 — The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) joins Tribal Nations across the country in mourning the passing of Spike Bighorn, a respected Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux leader, former Tribal Chairman, and longtime public servant. Bighorn dedicated his life to strengthening Tribal governance and improving federal programs serving Native people, including years of leadership within the Bureaus of Indian Affairs and Indian Education, where he worked to make systems more responsive to Tribal Nations and Native students. He was equally committed to inspiring the next generation, speaking directly to Native high school students through initiatives such as the “I Care If You Graduate!” series to encourage them to pursue education and overcome barriers.

Beyond his work in government, Bighorn was known as a rezball legend and one of the first Native American referees to officiate at Montana state basketball tournaments, opening doors for future generations of Native athletes and officials and inspiring Native youth far beyond the court.

“Spike Bighorn’s life was defined by service to his people,” said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr. “From the council chambers at Fort Peck to his work in federal service and his example on the basketball court, he showed what it means to lead with humility, integrity, and love for community. NCAI extends our deepest condolences to his family, the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, and all who were touched by his leadership and friendship.”

NCAI honors the life and legacy of Spike Bighorn and commits to carrying forward his vision of strong, self-determined tribal nations, thriving Native students, and resilient Native communities across Indian Country.

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.

National Congress of American Indians Mourns the Passing of Former Fort Peck Tribal Chairman Spike Bighorn

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) strongly requests the Department of Education (ED) immediately hold meaningful Tribal consultation on its transfer of the administration of programs across Elementary and Secondary Education as well as Postsecondary Education to agencies outside of ED. This decision by ED, done without input from Tribes, weighs heavily on the future of our next generation, as NCAI underscored in our March 2025 statement on proposed transfers of Tribal-serving education programs. 

The Administration has had more than eight months to engage in meaningful, government-to-government consultation with Tribal Nations before taking final action. Rather than fulfill its trust and treaty obligations to the Native learners of this country, ED announced the dismantling and transfer of Native education programs on November 18, 2025 — during NCAI’s 82nd Annual Convention & Marketplace — at the very moment when Tribal leaders, Native educators, youth, and stakeholders had gathered to discuss these issues and, together, passed two resolutions reaffirming the need to protect Native education programs and honor Tribal consultation. Moving forward with these inter-agency agreements without prior, robust consultation not only disregards the federal trust and treaty responsibility, it sidelines the very governments most impacted by changes to Title VI, Native language, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian education, Tribal college programs, and Impact Aid.

“We gathered in Seattle for NCAI’s 82nd Annual Convention & Marketplace to strengthen Tribal sovereignty, protect our children’s futures, and speak with one voice on issues just like this,” said NCAI President Mark Macarro. “Instead, while Tribal leaders, educators, and students were meeting in good faith and passing resolutions to safeguard Native education, key programs were dismantled and reassigned without the meaningful, government-to-government consultation we have been calling for since March. Our message is simple: Do not make decisions about Native education without Native Nations at the table. We expect the Departments of Education, Interior, and Labor to pause implementation and immediately engage in formal consultation with Tribal leaders to ensure these changes strengthen — not weaken — services to our children and communities.”

Last week, NCAI passed two resolutions related to the ED actions: SEA-25-024, '

Requiring Tribal Consent in All Matters Related to the Education of American Indian and Alaska Native Students and Changes to the Department of Education' 

Protection of Native Serving Programs by Ensuring Robust Staffing Levels for all Indian Education Programs

.' Through these resolutions, NCAI opposes “the dismantlement or winding down of the U.S. Department of Education and the signing of Inter-Agency Transfers without Tribal Consultation and Tribal consent,” demands Tribal consultation happen before any programs are transferred, and demands, if programs are transferred, that ED detail all current staff with the expertise of administering the programs and funding transferred to the recipient agencies.

