Indian Affairs

Indian Affairs Bureau of Indian Affairs operation of indian programs (including transfers of funds) For expenses necessary for the operation of Indian programs, as authorized by law, including the Snyder Act of November 2, 1921 (25 U.S.C. 13) and the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975 (25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.), $1,906,998,000, to remain available until September 30, 2024, except as otherwise provided herein; of which not to exceed $8,500 may be for official reception and representation expenses; of which not to exceed $78,494,000 shall be for welfare assistance payments: Provided, That in cases of designated Federal disasters, the Secretary of the Interior may exceed such cap for welfare payments from the amounts provided herein, to provide for disaster relief to Indian communities affected by the disaster: Provided further, That federally recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations of federally recognized Indian tribes may use their tribal priority 136 STAT. 4772 allocations for unmet welfare assistance costs: Provided further, That not to exceed $63,586,000 shall remain available until expended for housing improvement, road maintenance, land acquisition, attorney fees, litigation support, land records improvement, and the Navajo-Hopi Settlement Program: Provided further, That of the amount appropriated under this heading, $4,240,000 shall be for projects specified for Special Initiatives (CDS) in the table titled “Interior and Environment Incorporation of Community Project Funding Items/Congressionally Directed Spending Items” included for this division in the explanatory statement described in section 4 (in the matter preceding division A of this consolidated Act): Provided further, That any forestry funds allocated to a federally recognized tribe which remain unobligated as of September 30, 2024, may be transferred during fiscal year 2025 to an Indian forest land assistance account established for the benefit of the holder of the funds within the holder’s trust fund account: Provided further, That any such unobligated balances not so transferred shall expire on September 30, 2025: Provided further, That in order to enhance the safety of Bureau field employees, the Bureau may use funds to purchase uniforms or other identifying articles of clothing for personnel: Provided further, That the Bureau of Indian Affairs may accept transfers of funds from United States Customs and Border Protection to supplement any other funding available for reconstruction or repair of roads owned by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as identified on the National Tribal Transportation Facility Inventory, 23 U.S.C. 202(b)(1). indian land consolidation For the acquisition of fractional interests to further land consolidation as authorized under the Indian Land Consolidation Act Amendments of 2000 (Public Law 106–462), and the American Indian Probate Reform Act of 2004 (Public Law 108–374), $8,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That any provision of the Indian Land Consolidation Act Amendments of 2000 (Public Law 106–462) that requires or otherwise relates to application of a lien shall not apply to the acquisitions funded herein. contract support costs For payments to tribes and tribal organizations for contract support costs associated with Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act agreements with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education for fiscal year 2023, such sums as may be necessary, which shall be available for obligation through September 30, 2024: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, no amounts made available under this heading shall be available for transfer to another budget account. payments for tribal leases For payments to tribes and tribal organizations for leases pursuant to section 105(l) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5324(l)) for fiscal year 2023, such sums as may be necessary, which shall be available for obligation through September 30, 2024: Provided, That notwithstanding 136 STAT. 4773 any other provision of law, no amounts made available under this heading shall be available for transfer to another budget account. construction (including transfer of funds) For construction, repair, improvement, and maintenance of irrigation and power systems, buildings, utilities, and other facilities, including architectural and engineering services by contract; acquisition of lands, and interests in lands; and preparation of lands for farming, and for construction of the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project pursuant to Public Law 87–483; $153,309,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That such amounts as may be available for the construction of the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project may be transferred to the Bureau of Reclamation: Provided further, That any funds provided for the Safety of Dams program pursuant to the Act of November 2, 1921 (25 U.S.C. 13), shall be made available on a nonreimbursable basis: Provided further, That this appropriation may be reimbursed from the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians appropriation for the appropriate share of construction costs for space expansion needed in agency offices to meet trust reform implementation: Provided further, That of the funds made available under this heading, $10,000,000 shall be derived from the Indian Irrigation Fund established by section 3211 of the WIIN Act (Public Law 114–322; 130 Stat. 1749): Provided further, That amounts provided under this heading are made available for the modernization of Federal field communication capabilities, in addition to amounts otherwise made available for such purpose. indian land and water claim settlements and miscellaneous payments to indians For payments and necessary administrative expenses for implementation of Indian land and water claim settlements pursuant to Public Laws 99–264, 114–322, and 116–260, and for implementation of other land and water rights settlements, $825,000, to remain available until expended. indian guaranteed loan program account For the cost of guaranteed loans and insured loans, $13,884,000, to remain available until September 30, 2024, of which $2,680,000 is for administrative expenses, as authorized by the Indian Financing Act of 1974: Provided, That such costs, including the cost of modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974: Provided further, That these funds are available to subsidize total loan principal, any part of which is to be guaranteed or insured, not to exceed $150,213,551.