Former National Congress of American Indian President Joe Garcia, standing on left, shakes hands with Larry Roberts, the acting head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, at NCAI's executive council winter session in Washington, D.C., on February 22, 2016. Photo by Indianz.Com
The Bureau of Indian Affairs has finalized a rule that brings more flexibility to the burial assistance program. Individual Indians can now seek assistance within 180 days of a loved one's passing. The prior deadline was 30 days and tribes had asked the BIA to ease the burden. "We know that those are very difficult times when folks are applying for those resources," Larry Roberts, the acting leader of the BIA, said at the National Congress of American Indians 2016 executive council winter session in Washington, D.C ., in February. The change was implemented via an "interim final rule" that was published in the Federal Register on Wednesday. Federal Register Notices:
Financial Assistance and Social Services Programs; Burial Assistance (May 4, 2016)
Financial Assistance and Social Services Programs; Burial Assistance (March 1, 2016)
Related Stories
Bureau of Indian Affairs in final push as Obama era nears its end
(3/1)
Join the Conversation
