Strengthening the 477 Initiative

(a) Statement of purpose Section 2 of the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3401) is amended to read as follows: 2. Statement of purpose (a) In general The purpose of this Act (commonly known and referred to in this section as the 477 Initiative) is to support the self-sufficiency of Native people, better deliver on the trust and treaty obligations of the United States, and remove impediments to the exercise of sovereignty by Indian tribes in their use of Federal funds. (b) Accomplishing purpose The 477 Initiative accomplishes the purpose of this Act described in subsection (a) by facilitating the ability of Indian tribes to integrate the self-sufficiency, employment, training, and related services provided by Indian tribes from various Federal sources in order to improve the effectiveness of those services, increase self-sufficiency and reduce joblessness in Indian communities, and serve Tribally determined goals consistent with the policy of self-determination, while reducing administrative, reporting, and accounting costs.. (b) Integration of services authorized Section 4 of the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3403) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting, including before in accordance with; and (2) in paragraph (2), by inserting services (including those supporting self-sufficiency) before employment. (c) Programs affected Section 5 of the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3404) is amended— (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following: (a) In general The programs that may be integrated pursuant to a plan approved under section 8 shall only be programs that meet the following program eligibility criteria: (1) Federal agency The Federal agency providing program funds to be used to implement the plan shall be 1 of the following covered Federal agencies: (A) The Department of Agriculture. (B) The Department of Commerce. (C) The Department of Education. (D) The Department of Energy. (E) The Department of Health and Human Services. (F) The Department of Homeland Security. (G) The Department of Housing and Urban Development. (H) The Department of the Interior. (I) The Department of Justice. (J) The Department of Labor. (K) The Department of Transportation. (L) The Department of Veterans Affairs. (2) Program purpose The program shall be implemented for 1 of the following covered purposes: (A) Encouraging self-sufficiency. (B) Job training. (C) Welfare-to-work and Tribal work experience. (D) Creating or enhancing employment opportunities. (E) Skill development. (F) Assisting Indian youth and adults to succeed in the workforce. (G) Familiarizing individual participants with the world of work. (H) Facilitating the creation of job opportunities. (I) Economic development. (J) Any other purpose relating to the purposes described in subparagraphs (A) through (I), including programs and services that foster economic security, stability, or well-being for families, children, or youth. (3) Funding The program shall receive a covered type of funding, which may include— (A) funding that an Indian tribe or members of an Indian tribe— (i) are eligible to receive— (I) under a statutory or administrative formula making funds available to an Indian tribe; or (II) based solely or in part on their status as Indians under Federal law; or (ii) have secured as a result of a noncompetitive process or a specific designation; or (B) funding from block grant funds provided to an Indian tribe, regardless of whether the block grant is for the benefit of the Indian tribe because of the status of the Indian tribe or the status of the beneficiaries the grant serves.; and (2) in subsection (b), by inserting self-sufficiency, before employment. (d) Plan requirements Section 6 of the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3405) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting and set the eligibility of after identity; and (2) in paragraph (3)(B)— (A) by striking education, training, and related; and (B) by inserting achieve self-sufficiency, including to after Indians to. (e) Plan review Section 7 of the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3406) is amended— (1) in subsection (d)— (A) in paragraph (1)— (i) by striking promulgated by the agency; and (ii) by striking subparagraph (b) and inserting subsection (b); and (B) in paragraph (2)— (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking with— and all that follows through or in subparagraph (A) and inserting with the purpose of this Act.; and (ii) by striking subparagraph (B); (2) in subsection (f)— (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking waiver— and all that follows through or in paragraph (1) and inserting waiver will be inconsistent with the purpose of this Act.; and (B) by striking paragraph (2); and (3) in subsection (g)(1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking provisions of this Act and all that follows through under this Act and inserting purpose of this Act. (f) Plan approval; secretarial authority; review of decision Section 8 of the Indian Employment, Training and Related Agencies Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3407) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by inserting and exercise after shall have; and (B) by inserting, including each program requested for integration into a plan, after a