The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) commends Representatives Tom Cole (R-OK) and Norma Torres (D-CA) and Senators Heinrich (D-NM) for presenting resolutions recognizing the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples Day. “These resolutions are not just about a single day — it’s about truth, recognition, and respect for who we are as Native people,” said Larry Wright Jr., NCAI Executive Director. “For far too long, our histories and contributions have been ignored or erased. Indigenous Peoples’ Day provides an opportunity to reclaim our rightful place in the story of this nation — not just in the past, but in the present and future.”


These resolutions are more than symbolic; it is a meaningful step toward honoring the strength, resilience, and ongoing leadership of Tribal Nations. NCAI stands with Tribal communities across the country in urging the House to adopt this resolution, and in doing so, help ensure that our children and future generations see themselves reflected with pride and accuracy in the national narrative.


About the National Congress of American Indians:

Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments and communities, promoting strong tribal-federal government-to-government policies and a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people, and rights.

NCAI Supports House Resolution Recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day

NCAI Congratulates William “Billy” Kirkland III on His Confirmation

 The National Congress of American Indians congratulates William “Billy” Kirkland III (Navajo) on his confirmation to serve as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior. This is a well-deserved recognition of his commitment and leadership to Tribes and Tribal members throughout the country. NCAI looks forward to his swearing in and the important work to follow. His service will be vital in strengthening tribal sovereignty, advancing self-determination, and supporting Native communities across the nation.

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) supports the efforts of U.S. Senators, including Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), in working together in a bipartisan manner to find a path forward to a continuing resolution that would reopen the federal government. Their leadership and collaboration in this critical moment are deeply appreciated across Indian Country.

Government shutdowns have a devastating and disproportionate impact on Native American communities. Tribal Nations have a unique government-to-government relationship with the United States, and many essential services in Tribal communities are directly funded and administered through federal agencies. When the federal government shuts down, it delays critical infrastructure projects, interrupts food assistance programs, and stalls law enforcement and public safety operations on and around Tribal lands.

“These disruptions are not just inconvenient — they are harmful and, in many cases, life-threatening,” said Larry Wright Jr., Executive Director of NCAI. “A lapse in federal funding undermines Tribal self-governance, strains already under-resourced programs, and creates uncertainty for thousands of Native families who depend on federally funded services to meet basic needs.”

We urge all members of Congress to continue working toward a long-term funding solution that respects treaty and trust obligations to Tribal Nations and ensures the stability and continuity of services our communities rely upon.

Again, we thank the Senators from both sides of the aisle for prioritizing the well-being of Native Americans and Alaska Natives and taking meaningful steps to end this harmful shutdown.

                                                               ###

NCAI Supports Bipartisan Talks to Reopen Government

— On October 1, 2025, the federal government shutdown after Congress failed to pass meaningful appropriations or a continuing resolution. The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is deeply concerned about the immediate and disproportionate harm this federal government shutdown will have on Tribal Nations. While Indian Country has always met adversity with resilience and resolve, shutdowns interrupt the United States’ trust and treaty obligations and create cascading impacts on essential services that keep our communities safe, healthy, and strong.

When the federal government shuts down, delays in funding and reimbursements slow the administration of critical programs across Indian Country — public safety and justice services, health care and behavioral health, child welfare and education, housing and infrastructure, emergency management, nutrition programs, and more. While Tribal governments work tirelessly to fill federal gaps, government shutdowns result in Tribes front-loading scarce resources or pulling funding from other Tribal programs to keep essential services running. Many Tribal Nations do so at significant financial risk, straining local budgets, staff capacity, and long-term planning.

“Shutdowns land hardest on our people,” said Larry Wright, Jr., NCAI Executive Director. “Tribal leaders do what they’ve always done: show up for their citizens, keep clinics open, protect public safety, and care for our elders and children. As sovereign governments we should not have to uphold these commitments we made to our citizens at the expense of federal inaction. The United States must uphold its trust and treaty obligations regardless of the circumstance and without interruption.”

