Consultation on Potential Changes to NEPA Rules
2026-01-14 12:00 - 15:00 | Virtual Event
By Public Notice (DA 25-1003), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announces two new dates for virtual Tribal Consultation on potential changes to the FCC’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) rules. The FCC has also updated the framing paper to reflect changes to key dates.

December 11, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET

January 14, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET

Federally-recognized Tribal Nations and Native Hawaiian Organizations (NHOs) interested in consulting should send an email to Native@fcc.gov with a subject line indicating the date of participation, “Consultation – December 11,” or “Consultation – January 14.”

Please note that comments and meetings are also permitted at any time after the reply comment deadline, subject to the FCC’s ex parte rules for presentations on the merits or outcome of the rulemaking. Virtual Tribal Consultations may be recorded and transcribed.

20th Annual Government-to-Government Violence Against Women Tribal Consultation
2026-01-21 00:00 - 2026-01-23 23:59 | Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, 2400 Mystic Lake Blvd NW, Prior Lake, Minnesota, 55372, United States
UPDATE: The 20th Annual Government-to-Government Violence Against Women Tribal Consultation, originally scheduled for October 28 – 30, 2025 has been postponed to January 2026 due to the federal government shutdown, which has interfered with the government’s ability to ensure sufficient representation from federal agencies at the Consultation, as required by the Violence Against Women Act. We regret any difficulty this postponement causes you. Additional details will be available soon.

Please direct questions about the Consultation to OVW’s Acting Deputy Director for Tribal Affairs, Rebekah Jones, (202) 532-3287, and/or Ginger Baran Lyons, (202) 598-9445.

Dear Tribal Leader,

We are honored to invite your participation in the 20th Annual Government-to-Government Violence Against Women Tribal Consultation to be conducted, in person, October 28-30, 2025, at the Mystic Lake Center, Prior Lake, Minnesota. The Department of Justice will be joined by other federal stakeholders, including our colleagues from the United States Departments of Health and Human Services and the Interior. We will conduct the Tribal Consultation over three full days.

Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 20126, the purpose of the Violence Against Women Tribal Consultationis to solicit recommendations from Tribal leaders on the following four topics:

Administering Tribal funds and programs;

Enhancing the safety oflndian women from domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, homicide, stalking, and sex trafficking;

Strengthening the federal response to such crimes; and

Improving access to local, regional, state, and federal crime information databases and criminal justice information systems.

A copy of the 2024 Government-to-Government Violence Against Women Tribal Consultation Annual Report of Proceedings will be emailed to you and posted on the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) website at: www.justice.gov/ovw/tribal-consultation. OVW will also email and post any consultation framing papers and related materials along with OVW’s update report on the status of 2024 consultation recommendations. Logistical information about the Tribal Consultation and registration will be available soon at: www.ovwconsultation.org.

We look forward to seeing and hearing from you in October. If you have questions about the Government-to-Government Violence Against Women Tribal Consultation, please contact OVW’s Acting Deputy Director for Tribal Affairs, Rebekah Jones, at: Rebekah.Jones@usdoj.gov or (202) 307-6026.
