HHS Cuts Red Tape for Native American Aid Programs
Published Date: 3/27/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
The Department of Health and Human Services is making rules simpler for Native American programs by cutting out old, confusing regulations. This change helps Native communities get support faster and with less hassle. People can share their thoughts on these updates until April 27, 2026, and the new rules aim to save time and money for everyone involved.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Cuts red tape for Native programs
The rule would remove unnecessary and obsolete parts of 45 CFR part 1336 so Native communities, Tribal lead agencies, States, and Territories can get grant support with less hassle. The preamble says the change is intended to save time and money for everyone involved and to help communities get support faster.
Application rules moved into NOFOs
HHS proposes to remove regulatory language that specifies eligibility, application submission requirements, work plans, grant length, and ineligible activities, and instead rely on Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) or grant terms for those details. The agency says this will let grantees and applicants find application-specific information in NOFOs rather than the Code of Federal Regulations.
Removes Native Hawaiian loan fund rules
The proposal would remove sections 1336.60 through 1336.77 that governed the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund because the fund's appropriations ended in FY2021 and the demonstration project period has ended. The agency says those sections are outdated and serve no current purpose.
No new paperwork requirements
The proposed rule states it does not contain any information collection requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act and therefore will not create new paperwork burdens or change existing OMB-approved collections.
Agency: small entities not significantly affected
Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, HHS proposes to certify that repealing obsolete and unnecessary language would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this federal register document means for your household, plus every other regulation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-16414, Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System
This document withdraws a proposed rule that was published in the Federal Register on January 11, 2008. The proposed rule would have amended the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) regulations at 45 CFR 1355.40 and the appendices to Part 1355 to modify the requirements for States to collect and report data to ACF on children in out-of-home care and in subsidized adoption or guardianship arrangements with the State. This document also withdraws the provision of the 2008 proposed rule that implemented the AFCARS penalty requirements of the Adoption Promotion Act of 2003 (Pub. L. 108-145).
2026-11530, Employment and Training Services for Noncustodial Parents in the Child Support Program; Rescission
The government plans to cancel a recent rule that let child support agencies offer job training to noncustodial parents using federal funds. This change affects agencies and parents involved in the child support program and could shift how support services are funded and delivered. Comments on this proposal are open until August 10, 2026, so folks have time to weigh in before it’s final.
2026-09383, Restoring Flexibility To Support Head Start Program Access
The government wants to give Head Start programs more freedom by removing some strict rules about staff wages and benefits. This change aims to save over $2 billion and help programs serve more kids better. If you want to share your thoughts, make sure to comment by June 11, 2026!
2026-06632, Work Participation Rate Calculation Changes: Recalibration of the Caseload Reduction Credit and Prohibition of Small Checks in Work Participation Rate Calculation
The government is updating how it measures work participation for families getting help through TANF. They’re changing the base year for counting caseload drops from 2005 to 2015 and won’t count tiny monthly payments under $35 in work rate calculations. These changes, required by a 2023 law, affect states and could impact funding starting soon, so everyone should pay attention and share their thoughts by May 6, 2026.
2026-16392, Announcement of the Intent To Award Sole-Source Awards to the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands
The ACF, OHS announces the intent to award two sole-source grants in the total amount of up to $7,200,000, or $3,600,000 each, to the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) to support the establishment and provision of Early Head Start (EHS) and/or Head Start Preschool (HSP) services. These awards are made pursuant to new statutory authority and recent appropriations providing $8 million to extend Head Start eligibility and services in the Freely Associated States, as authorized under the Compacts of Free Association Amendments Act of 2024 (Division G, Title II of Public Law 118-42), and the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.
2026-16134, Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Programs
This NPRM proposes to rescind and replace the Head Start Program Performance Standards (Performance Standards), last revised in 2024. The proposed Performance Standards would significantly reduce Federal bureaucratic burden on programs; defer to State policies wherever possible; return substantial local control to Head Start agencies delivering the services and to parents as the primary caregivers and decision-makers for their children; reduce unnecessary duplication of Head Start regulations with Federal statute and other regulations; and emphasize the critical role of health, nutrition, and physical exercise for young children.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-05977, Perchloroethylene (PCE) and Carbon Tetrachloride (CTC); Regulation Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Compliance Date Extensions
The EPA is giving businesses and federal agencies more time to follow safety rules for handling two chemicals, PCE and CTC. Non-federal owners and operators now have until mid-2027 or late 2027 to complete key safety steps like monitoring exposure and providing protective gear. This extension helps everyone get ready without rushing, potentially saving money and avoiding penalties.
Next: 2026-05997, Reducing Bureaucracy and Burden for Human Services and Emergency Response Programs-Repatriation Program
The Department of Health and Human Services wants to simplify rules for helping U.S. citizens, including those with mental health needs, who come back from other countries. This change cuts out old, unnecessary steps to make the process faster and easier for everyone involved. People can share their thoughts on these updates by April 27, 2026, with no new costs expected.