NCAI calls on Congress and the Administration to act swiftly to reopen the government and to enact durable solutions that prevent future disruptions to Tribal programs. This includes ensuring stable, on-time funding for Tribal governments; protecting and expanding advance appropriations where appropriate; and pursuing structural fixes that insulate core services from shutdown politics, such as designating key federal staff serving Indian Country as essential employees and exempting them from any reduction-in-force efforts. These steps are not special treatment — they are the minimum necessary to meet legal and moral obligations to Tribal Nations.

Even in this moment, Indian Country will continue to lead with unity, ingenuity, and care for one another. We urge federal partners to meet that leadership with certainty, respect, and action. NCAI is committed to ensuring Tribal Nations have the resources necessary to be informed.

Learn more and obtain resources for guidance, template letters, and agency contingency links related to the government shutdown, below.

NCAI Statement on Federal Government Shutdown: Indian Country Remains Resilient, But Tribal Communities Will Bear the Burden

 The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is profoundly troubled by the United States Department of Defense (DoD) decision to maintain the Medals of Honor awarded to U.S. soldiers for their actions at the Wounded Knee Massacre on December 29, 1890. This choice disregards the historical record of the brutal, unprovoked, and wrongful massacre of the Lakota by the United States 7th Cavalry and the moral imperative to confront injustice with honesty and courage.

Wounded Knee was not a “battle.” It was the intentional mass killing of more than 350 unarmed Lakota men, women, and children seeking safety from invading U.S. soldiers at Wounded Knee Creek. Contrary to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s assertion that the awarding of these medals “in our nation’s history is no longer up for debate,” this act is an atrocity whose horror has been long recognized by historians, Tribal Nations, and even acknowledged by the U.S. Senate in 1990 via 

’s expression of regret. Preserving these medals champions this atrocious massacre and compounds the harm to the victims’ descendants and to all Native peoples.

“Honoring those involved in the Wounded Knee Massacre with the United States’ highest military award is incompatible with the values the Medal of Honor is meant to represent,” said Larry Wright Jr., NCAI Executive Director. “Celebrating war crimes is not patriotic. This decision undermines truth-telling, reconciliation, and the healing that Indian Country and the United States still need.”

Such despicable violence should not have been lauded in the first place. In an effort to right the wrongs of the past, in 2024, the Department of Defense initiated a formal review of these medals; this week’s announcement asserts the medals will remain, despite decades of advocacy from Tribal Nations, historians, and members of Congress to rescind them. NCAI stands with the Lakota Nations, all Tribal communities, and all active Native service members and Native veterans—who serve this country honorably and at higher rates than any other population—who have sought to correct the historical record and align our highest honors with our highest ideals.


NCAI stands with and uplifts the words of Tribal leaders whose communities carry the trauma and structural burdens these acts imposed upon them.


“Secretary Hegseth’s decision is another act of violence against our Lakota people,” said Chairwoman Janet Alkire, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. “The Wounded Knee Massacre was an unprovoked attack on men, women, children and elders who had been rounded up by the military. As Indian people, we know what bravery and sacrifice means. We serve in the military at greater rates than any other group in the United States. I served in the Air Force with men and women who were brave and served with honor. The actions at Wounded Knee were not acts of bravery and valor deserving of the Medal of Honor. There is nothing Hegseth can do to rewrite the truth of that day.”


“The Wounded Knee Massacre was one of the darkest days in U.S. history,” added Chairman Ryman LeBeau, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. “The U.S. Cavalry stopped our people out on the high plains, surrounded them with guns and cannons, disarmed them, opened fire, and murdered them. Women and children were chased down and shot in the back. This is one of America’s darkest days and the medals must be revoked. They tarnish America’s Medals of Honor. There is no honor in murder. Secretary Pete Hegseth made this decision on his own concurrence with no contact or request for consultation to the Tribes.”