plan; (2) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting in whole or in part before the period at the end; (B) in paragraph (2)— (i) by inserting in whole or in part after approves a plan; and (ii) by inserting approved part of the after identified in the; (C) in paragraph (3), by inserting in whole or in part after denies the plan; and (D) in paragraph (4)(A), by inserting, without waiver decision, after grant partial approval; (3) in subsection (c)— (A) by striking Notwithstanding any other and inserting the following: (1) In general Subject to paragraph (2) and notwithstanding any other; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (2) Limitation For each plan submitted by an Indian tribe in accordance with section 6, the Secretary may only provide 1 extension or alteration under paragraph (1).; (4) in subsection (d)— (A) in paragraph (1)— (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting in whole or in part after denies a plan; and (ii) in subparagraph (C), by striking with a hearing and inserting the opportunity for a hearing; and (B) in paragraph (3)— (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)— (I) by inserting relating to approval of a plan after a decision; (II) by striking the Department of Health and Human Services and inserting relating to approval of a waiver by an affected Federal agency; and (III) by inserting a comma after Department); and (ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking the Indian Health Service or; and (5) by adding at the end the following: (e) Effect of approval (1) In general On approval of a plan under this section, each program included in the approved plan shall remain eligible for integration under the plan unless— (A) the Indian tribe submits an amendment removing the program; (B) the program is repealed or otherwise made unavailable by an Act of Congress; or (C) the Secretary determines, based on a change in Federal law enacted after approval of the plan, that continued inclusion of the program is prohibited by law. (2) Limitations No Federal agency may— (A) require an Indian tribe to remove a program from an approved plan based solely on an administrative interpretation, policy, guidance, regulation, or other agency action adopted after approval of the plan; or (B) subsequently revoke, limit, or condition the integration of a program included in an approved plan except as expressly required by Federal law.. (g) Federal responsibilities Section 11 of the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3410) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking any consolidated activities and inserting the consolidated services; and (B) in paragraph (3)(A), by inserting, subject to the condition that the memorandum of understanding may not contradict, restrict, or interfere with any authority provided pursuant to this Act before the period at the end; and (2) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (2)— (i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting, to include continuing to provide underlying services that would otherwise be provided by integrated programs before the semicolon at the end; and (ii) in subparagraph (C), by inserting or otherwise made inapplicable through the integration of the program into the plan, including limitations on consolidation and reallocation of funds or program reporting requirements before the period at the end; and (B) in paragraph (3)— (i) in the paragraph heading, by striking Limitation and inserting Limitations; (ii) by striking The report format and inserting the following: (A) In general The report format; and (iii) by adding at the end the following: (B) No additional reports (i) In general When an Indian tribe integrates a program into a plan approved under section 8— (I) the Indian tribe shall no longer be required to submit any separate reports on that program; and (II) the only report required to be submitted by the Indian tribe is the single plan report described in this section. (ii) No waiver required No waiver shall be required for an Indian tribe to no longer be required to submit the separate reports described in clause (i)(I).. (h) No reduction in amounts Section 12 of the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3411) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)(2), by inserting, or the integration of a program into a plan, after a plan; and (2) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting or compacting after contracting; and (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting or compacting after contracting. (i) Administration of funds Section 14(a)(1)(A) of the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3413(a)(1)(A)) is amended— (1) by striking Notwithstanding any other provision and inserting the following: (i) In general Notwithstanding any other provision; (2) in clause (i) (as so designated)— (A) by striking a tribe and inserting an Indian tribe; and (B) by inserting self-sufficiency, before employment; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (ii) Consolidation or reallocation (I) In general When an Indian tribe integrates a program into a plan approved under section 8, that Indian tribe may consolidate and reallocate the funding associated with that program across services or activities provided under the plan. (II) No waiver required No waiver shall be required for a consolidation or reallocation described in subclause (I)..