Bipartisan Bill Seeks Permanent Tribal Control Over Critical Food Assistance Program

A significant bipartisan legislative effort is underway in the U.S. Congress, with Representatives Sharice Davids (D-Kan.) and Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) announcing their plan to introduce legislation aimed at permanently expanding Tribal control over a vital federal food assistance program that currently provides aid to nearly 650,000 Tribal members.

The proposed measure, titled the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) Act of 2025, would eliminate the temporary status of an existing $11.4 million pilot program. Since 2018, this pilot has successfully allowed 16 participating Tribes to exercise the authority to select their own food suppliers. As the current five-year authorization period is set to expire soon, the uncertainty for Tribal producers hoping to scale their operations has become a pressing concern.

Tribal leaders and agricultural advocates have been vocal about the limitations posed by the program’s temporary nature, arguing that it hinders its ability to support long-term economic development and robust food security. Representative Davids, who is an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, highlighted the unique difficulties faced by Indigenous communities. She noted in a statement that "For many Native families, accessing healthy, affordable food isn’t as simple as driving to the nearest grocery store," pointing to "long distances to grocery stores and supply chain disruptions" as major barriers.

Participating Tribes have already demonstrated the program’s success. The Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, for instance, has utilized its commercial fishery, wild rice cultivation, and buffalo ranch to supply food packages to its members, a model that could continue indefinitely under permanent Tribal control. Similarly, the Choctaw Nation and other participating Tribes have effectively utilized the program to construct regional food economies that actively support local producers.

Co-Chairs of the Native Farm Bill Coalition, Cole Miller (Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community) and Kari Jo Lawrence (Hidatsa), strongly supported the initiative, arguing that "Tribes have shown time and time again that tribally administered programs are more efficient and effective, and this bipartisan bill is an important step towards food sovereignty."

Making the program permanent directly addresses two crucial issues: supply chain reliability and Tribal economic development. Under the current federal management, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) centrally purchases and ships food to Tribal agencies for distribution to eligible families. Tribes are seeking the authority to direct procurement, enabling them to source foods that are both locally produced and culturally relevant. Representative Lucas affirmed this goal, stating that "Tribes should be able to self-contract to administer quality, domestically produced food," adding that "The tribes have proven that they are willing and able to successfully administer this program.”

These pilot projects, often referred to as “638 projects” after a section of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, serve as an alternative to the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for Tribal members residing on reservations. Each month, participating households receive food packages containing fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, protein sources, and cooking essentials. Allowing Tribes to locally source culturally relevant and produced foods for these packages has become a central plank for Native American agricultural advocates. The permanency of these 638 projects remains a major request in the Native Farm Bill Coalition’s appeals for an updated Farm Bill, as well as in their communications with USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins.

Beyond the desire to provide traditional foods, granting Tribes greater control over food package sourcing would also address persistent shortage and delivery problems that have plagued the program, particularly after a "botched warehouse consolidation" incident in early 2024. Representative Davids underscored this point, noting that "By permanently authorizing the program, this legislation addresses these issues by empowering tribes to manage their food procurement directly, enhancing program reliability and responsiveness."

The pilot program has demonstrably created economic and health benefits for the participating Tribes. Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton confirmed that making the program permanent would help "allocate resources where they are most needed to build strong economies and improve the overall health of people in our communities.” W. Ron Allen, Tribal Chair and CEO for the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, called the legislation a "vital step forward" in supporting Native health and Tribal economic benefits. He concluded that "The expansion beyond procurement to the full administration of the program is long overdue and will empower more tribes to feed their people with dignity and self-determination.”