We demand that DoD immediately release the report used to make this ahistorical decision, to reverse course, and to immediately meet with NCAI and the leaders of the Great Plains Tribal Chairman's Association. Further, NCAI calls on Congress to honestly and accurately preserve American history through passing the “Remove the Stain Act” so that the nation’s highest honor fulfills its namesake by reflecting courage, not cowardice and cruelty.


NCAI Statement on Pentagon Decision to Maintain Medals for Soldiers at the Wounded Knee Massacre

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) mourns the passing of Ernie Stevens, Jr., a towering advocate for Tribal sovereignty and a peerless champion of Tribal gaming. For more than two decades as Chairman of the Indian Gaming Association (IGA), Chairman Stevens brought together Tribal Nations, educated policymakers, and protected the rights of Tribal governments affirmed in federal law.

A citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, Chairman Stevens dedicated his life in service to Indian Country. Before leading IGA, he served his Nation as an elected Tribal councilman and helped guide national intertribal advocacy as a former First Vice President of NCAI. He also led the reactivation of the IGA-NCAI Tribal Leaders Task Force in 2023. His leadership at IGA — spanning more than a dozen consecutive terms — coincided with the growth of Tribal government gaming into the largest segment of the U.S. gaming industry, strengthening of Tribal economies, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, and generating revenue essential to providing critical services in Native communities.

Under his watch, Tribal gaming revenues rose from approximately $11 billion in 2000 to more than $43.9 billion in 2024. He tirelessly educated the media and Congress on the fact that Tribal gaming builds nations and is an essential tool in supporting healthcare, housing, education, public safety, and cultural revitalization across Indian Country. His lifetime of work and dedication to Indian Country has been recognized widely, including being inducted into the American Gaming Association’s Gaming Hall of Fame and through numerous national honors.


Chairman Stevens led with honor, humility, humor, and heart. He built coalitions, mentored the next generation, and always showed up — on Capitol Hill, in statehouses, and at Tribal community events — whenever Indian Country called. His legacy is measured not only in economic milestones, but in the relentless exercise of Tribal sovereignty and the countless leaders he lifted along the way.


“We lost a warrior today,” said NCAI President Mark Macarro. “Ernie Stevens' voice and work carried forth a family legacy of service with great honor. Not only a national leader, but a smoke dancer and cultural practitioner, he represented the best of what we aspire to be as leaders in Indian Country.”


“Ernie had a gift for bringing people together,” said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr. “He believed in unity, and he proved that when Indian Country speaks with one voice, we not only win, but we make lasting change.”


NCAI extends our deepest condolences to the Stevens family, the Oneida Nation, and IGA. We honor Chairman Stevens by continuing the work he devoted his life to: defending Tribal sovereignty, advancing self-determination, and building a future worthy of the next seven generations.

NCAI Mourns the Passing of Chairman Ernie Stevens, Jr.

— The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) expresses strong support for the 

Native Children’s Commission Implementation Act of 2025

, a draft bill released by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. The comprehensive draft bill aims to enhance the well-being and future opportunities of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian youth and families, marking significant legislative action and funding to improve their lives.

Rooted in the recommendations provided by 

The Way Forward Report of the Alyce Spotted Bear & Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children

 (the Commission), the draft legislation addresses critical areas such as child welfare, justice systems, physical and behavioral health, housing stability, education, culturally relevant child care, and improved research and data collection. The Commission conducted 61 regional public hearings, virtual hearings, and site visits to learn from Native communities and witness programs serving Native children and youth and transmitted 29 recommendations to Congress that addressed the needs of Native youth and families from a cultural, traditional, and holistic perspective. Senator Murkowski has shown that she listened to the Commission, as demonstrated by the incorporation of their recommendations into this draft legislation.