NCAI calls on the Department of Education, the Interior, and Labor to immediately conduct formal Tribal leader-driven consultation on all aspects of these transfers — including Interior’s capacity to absorb additional responsibilities — before further implementation proceeds. NCAI further calls on Congress to immediately schedule oversight hearings on the ED action, focusing on the lack of Tribal involvement in the decision-making process and the impact of any proposed transfer of funding and programs on Native learners.

Together with Tribal Nations, Native educators, families, and students, NCAI stands ready to work with the Administration and Congress to design solutions that truly honor Tribal sovereignty and strengthen — not undermine — Native education. Our children deserve more than unilateral decisions made without their Nations at the table; they deserve stable, well-resourced programs that reflect their languages, cultures, and inherent rights. NCAI will continue to press for full transparency, robust consultation, and concrete action to ensure that every change in federal education policy moves us closer to educational equity, Native self-determination, and brighter futures for the next seven generations.

About the National Congress of American Indians:

NCAI Calls for Immediate Meaningful Tribal Consultation Prior to Transfer of Native Education Programs

Officers elected to serve on the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Executive Committee for the 2025–2027 term were sworn in Friday during the final general assembly of NCAI's 82nd Annual Convention & Marketplace in Seattle, Washington. The Convention brought together Tribal leaders, delegates, and citizens from across Indian Country to conduct the vital business of the organization and elect its leadership.

Following nominations and candidate speeches earlier in the week, NCAI delegates and individual members voted Thursday to elect the following leaders who will guide the organization’s work for a two-year term:

Mark Macarro, Chairman, Pechanga Band of Indians

Brian Weeden, Chairman, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe

Christie Modlin, Secretary, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma

Ashley Cornforth, Secretary/Treasurer, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community

A full list of NCAI’s Executive Committee, including Regional Vice Presidents and Alternate Vice Presidents, is available on NCAI’s website at 

“These elections are more than a procedural step — they are a statement of who we are as Tribal Nations,” said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr. “At a time when a federal government shutdown, funding uncertainty, and travel disruptions could have kept people home, Indian Country chose to show up. Our delegates and members traveled long distances, navigated changing flight schedules and worked through real hardships because they understand the power of coming together. That commitment is what strengthens Tribal sovereignty and ensures our voices are heard at every level of government.”

The record turnout and successful elections demonstrate the resilience of Tribal leaders and communities. “Even when the federal government is gridlocked, Indian Country is not,” Wright continued. “We come together to debate, even disagree at times, but ultimately unite around a shared agenda for our people. The leaders elected this week carry the trust of their Tribal Nation and Indian Country as a collective. Together, we will press for stable funding, respect for Tribal sovereignty and solutions that reflect our Nations’ priorities.”

The newly elected Executive Committee will work alongside NCAI’s team, members, partners, and allies to advance policy priorities — including those reflected in the nearly 100 resolutions passed via consensus by NCAI membership this week — that uphold Tribal sovereignty, protect treaty and trust obligations, and improve the lives of Native people across the United States.


National Congress of American Indians Announces 2025 Election Results at 82nd Annual Convention & Marketplace

 – The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) today released the Tribal Workforce Development Toolkit 2.0 at its Annual Convention in Seattle, Washington. This updated, comprehensive resource is designed to help Tribal Nations, Native organizations, and Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) make informed, strategic decisions that strengthen local workforces and economies. Building on the original 2018 edition used by Tribal governments and partners across Indian Country, the new toolkit distills effective practices and lessons learned from the field, adding practical tools that leaders can apply immediately. Toolkit 2.0 includes:

15 strategic considerations for workforce development;

30 “Indian Country Snapshot” summaries of leading workforce development approaches;

a new “Visualizing Workforce Development” infographic section;

100+ governance self-assessment questions; and

80+ policy tips based on lessons learned and proven strategies from the field.

“Toolkit 2.0 reflects the wisdom and practicality of Tribal self-determination, and the innovation that follows when that self-determination is fully and freely expressed,” said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr. “We are grateful to the Northwest Area Foundation for its continued partnership in making accessible governance resources available to Tribal leaders and practitioners.”

