On May 9, 2025, NICWA sent a letter to several members of the House Ways and Means Committee in response to concerns that the committee might eliminate the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) and to make significant cuts to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding. The letter outlines specific examples of how Tribes use SSBG and TANF funding to deliver essential services to their children and families, emphasizing that cuts or elimination would severely disrupt the network of coordinated support these programs make possible—underscoring the critical need to protect programs like SSBG and TANF that improve the well-being of Native children, families, and Tribal communities.

Amid the budget reconciliation process, NICWA is encouraging Tribal nations and advocates for Native children and families to contact your congressional representatives and urge them to oppose cuts to SSBG, TANF, or other vital health and human services programs that provide critical support to Native children, families, and Tribal communities. You can find your congressional representatives in the House and Senate here.

Read NICWA letter to the House Ways and Means Committee.