“NCAI commends Chairman Murkowski’s leadership and commitment to Native communities through this significant legislative proposal,” said NCAI President Mark Macarro. “Efforts to make the Tiwahe Demonstration Project permanent, expand self-determination and self-governance in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s nutrition programs, increase resources for child welfare programs, and expand grants in Public Law 102-477 plans represents an essential step forward to ensure that the voices and needs of Native children and families are not only recognized and valued, but meaningfully supported through culturally responsive policies and practices.”

NCAI appreciates Chairman Murkowski’s dedication to continued consultation and collaboration with Tribal Nations, advocates, and organizations serving Native communities. NCAI will actively participate in the ongoing legislative process to ensure meaningful outcomes for Native youth and families.

NCAI encourages tribal stakeholders to provide feedback via email on the draft language by 

. To assist tribal stakeholders in preparing their feedback, NCAI is planning a webinar in partnership with its sister organizations: Tribal Self-Governance Communication and Education Tribal Consortium, Alaska Federation of Natives, National Indian Child Welfare Association, National Indian Health Board, National Indian American Housing Council, and National Indian Education Association, as well as Anita Fineday, Commissioner on the Commission on Native Children, on 

August 20, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. ET, 2:00 p.m. CT, 1:00 p.m. MT, 12:00 p.m. PT, 11:00 a.m. AK, and 10:00 a.m. HT.

If you have any questions or comments for NCAI, please email 

NCAI Strongly Supports Chairman Murkowski’s Proposed Bill Supporting Native Children and Families

National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) welcomes the 

Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Department of the Interior (DOI) appropriations bill

 passed by the House Appropriations Committee this week. The bill represents significant levels of funding for Tribal Nations that will directly and positively impact the delivery of essential tribal services, including health services, social services, probate, education, and historic support for public safety and justice programs.

NCAI commends the efforts of Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK), Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), and their colleagues in the House for ensuring tribal priorities and programs are supported in this spending bill. As the Senate continues its parallel appropriations process, NCAI calls on the Senate to conform its appropriations levels to those of the House.

“This legislation is meaningful progress in honoring the federal government’s obligations to Tribal Nations,” said NCAI President Mark Macarro. “The bottom line is that the House Appropriations Committee, under Chairman Cole’s and Ranking Member DeLauro’s leadership, kept their commitment to Indian Country and presented a budget that supports critical programs and reflects the priorities of tribal governments.”

This appropriations bill is a step in the correct direction, though NCAI acknowledges that even with these impactful levels of funding, Indian Country continues to be widely underfunded. NCAI looks forward to hosting the 

 next month to discuss FY 2026 funding levels and will begin the formulation of its FY 2028 budget request to the Department of Interior. NCAI also looks forward to continuing to work collaboratively with Congress when they return from recess to ensure that this bill is enacted quickly. Tribal Nations are negatively impacted by the continuing resolution process, and quick passage of a robust appropriations bill will ensure that Tribal Nations can continue to deliver essential services to their communities without interruption.

NCAI on the Passage of the DOI Appropriations Bill

 — As the oldest and largest representative organization of Tribal Nations, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) upholds the inherent sovereignty of tribal governments and the rights of their citizens and peoples to preserve and use their languages. NCAI is concerned by the efforts of various federal agencies to implement 

Executive Order (EO) 14224: Designating English as the Official Language of the United States

On Monday, July 14, the Department of Justice released guidance on implementing EO 14224. EO 14224 revoked 

, which required federal agencies to provide meaningful access to services for individuals with limited English proficiency. With the rollback of these protections, tribal leaders have expressed concerns that their citizens who primarily speak Native languages are at greater risk of exclusion, harm, and discrimination.

“For generations, the United States’ government policies erased indigenous languages through assimilationist policies. Our recent ancestors were punished for speaking their indigenous languages — the first languages spoken in America. As their descendants, it’s our obligation to rebuild and revitalize what was taken from us. With our languages we teach our children, conduct our ceremonies, interpret the world around us, and govern our Tribal Nations within the family of United States governments,” said Mark Macarro, NCAI President. “We understand the importance of language as our tribal identity, and we won’t be diminished again for freely speaking our own languages. This is an issue of tribal sovereignty — and it’s our birthright.”

