Older Americans Tribal Advisory Committee

Section 201(c) (42 U.S.C. 3011(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (4) (A) In addition to other methods of government-to-government consultation between the Administration and Indian Tribes and conferring with organizations representing Native Hawaiians, the Assistant Secretary shall establish an advisory committee, to be known as the Older Americans Tribal Advisory Committee (referred to in this paragraph as the Committee) to provide advice and guidance to the Assistant Secretary on matters relating to the needs of older individuals who are Native Americans and implementation of related programs and activities under this Act. (B) The Committee shall be composed of 11 voting, non-Federal members, including— (i) geographically diverse individuals with expertise on the range of issues affecting Indian Tribes, organizations representing Native Hawaiians, and older individuals who are Native Americans; (ii) not less than 1 member who is an Alaska Native; and (iii) not less than 1 member who is a Native Hawaiian. (C) The Committee shall include non-voting, ex officio representatives of relevant Federal departments and agencies, including— (i) the Administration; (ii) the Indian Health Service; (iii) the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; (iv) the Department of the Interior; (v) the Department of Labor; and (vi) any other agency or office with subject matter expertise that the Assistant Secretary determines appropriate. (D) The Committee shall meet in person not less frequently than twice each year. (E) The Committee shall coordinate, as appropriate, with the Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee of the Department of Health and Human Services. (F) (i) Not less frequently than once each year, the Committee shall submit to the Assistant Secretary and make publicly available a report that describes— (I) the activities of the Committee during the previous year; and (II) recommendations for administrative action, including the identification of any statutory barriers to carrying out such recommendations, for the following year. (ii) Not later than 60 days after the date on which the Assistant Secretary receives a report under clause (i), the Assistant Secretary shall submit to the Committee a written response to such report. (G) Chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code, shall not apply to the Committee. (H) In establishing, developing procedures for, and operating the Committee, the Assistant Secretary shall— (i) consult with Indian Tribes and confer with organizations representing Native Hawaiians; and (ii) take into consideration best practices of other Tribal advisory committees operated by the Department of Health and Human Services before the date of enactment of the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025..