AKWESASNE, NY—(Tsiothohrkó:wa/January 29, 2025) The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe is issuing this press release to update the community on the Trump Administration’s recent pause on federal funding. We understand the concern many may have regarding Tribal programs and operations supported by federal funding; therefore, we are sharing a summary of the events over the past few days.
On Monday, January 27th, the Trump Administration Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued Memorandum M-25-13 requiring federal executive departments and agencies to “complete a comprehensive analysis of all their Federal financial assistance programs to identify programs, projects, and activities that may be implicated by any of the President’s executive orders” and to “temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance…” affecting a wide range of federally-funded programs.
On Tuesday, January 28th, the White House issued a Clarification Memo that listed the relevant Executive Orders and provided sample questions and answers. In response to a lawsuit brought by several nonprofit groups and shortly before the pause was to go into effect, a federal judge ordered an administrative stay, blocking the OMB Directive.
On Wednesday, January 29th, OMB issued a Memorandum rescinding M-25-13 and deferring any questions to federal agency attorneys. Tribal Council is actively monitoring the situation and, along with the United South and Eastern Tribes and the National Congress of American Indians, stand ready to respond to any further attempts to disrupt funding that is vital to our programs that serve the community.