The Tribal Family Fairness Act aims to provide tribes with additional resources and flexibility for child and family services. It would increase funding and ease reporting requirements for two key federal programs that support tribal child welfare efforts.
Latest Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Work and Welfare.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
The Tribal Family Fairness Act aims to provide tribes with additional resources and flexibility for child and family services. It would increase funding and ease reporting requirements for two key federal programs that support tribal child welfare efforts.
Last updated: 12/30/2025
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>Tribal Family Fairness Act</strong></p> <p>This bill revises two programs to provide tribes with additional resources for child and family services.</p> <p>First, the bill revises the MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families program by</p> <ul> <li>establishing a minimum grant award for tribes, </li> <li> increasing funds reserved for state court improvement grants, </li> <li>increasing the set-aside for tribes or tribal consortia, </li> <li>exempting certain plans from reporting requirements, </li> <li>allowing funds to be used for tribal customary adoptions, </li> <li>authorizing in-kind contributions to meet tribal matching requirements, and </li> <li>allowing tribal organizations to use the federal negotiated indirect cost rate in lieu of the administrative costs cap. </li> </ul> <p>In addition, the bill revises the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services program by</p> <ul> <li>modifying reporting requirements, </li> <li>authorizing in-kind contributions to meet tribal matching requirements, and </li> <li>allowing tribal organizations to use the federal negotiated indirect cost rate in lieu of the administrative costs cap. </li> </ul>
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Establishes a minimum grant award for tribes under the MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families program.
Allows tribes to use in-kind contributions to meet matching requirements and use their negotiated indirect cost rate instead of an administrative cap.
Modifies reporting requirements and provides similar flexibilities for the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services program.
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
This bill would directly benefit tribal governments and organizations by giving them more funding and control over how they use it to support children and families in their communities. Tribal child welfare agencies would have greater resources and autonomy to design programs that meet their specific cultural needs and circumstances.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Native Americans
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
2762, 119th Congress (2025). "Expanding Access to Family Planning Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-2762