During his first administration, President Trump signed into law the 

Esther Martinez Native American Languages Programs Reauthorization Act (P.L. 116-101)

, which provided critical resources to support language revitalization efforts throughout the country. EO 14224 raises concerns that the current administration is moving away from this mission, undermining efforts to revitalize Native American languages and turning away from acknowledging and honoring the important contributions that Native American languages have played in America’s history. For example, notable Native Americans acted as early translators between their relatives and English-speaking settlers to ensure peace and provide life-saving resources to the earliest immigrants in this nation’s history.

“An English‑only mandate does not strengthen America; it silences and excludes the first voices that shaped it,” said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr. “Native languages played a vital role in American history by recording our treaties, guiding our governments, and protecting the nation’s very freedom. Native languages used by Native warrior codetalkers were instrumental in America’s victory in both World Wars. The complexity and expressiveness of these languages we made into unbreakable codes. Banning our Native languages from federal engagement would betray that legacy, violate the trust responsibility of the United States, and exclude Native peoples from contributing to the future of this nation and their Tribal Nations in ways we cannot begin to foresee.”

Since 1995, NCAI has opposed, through its resolution process, any proposed legislation, orders, or amendments that impose English as the official language of the United States or that hinder or harm the maintenance, preservation, and use of Native languages.

: Opposing HR 123, “English” as the Official Language

: Opposition to “English Only” Legislation

: A Resolution Strongly Opposing An Election Ballot Requiring the State Of Alaska To Use English Only

NCAI calls on the Administration and Congress to exempt tribal governments and Native American languages from English-only mandates and fully consult with Tribal Nations on any federal actions that impact language rights and Tribal sovereignty.

Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments and communities, promoting strong tribal-federal government-to-government policies and a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people, and rights. For more information, visit 

NCAI Protection of Native Languages

 — In response to President Donald Trump’s public threat to block a new stadium deal unless the Washington Commanders reinstate their former name and his demand that the Cleveland Guardians also revert back, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) unequivocally opposes any effort to revive racist mascots that demean Indigenous communities. Since 1950, NCAI’s priorities have included the eradication of harmful, unsanctioned Native “themed” mascots and propaganda.

“Any attempt to distract by invoking our names and purporting to speak for our communities is an affront to Tribal sovereignty and is not taken lightly. For seventy-five years, NCAI has held an unbroken voice: Imagery and fan behaviors that mock, demean, and dehumanize Native people have no place in modern society. NCAI will continue to stand in support of the dignity and humanity of Native peoples,” said NCAI President Mark Macarro.

NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr., responded

 to a mascot-related decision by the Department of Education, noting “our youth deserve to see themselves treated with dignity, not as punchlines or cartoonish relics of the past. The continued defense of these mascots is a refusal to confront racism. Enough is enough.”

 for “eliminating a brand that disrespected, demeaned, and stereotyped all Native people.” In July 2021, 

 for “[taking an] important step forward in healing the harms its former mascot long caused Native people, in particular Native youth.” Our position and that of Indian Country broadly — rooted in unanimously passed resolutions reflecting the perspectives of hundreds of Tribal Nations — has not changed.

Tribal governments have been outspoken and unambiguous on this issue for generations. Contrary to President Trump’s assertion that “[o]ur great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen,” Indian Country has repeatedly come together to condemn the unsanctioned use of harmful Native “themed” mascots, particularly those which sexualize, stereotype, or dehumanize American Indian and Alaska Native people.

Conditioning federal policy or development deals on the revival of racist language contradicts the government’s responsibility to uphold tribal rights and dignity, threatens the integrity of lawful governance, and opens the door to further discriminatory policy demands. We are not your mascot. We are not your distraction.