“As someone who led an intertribal workforce development non-profit organization in my home state of Louisiana for more than two decades, I can say firsthand that this extraordinary resource should be 

 go-to desk reference for Tribal leaders, workforce development practitioners, and others who do the hard work of developing the workforce skills of Native people each and every day,” said Lora Ann Chaisson, Principal Chief of the United Houma Nation and NCAI Alternate Vice-President for the Southeast Region. “It translates proven Indian Country strategies and effective approaches into practical steps we can replicate to build our Nations for the next seven generations.”

“This toolkit is an amazing blueprint and roadmap to build our capacity for sustaining self-determination and self-governance for the next 50 years,” added Regis Pecos, Former Governor of Pueblo de Cochiti. “Thank you, NCAI, for your vision and highlighting the many extraordinary ways people across Indian Country are responding to their respective challenges in incredibly resilient ways.”

To access the digital version of the new toolkit and its online resource center, please visit: 

. Limited printed copies upon request on a first-come, first-served basis.

NCAI Launches Version 2.0 of “Tribal Workforce Development” Toolkit to Drive Strategic Decision Making and Action Across Indian Country

Today, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) opened its 82nd Annual Convention & Marketplace in Seattle, Washington. The Convention will run through Friday, November 21. As the nation’s largest and longest-running convening dedicated to Tribal sovereignty and self-determination, the NCAI Annual Convention brings together Tribal leaders, youth, elders, advocates, and partners from across Indian Country to set a unified policy agenda, conduct organizational business, and celebrate Native innovation and culture.

“Each year, NCAI’s Annual Convention serves as Indian Country’s compass – we deliberate, decide, and deliver on priorities that strengthen Tribal Nations,” said NCAI President Mark Macarro. “Seattle’s deep ties to Native peoples and its role as a national hub for innovation make it an ideal host city for our 82nd convention.”

“From plenary sessions and federal briefings and consultation to committee work and the resolutions process, this gathering is where collaboration becomes action,” said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr. “This week, we’ll navigate hard, honest conversations about the current climate of our Tribal Nations and amplify the important work to protect our most vulnerable and our sovereignty. Our charge is clear: turn dialogue into action that safeguards children, honors elders, and strengthens every Tribal Nation.”

Throughout the week, attendees will participate in General Assembly sessions featuring national addresses from Tribal leadership and federal partners, engage in policy meetings that inform NCAI’s advocacy, and consider and vote on resolutions that guide the organization’s positions on issues impacting Tribal Nations. The Marketplace will showcase Native businesses, artists, nonprofits, and government and corporate partners. Programming will uplift intergenerational leadership through youth and elder engagement and offer opportunities to celebrate the cultures and traditions of Tribal Nations.

NCAI Opens 82nd Annual Convention & Marketplace in Seattle, Washington

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) welcomes the bipartisan agreement passed by Congress to reopen the federal government and restore stability to critical services relied upon by Tribal Nations and families across the country. We acknowledge lawmakers from both parties worked through significant differences to reach this outcome and keep key programs operating through the end of the year. We look forward to President Trump signing this into law and for funding to start flowing to Tribal Nations soon.

This agreement, coupled with the continuing availability of advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service (IHS), helps ensure Native patients and providers experience fewer disruptions in care. During the shutdown, IHS operations remained largely open because of advance appropriations — an important legislative victory Indian Country fought for — and today’s action helps maintain that stability as other agencies resume operation.

But stability also depends on Congress extending the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of 2025. If allowed to lapse, average premium payments for subsidized Marketplace enrollees, which includes Tribal Citizens and Employees, are projected to more than double in 2026, driving coverage losses and pushing more uncompensated care onto hospitals and local governments — costs that ultimately raise prices for everyone. NCAI is encouraged by a growing number of members of Congress who are coming together to negotiate a deal that would prevent sharp premium hikes, coverage losses, and downstream strain on community health systems.

