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Witnesses tell House panel cuts to Native contracting and staffing stall tribal economies
Summary
Panelists warned that proposals to cut or freeze Native contracting programs and federal staffing reductions have halted projects, laid off workers and reduced tribes’ ability to deliver services; witnesses urged protecting 8(a)-style contracting tools and restoring tribal offices and staff.
Leaders of Native economic organizations told a House Natural Resources Subcommittee that federal contracting programs and dedicated agency staffing are central to tribal economic stability and that recent policy changes and staffing reductions have produced immediate harm.
Derek Watchman, chairman of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, said several cooperative agreements and BIA-supported programs were effectively paused or defunded, forcing layoffs and stalling tourism and…
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