Members press Interior on tribal schools, law enforcement and thousands of unresolved probate cases

House members used Secretary Doug Burgum’s FY2026 hearing to press the Department of the Interior on several longstanding tribal issues: Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) school performance and facilities, law enforcement shortfalls on reservations, and a newly surfaced backlog of unresolved probate cases that can block housing and mineral royalty payments.

Ranking Member Chellie Pingree said the proposed 30% reduction to the department would “shamefully abandon our trust and treaty obligations to native Americans,” calling out an estimated $1,000,000,000 school construction backlog and stated cuts to public safety programs. “This budget with a 30% cut shamefully abandons our trust and treaty obligations to native Americans,” Pingree said during her opening statement.

Secretary Burgum acknowledged the size of the challenges within the BIE system, noting roughly 25,000 K–12 students are served and saying money alone has not solved persistent performance problems. Burgum said the department will “dig in to understand” those problems and consider deeper partnerships between tribal and state systems rather than relying solely on increased spending.

On law enforcement and missing and murdered Indigenous persons, Burgum described courses of action and increased federal attention. He said the FBI has committed personnel and the department’s tribal advisory committee raised public‑safety shortfalls as a top concern; Burgum cited a recent coordinated enforcement action in North Dakota that led to multiple arrests across tribal lands.

A separate operational issue drew focus near the end of the hearing: Burgum told members his office had uncovered about 48,000 unresolved probate cases in Indian country. He said those cases keep homes boarded and mineral‑royalty checks from reaching heirs; Burgum said the department has formed strike teams and will pursue administrative and technological approaches to speed resolution.

Why it matters: unresolved probate and title questions can prevent access to housing, block infrastructure work and withhold royalties or other payments tied to land and mineral rights. Law enforcement gaps and staffing shortages increase risks for victims and complicate responses to violent crime. Members from both parties urged swift departmental action and wanted clarity on how proposed budget changes would affect these efforts.

Discussion versus decision: the hearing featured commitments to investigate and coordinate (for example, strike teams to tackle probate cases and outreach to FBI leadership) but produced no formal policy changes or funding decisions. Members said they will consider restoring funds in appropriations to protect tribal public safety and school construction priorities.

Ending: members asked for follow‑up briefings and for the department to supply more detailed plans and timelines for addressing BIE performance, staffing needs for tribal law enforcement, and the probate backlog.