**Washington, D.C. News Impacting Indian Country – December 2025**
*By Native News Online Staff | December 07, 2025*
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In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other recent news from Washington, D.C., that impacts Indian Country.
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### Interior Department Cuts Christmas Tree, Firewood Permits to $1 for Holiday Season
The Interior Department announced a holiday affordability initiative aimed at helping families save money, enjoy public lands, and support wildfire prevention during the 2025-26 winter season.
Effective immediately, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is reducing Christmas tree and firewood permit fees to just $1 per tree or cord through January 31, 2026. In addition, the agency is opening new cutting areas in overstocked woodlands to provide price relief and expand opportunities for families to gather their own firewood and Christmas trees.
Interior officials stated that this effort is designed to deliver meaningful savings while promoting forest thinning and reducing hazardous fuels across millions of acres.
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### FCC Announces Two Tribal Consultations on Agency’s National Environmental Policy Act Changes
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has scheduled two new virtual Tribal consultation sessions focused on potential changes to the agency’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) rules. The FCC has also updated its framing paper to reflect the revised timeline for these consultations.
The sessions will be held on:
– December 11, 2025, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. ET
– January 14, 2026, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. ET
Federally recognized Tribal Nations and Native Hawaiian Organizations interested in participating are encouraged to email [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) with a subject line indicating the date of attendance: “Consultation December 11” or “Consultation January 14.”
The FCC noted that comments and meetings may be submitted at any time after the reply comment deadline, subject to the agency’s ex parte rules governing presentations on the merits or outcome of the rulemaking.
Please be aware that the virtual consultation sessions may be recorded and transcribed.
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### CMS Highlights Tribal Exceptions in New Medicaid, CHIP Bulletin
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released an informational bulletin detailing changes to Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, also referred to by the agency as the Working Families Tax Cut legislation.
The bulletin includes a summary of Tribal exceptions in the law (see page 32) and notes that CMS is continuing to analyze how the Act’s provisions may affect American Indian and Alaska Native Medicaid beneficiaries.
CMS reaffirmed its commitment to working with Tribes as it develops future guidance.
The bulletin is accessible online [here](https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets).
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### More Stories Like This
– *Native News Weekly* (August 25, 2024): D.C. Briefs
– *US Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians*
– *Why We Report: Chez Oxendine Shares His Story for Native News Online’s Year-End Campaign*
– *New Amnesty International Report Details Torture, Overcrowding at Krome and ‘Alligator Alcatraz’*
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Stay tuned to Native News Online for ongoing coverage of issues impacting Indian Country.
https://nativenewsonline.net/currents/native-news-weekly-december-7-2025-d-c-briefs