Puyallup Tribe Gains Control Over Trust Funds: Helping Our People Act of 2026 Authorizes Local Financial Management.

The Helping Our People Act of 2026 is a straightforward piece of legislation designed to hand the keys of the Puyallup Tribe’s permanent trust fund back to the Tribe itself. Under Section 2, the Tribe is authorized to withdraw money from its trust fund, provided they have a management plan approved by the Secretary of the Interior. This isn't a free-for-all; the process must follow the established guardrails of the American Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act of 1994, ensuring that while the Tribe has more control, there is still a professional framework for how that money is handled and protected.

Taking the Reins on Tribal Finance For the Puyallup Tribe, this bill is about moving from federal oversight to financial self-determination. In the past, many tribal funds were strictly managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which could be a slow, bureaucratic process. By allowing the Tribe to withdraw and manage these funds under an approved plan, the bill enables them to potentially invest in local community projects—like new health clinics, housing, or infrastructure—on their own timeline. It’s the difference between having your money in a restricted account controlled by a third party and having it in a managed fund where you decide how to best serve your community’s immediate needs.

Future-Proofing Tribal Relations The bill also includes a 'Savings Provision' that clarifies how this law interacts with older agreements. Specifically, it ensures that the Puyallup Tribe of Indians Settlement Act of 1989 doesn't act as a legal barrier to the Tribe benefiting from any new federal laws passed after this bill. Think of it as a legal software update: it ensures the Tribe’s 35-year-old settlement doesn't accidentally block them from modern federal programs or collaborative opportunities that didn't exist back in the eighties. This keeps the door open for the U.S. government and the Tribe to work together as laws continue to evolve.