Importantly, reopening the government restores funding for nutrition assistance programs — including SNAP — so states can resume issuing benefits that millions of families experienced during the shutdown.

Still, this moment underscores an enduring reality: temporary fixes are not enough. Government shutdowns and stop-gap funding force Tribal governments to divert time and resources away from serving our people. NCAI renews our call for Congress and the Administration to enact forward funding and, where appropriate, mandatory funding for all Tribal programs — across IHS, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), and other federal agencies — to fully honor trust and treaty obligations and shield essential services from political brinkmanship. Data and testimonies obtained during the shutdown made clear how fragile the status quo is for Tribal communities; the solution is lasting, structural funding reform.

NCAI stands ready to work with our bipartisan champions to ensure that the lessons of this shutdown lead to permanent protections for Tribal Nations and the citizens we serve.

NCAI Statement on Bipartisan Agreement to Reopen the Federal Government 

View the 2025 Resolutions in Progress, below. Resolutions will be linked and viewable through this online tracker. It will be updated with the final adopted resolutions within two weeks of the conclusion of the Annual Convention. You can view and download the resolutions by clicking the Resolution Number.

2025 Annual Final Resolutions Available Soon 

WASHINGTON, D.C. | The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) calls on the Administration to immediately utilize United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) emergency funds for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to ensure uninterrupted benefits across Indian Country, so no person goes hungry. One in four Tribal citizens experiences food insecurity. As a result, an estimated 170,000–500,000 Tribal members who are unable to participate in the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) participate in SNAP. 

Allowing SNAP to go unfunded for the first time in the program’s history is a choice. Healthy food access is not optional. As of November 5, 2025, we are now in the longest shutdown in American history. Indian Country will not accept austerity imposed on our most vulnerable families and communities because of federal political impasse.

“If the United States can simply suspend access to food during a shutdown, then every promise to safeguard our rights and well-being becomes conditional on political convenience. That is unacceptable by any measure,” said NCAI President Mark Macarro. “The federal trust responsibility exists because this government took our homelands and pledged to protect Tribal Nations’ welfare. SNAP is an important mechanism to guarantee that responsibility by making certain that our children, families, and communities are fed. Let this be the last time that Native American Heritage Month opens with hunger instead of honor.”

November 1, 2025, the day that SNAP benefits stopped, was also the first day of Native American Heritage Month — a time to reflect on the contributions of Native Americans and Alaska Natives to this country, as well as the sacrifices made that give rise to the federal government’s trust and treaty obligations.

Indian Country cannot simply “fill the gap” left by this shutdown. The ability to build fully resourced, sovereign food systems has been systematically obstructed by federal policy for generations. In fact, the failure to fund SNAP evokes one of the darkest chapters of federal policy when the United States sought to eliminate buffalo to starve Tribal Nations of their food supply. This moment carries the same disregard for our humanity. The United States cannot spend over two centuries destroying, then preventing Tribal Nations from developing independent food infrastructure, and now act as if withholding federal obligations is a neutral act. Refusing to fund SNAP results in immediate material harm created by the same federal system that led to these conditions in the first place.

NCAI has been working closely with the Native Farm Bill Coalition, as a founding member, to address this issue and ensure this Administration immediately supports the continuity of benefits for SNAP recipients until Congress reopens the government, supports Tribal administration and self-governance options, and honors, in practice, the federal trust responsibility demonstrated through SNAP.

NCAI Calls on the Administration to Honor the Federal Trust Responsibility: Restore Full Funding for Nutrition Programs Serving Tribal Nations

 – The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) mourns the passing of Eugenia “Gena” Tyner-Dawson, a longtime federal and Tribal policy leader working to make Tribal communities safer and eliminate the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples crisis.

Gena, a native of Wichita, Kansas, was a member of the Sac and Fox Nation and descendant of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma. Her career began in law enforcement and direct Tribal service as a Certified Peace Officer in Oklahoma. She spent 11 years serving her own Tribal Nation – directing core community programs and serving in multiple governance roles including volunteering as a deputy court clerk and reserve police officer.

