Bills
| 3.23.22

Streamlining Federal Funds for Native American Employment Education and Training (S. 1443)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is S. 1443?

(Updated March 15, 2018)

This bill would permanently reauthorize and amend the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1991, commonly referred to as the "477 Program."  The 477 Program addresses Native American employment education and training programs by creating a pool of funds from various federal programs for these programs.


This bill would combine funds from twelve different federal agencies into one program with a single plan and reporting structure. Programs from the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and Transportation would be added.

In addition, the bill would also add to the types of programs that Native American tribes could request funding for. Tribes would also be able to appeal rejection decisions.

The bill also sets new requirements for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Specifically, the BIA would be:
  • Required to transfer funds to tribes less than 45 days after receiving them from a federal agency;
  • Required to establish a dispute resolution process for arguments between different federal agencies; and
  • Prevented from requiring that Native American tribes receiving funding report back to the BIA on how the funding is being used.

Argument in favor

The bill vastly simplifies fund allocations, cutting down on bureaucracy. It also ensures that Native Americans are given autonomy to use funds as they choose.

Argument opposed

Consolidation and broad agency coordination could slow fund dispersals and the new requirements on the BIA are overly restrictive.

Impact

Native American tribes requesting funding under the 477 program; the BIA; federal agencies that fund the 477 program.

Cost of S. 1443

The CBO estimates that the bill wouldn't affect federal spending and revenue, the federal budget, or the federal deficit. However, the bill would cost $500,000 or less to administer per year.

Additional Info

In Depth: Sponsoring Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) argued in a press release that the bill would help Native Americans be self-sufficient:
"The 477 program has proven to be an innovative and effective tool in providing education and training opportunities aimed to improve the quality of life in every region of Alaska. I am proud the Senate has recognized the importance of this program to support self-sufficiency, create jobs, and expand employment opportunities for American Indians and Alaska Natives nationwide."
Of Note: This bill has been introduced before. In 2014, Sen. Murkowski introduced the bill, but it never reached a vote in the Senate. When Sen. Murkowski originally introduced the bill, it was accompanied by a companion bill in the House. The same applies for the current version.

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