WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, all rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution:

WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is the oldest and largest national organization established in 1944 and comprised of representatives of and advocates for national, regional, and local Tribal concerns; and

WHEREAS, the health, safety, welfare, education, economic and employment opportunity, and preservation of cultural and natural resources are primary goals and objectives of NCAI.

WHEREAS, the TEA-21 Negotiated Rulemaking Committee has met since March 1999 to develop a new regulation for IRR Program; and

WHEREAS, Tribes must have timely access to Meeting Notices, Meeting Minutes, Task Lists, associated draft documents, workgroup summary notes & minutes, reference materials, and all other public documents generated by the committee and its workgroups; and

WHEREAS, the BIA Project Management Office disseminates this information to Committee Members alternates, and Tribal support staff prior to and during each rulemaking session; and

WHEREAS, dissemination of information from these meetings to the tribes in the BIA NW Region has not been timely; and

WHEREAS, Committee Members may distribute such materials to other interested parties at their discretion; and

WHEREAS, Tribal LTAP/TTAP have a responsibility through contract to disseminate information to Tribal Governments in partnership with the FHWA and BIA;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby request the BIA – Division of Transportation to direct the BIA Project Management Office to include each of the six TTAP's and the Alaska LTAP on the distribution list for these materials; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby request that each TTAP or LTAP distribute the rulemaking information received to each tribe within their respective region.

CERTIFICATION

The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 2000 Mid-Year Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Centennial Hall, in Juneau, Alaska on June 25-28, 2000 with a quorum present.

_______________________________

Susan Masten, President

Juana Majel, Recording Secretary

Adopted by the General Assembly during the 2000 Mid-Year Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Centennial Hall, in Juneau, Alaska on June 25-28, 2000.