House appropriations hearing: tribal leaders warn hiring freezes and staff losses are disrupting services

The House Appropriations subcommittee on Interior and Environment held the first of three days of public witness hearings on programs for American Indians and Alaska Natives, where tribal leaders described immediate operational harm from recent federal hiring freezes and personnel terminations.

Tribal witnesses said the changes have delayed access to funds, slowed land-into-trust transactions and imperiled health, public safety and education services that tribes rely on. Donna Thompson, vice chair of the Fort Hall Business Council of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, told the panel she is "greatly concerned for the funding for tribes is at risk and that the federal government's ability to fulfill the treaty and trust responsibilities will be hindered by current hiring restrictions and the ongoing firing of federal employees." She urged Congress to act to "ensure there are no disruptions to tribal program funding and to protect the federal workers supporting Indian country."

Ranking Member Chellie Pingree echoed those concerns, saying the administration's early actions have "unleashed chaos and disruption into indigenous communities and created anxiety and uncertainty for tribal…