NCAI Condemns President Trump’s Call to Reinstate Harmful Mascot Imagery

NCAI is proud to announce the official logo for NCAI’s 82nd Annual Convention and Marketplace, which will be happening on 

This year’s logo was created by Nizhonia Toledo, a 21-year-old artist and enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Her work is grounded in community, tradition, and the belief that art is a living expression of culture.

Learn more about Nizhonia and her inspiration behind the artwork below.

My name is Nizhonia Toledo. I am a 21-year-old artist and a proud enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. From a young age, art has been more than a hobby for me, it has been a powerful outlet and a constant companion throughout my life.

My work is deeply rooted in my culture, community, and family. These connections are not only my inspiration, they are the heart of everything I create. Through my art, I honor the traditions and stories that have shaped me while carving space for contemporary Indigenous expression. I create not just for myself, but for those who came before me and those who will follow.

Art is my way of keeping our culture alive, of telling truths that words sometimes cannot, and of offering healing and hope. It’s my purpose, my passion, and my offering to the world.

The meaning behind the logo I created for the NCAI 82nd Annual Convention and Marketplace is, we are sovereign. We are resilient. We are culture in motion.

At its heart stand four Indigenous figures, adorned in traditional regalia, embodying the sacred diversity and collective strength of our peoples. They represent past, present, and future generations. Our ancestors who paved the way, our leaders who carry the fire today, and our youth who will rise to continue the legacy. Together, they form a circle of protection, reminding us that sovereignty is not given, it is inherent, lived, and defended.

Behind them rises Mount Rainier, not just as a geographical landmark, but as a spiritual and cultural backbone. It is the watchful guardian, rooted in ancient memory, standing as a symbol of the land we belong to, not land we own, but land we are in relationship with. The evergreen trees surrounding it echo our commitment to preserve, protect, the natural world, as our ancestors have always done.

The waters below represent life, renewal, and ceremony. From these waters comes the salmon, carried proudly by one of the figures, a revered first food and relative, vital to our sustenance, traditions, and ecological balance. The salmon tells a story of migration, return, and sacrifice, a reflection of our people's journey and resilience.

Held in another hand are huckleberries, another first food, symbolizing connection to land and seasonal gathering. These foods are more than nourishment, they are cultural memory, living traditions, and reminders that every act of harvesting is an act of prayer.

The regalia, beadwork, basketry, and adornments worn by each figure are expressions of culture, not frozen in time, but alive, evolving, and passed on through generations. They reflect pride in identity, language, and history. Each pattern woven with purpose, each bead a heartbeat of tradition.
Encircled in red and black, this emblem does not just frame a community, it protects it. Red for the blood we come from, black for the land we come from. The circle is sacred. It symbolizes unity among all Tribal Nations, and it affirms that despite colonization, and forced displacement, we are still here. Still rising. Still sovereign.

Join the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) in Seattle, Washington, for its 82nd Annual Convention & Marketplace from November 16 - 21, 2025 at the Seattle Convention Center.

Now more than ever is an essential moment for Indian Country to unite, amplify voices, and shape a powerful collective future. Tribal leaders, NCAI members, Native youth, and allies from across Indian Country will gather to tackle critical issues, strategize for the future, and strengthen nation-to-nation relationships.

Additionally, attendees will be able to browse the NCAI Marketplace, which features a variety of booths ranging from Native artists to federal job recruiters and much more. Don't miss this opportunity to connect, collaborate, and contribute to the ongoing mission of NCAI. 

Stay tuned for more information, including registration opening soon!

Meet Nizhonia Toledo, the Native Youth Artist Who Designed NCAI's 82nd Annual Convention & Marketplace Logo

In this episode of The Sentinel, we honor and celebrate the Two-Spirit community. We uncover the origins of the term ‘Two-Spirit’ and how Native people acknowledge and reclaim this tradition and identity today. We listen to recorded excerpts from the Two-Spirit Panel held at the 2025 NCAI Executive Council Winter Session, where our panelists and guests discussed the community's current challenges and how tribal leaders can advocate for their Two-Spirit relatives.

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