October 14, 2025
Mr. Ruiz introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations
To provide appropriations for certain tribal programs during a period of a lapse in discretionary appropriations, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Tribal Housing Continuity Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Findings
The Congress finds the following:
(1)
The Federal government has a trust responsibility to support tribal nations and their citizens.
(2)
The Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 provides the primary Federal support for affordable housing in tribal communities.
(3)
Lapses in appropriations and lapses in orders, from the Office of Personnel Management relating to requests for information, risk delaying or halting critical tribal housing projects.
(4)
Tribal governments do not have access to financial assistance from States or units of local government, making the continuity of Federal programs essential.
Sec. 3. Appropriations during period of a lapse in discretionary appropriations
(a) In general
There is appropriated for fiscal year 2026, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $1.6 billion during any period of a lapse in discretionary appropriations with respect to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development during such fiscal year beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this section, for any period of such lapse to pay for the salaries and expenses necessary to—
(1)
to issue, process, and respond to requests for information and notices of funding opportunity that the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development determines are necessary to implement any program authorized under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act of 1996;
(2)
take administrative actions that the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development determines are necessary to implement any program authorized under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act of 1996;
(3)
to guarantee and pay under guarantees as required to carry out the program for loan guarantees for Indian housing under section 184 and of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992;
(4)
to guarantee and pay under guarantees as required to carry out the program for loan guarantees for Native Alaskan housing under section 184A and of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992; and
(5)
to administer amounts obligated to tribes under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act of 1996.
(b) Report
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall, not later than 90 days after the start of any period of a lapse in discretionary appropriations, submit a report to the Congress that describes the actions the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development took using the amounts appropriated under subsection (a).