§2281a Tribal Liaison

Summary

Each Corps of Engineers district that includes a Tribal community must have a Tribal Liaison on staff no later than 1 year after December 23, 2022. The Tribal Liaison must advise the District Commander and work to remove barriers to Tribal access and participation in Corps programs (including better carrying out section 2213(m)), improve outreach and engagement, find and help Tribal communities with water problems, strengthen government-to-government consultation, carry out Tribal consultation policies (including the requirements of section 2356), train Corps staff to work respectfully with Tribal cultures and important sites, and handle other issues the Secretary assigns. The Secretary must finish rules within 120 days after December 23, 2022, that define the Tribal Liaison job and required qualifications, including experience with Tribal communities and water issues. Pay for the position comes from the civil works program’s general administration budget line, and hiring it does not depend on increasing that budget. A “Tribal community” means indigenous people recognized under federal law. A “Tribal Liaison” is a permanent district employee who is the main contact between the District Commander and Tribal communities and who keeps government-to-government relations consistent.