§ 5385 — Funding Agreements

(a) The Secretary shall negotiate and enter into a written funding agreement with each Indian tribe participating in self-governance in a manner consistent with the Federal Government’s trust responsibility, treaty obligations, and the government-to-government relationship between Indian tribes and the United States. (1) Each funding agreement required under subsection (a) of this section shall, as determined by the Indian tribe, authorize the Indian tribe to plan, conduct, consolidate, administer, and receive full tribal share funding, including tribal shares of discretionary Indian Health Service competitive grants (excluding congressionally earmarked competitive grants), for all programs, services, functions, and activities (or portions thereof), that are carried out for the benefit of Indians because of their status as Indians without regard to the agency or office of the Indian Health Service within which the program, service, function, or activity (or portion thereof) is performed. (2) Such programs, services, functions, or activities (or portions thereof) include all programs, services, functions, activities (or portions thereof), including grants (which may be added to a funding agreement after an award of such grants), with respect to which Indian tribes or Indians are primary or significant beneficiaries, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services through the Indian Health Service and all local, field, service unit, area, regional, and central headquarters or national office functions so administered under the authority of— (A) section 13 of this title; (B) (C) the Act of August 5, 1954 (68 Stat. 674; chapter 658) [42 U.S.C. 2001 et seq.]; (D) the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.); (E) the Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1986 (25 U.S.C. 2401 et seq.); (F) any other Act of Congress authorizing any agency of the Department of Health and Human Services to administer, carry out, or provide financial assistance to such a program, service, function or activity (or portions thereof) described in this section that is carried out for the benefit of Indians because of their status as Indians; or (G) any other Act of Congress authorizing such a program, service, function, or activity (or portions thereof) carried out for the benefit of Indians under which appropriations are made available to any agency other than an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, in any case in which the Secretary administers that program, service, function, or activity (or portion thereof). (c) It shall not be a requirement that an Indian tribe or Indians be identified in the authorizing statute for a program or element of a program to be eligible for inclusion in a compact or funding agreement under this subchapter. (d) Each funding agreement under this subchapter shall set forth— (1) terms that generally identify the programs, services, functions, and activities (or portions thereof) to be performed or administered; and (2) for the items identified in paragraph (1)— (A) the general budget category assigned; (B) the funds to be provided, including those funds to be provided on a recurring basis; (C) the time and method of transfer of the funds; (D) the responsibilities of the Secretary; and (E) any other provision with respect to which the Indian tribe and the Secretary agree. (e) Absent notification from an Indian tribe that is withdrawing or retroceding the operation of one or more programs, services, functions, or activities (or portions thereof) identified in a funding agreement, or unless otherwise agreed to by the parties, each funding agreement shall remain in full force and effect until a subsequent funding agreement is executed, and the terms of the subsequent funding agreement shall be retroactive to the end of the term of the preceding funding agreement. (f) Each Indian tribe participating in the Tribal Self-Governance Demonstration Project established under title III 1 on August 18, 2000, shall have the option at any time thereafter to— (1) retain the Tribal Self-Governance Demonstration Project funding agreement of that Indian tribe (in whole or in part) to the extent that the provisions of that funding agreement are not directly contrary to any express provision of this subchapter; or (2) instead of retaining a funding agreement or portion thereof under paragraph (1), negotiate a new funding agreement in a manner consistent with the requirements of this subchapter. (g) At the option of an Indian tribe, a funding agreement may provide for a stable base budget specifying the recurring funds (including, for purposes of this provision, funds available under section 5325(a) of this title) to be transferred to such Indian tribe, for such period as may be specified in the funding agreement, subject to annual adjustment only to reflect changes in congressional appropriations by sub-sub activity excluding earmarks.