GREAT FALLS — After a brief but alarming freeze, tribes across Montana are able to access federal funding once again. Yet, the uncertainty of the future remains a pressing concern. Recently, I spoke with Chairman Gerald Gray of the Little Shell Tribe in Great Falls about the potential impacts of such funding disruptions.
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"We would have basically shut down our housing program and sent our employees home,” Gray stated, reflecting on the chaos generated when the Office of Management and Budget issued a memo mandating a halt to all federal funding.
Gray was taken aback by the suddenness of the freeze. "It was like, what the heck is happening? No one gave us any warning. And it's like, wow."
He emphasized the need for meaningful consultations with tribal leadership whenever significant funding decisions are made. "You should be having consultations, positive consultations with us, because all of this stuff affects us."
In a troubling turn of events, tribes like the Little Shell were given a mere few hours to draw down any necessary funding before access was abruptly revoked. For many tribes, federal support is critical, with budgets heavily supplemented by government funds through treaty agreements.
"Even that little, momentary pause caused a lot of heartburn because you didn’t know what was going to happen,” Gray noted.
Fortunately, after some lobbying efforts, the federal funding freeze was lifted within three days, allowing the tribe to access much-needed resources once again. "These funds are always under contracts; the federal government is honored with a trust and treaty obligation. A lot of these funds are based on those agreements," Gray explained.
Despite regaining access to funding, Gray expressed concern about the precedent set by the freeze. He worries that future challenges to federal funding could lead to protracted and costly legal battles, jeopardizing funds vital to the tribe’s programs and services.
"We hope that if freezes return, they are handled more systematically," Gray said. "The administration needs to realize that they can’t just implement changes in one broad sweep. Each program and agency needs to be examined closely."
It's worth noting that the recent federal funding freeze does not affect other executive orders released by the Trump administration, leaving tribal leaders uncertain about the broader implications of these policies.
