Indian Self Determination & Education Assistance Act

Under Congressional guidance and authorization of the Indian Self Determination & Education Assistance Act of 1975, Public Law 93-638 further recognized American Indian Tribe's inherent sovereignty. This law signaled a change in federal policy toward American Indian Tribes and their people. What this meant was that American Indian Tribes possessed the inherent right to run their own programs for the benefit of their people. Such departments included health care, roads, and other federal programs that operated for the benefit of each American Indian Nation. Any federal program, function, service, or activity must transfer their operations to tribes upon formal request for the benefit of the tribe. This mandate is legally structured in the form of a contract defined in ISDEAA or a “638 contract.”  By law the government must give the tribe the same amount of money it spent itself, making this is a simple dollar for dollar transfer. The benefits of this arrangement can be seen on many levels with the most import benefits allow the tribe's to influence policy making as well as a major boost to economic development.

Click the Departments Link above to view pages relating to our programs and departments relating to the 638 contracts.