The Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education and the Indian Health Service have released their contingency plans as the federal government enters a shutdown.

The BIA plan says that 2,528 employees will be furloughed during the shutdown. The 1,585 that remain include 666 in law enforcement and hundreds of employees in child protection, wildfire management and other essential services.

The BIE plan states that all schools will remain open and almost every employee will stay on the job during the shutdown. Nearly every aspect of the agency is considered essential, according to the document.

Likewise, the IHS plan indicates that all clinical services will continue during the shutdown. Referrals for care outside of the IHS will also continue to be made.

But other programs won't be as lucky. Tribal colleges and Head Start won't receive any federal funds during the shutdown.

"It is unconscionable that the federal government will come to a complete halt due to a few unreasonable members of Congress. They have one primary role, to fund the government, and they need to do their job. By failing to provide funding, Congress is once again failing to honor its trust responsibility to America’s first people,” Navajo Nation President Shelly said in a press release.

Get the Story:
Navajo tribal officials plan to ensure services would be available during federal government shutdown (The Farmington Daily Times 10/1)
Government Shutdown Frustrates Tribal Leaders (Indian Country Today 10/1)
Tribe Braces for Government Shutdown (The Martha's Vineyard Gazette 10/1)

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