From there, she became a lobbyist for Tribal governments and national Tribal organizations in Washington, D.C. She entered federal service in 1998 with the Indian Health Service (IHS), Office of Tribal Self-Governance. She spent nearly 30-years working throughout the federal government, most recently serving for 7 years in the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) as Senior Policy Advisor for the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, Justice Policy Coordinator, and as the Not Invisible Act Coordinator the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services. Gena retired from federal service in February 2025. Even in retirement she was a fierce advocate for her community, recently running for and being elected Treasurer for Sac and Fox Nation.

Before joining the DOI, she spent over two decades working in federal leadership across the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and IHS impacting Tribal policy at national scale, including her time as Senior Advisor to the Assistant Attorney General for Tribal Affairs & Executive Director of the DOJ Justice Programs Council on Native American Affairs. She also served as Acting Executive Director of the HHS Intradepartmental Council on Native American Affairs and Acting Deputy Director of the Indian Health Service.

A trusted advisor to Cabinet-level leadership across multiple federal departments, Gena directed major Tribal government programs in housing, social services, education, public safety, health, and governance. In recognition for her exceptional leadership in advancing Tribal sovereignty and intergovernmental coordination, she was awarded the 2019 NCAI Governmental Leadership Award and honored by the Sac and Fox Nation at the 2019 Executive Council Winter Session.

“Gena believed that if we worked together we could create a better future for our children, families and communities,” said Meghan Bishop, Director of Policy who worked closely with Gena at DOI. “Gena was tough, fierce, and held everyone to account - she believed firmly in a future that was free of violence and full of hope.”

“For decades, Eugenia advanced Tribal public safety and justice – linking federal policy to on-the-ground solutions for MMIP, survivor support, and law enforcement capacity,” said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr. “Because of her leadership, more Tribal Nations have the tools to protect our people and pursue justice. We honor her by continuing this work with urgency and purpose.”

NCAI extends our deepest condolences to the Tyner-Dawson family, Sac and Fox Nation, and to all who are grieving the loss of such a hero. We honor her dedication and integrity through our work as we carry on the legacy of her achievements.

NCAI Mourns the Passing of Eugenia Tyner-Dawson

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) extends its deepest compassion and support to the Alaska Native communities impacted by the record-breaking storm surge that struck Western Alaska, including the villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok. The disaster unleashed by Typhoon Halong has resulted in the loss of life, missing persons, and the displacement of more than 1,500 people across 49 communities. Homes have been destroyed, critical infrastructure compromised, and essential subsistence resources disrupted.

At this week’s Alaska Federation of Natives Convention, NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr. affirmed NCAI’s solidarity with Alaska Native communities. “In these hardest moments, your strength has been undeniable — neighbors helping neighbors, communities rallying overnight,” said Wright. “But this is who we are. We grieve, and keep going. We adapt, and hold the line.” He underscored NCAI’s commitment to working with Tribal, state, and federal partners to secure resources for immediate relief and long-term resilience that honors Tribal sovereignty and protects the well-being of Alaska Native peoples.

NCAI is working with Tribal leaders and partners to elevate the immediate needs of those impacted, including, but not limited to providing safe temporary housing and winter gear; heating fuel and generators; food, water, and medicine; and support to rebuild homes and community infrastructure. Without swift assistance, the risks to health and safety will grow as conditions worsen in the coming weeks.

“Elders, children, and families are facing imminent freezing temperatures without secure housing and subsistence stores for winter are gone,” said Wright. “Indian Country knows what it means to show up for one another. We are asking Tribal Nations, Native organizations, and allies to stand with Western Alaska — now.”

Western Alaska Disaster Relief Fund, housed at the Alaska Community Foundation

 to support near-term relief and long-term recovery. Every gift helps families secure warmth, shelter, and stability as they rebuild.

NCAI Extends Support Following Devastating Flooding in Western Alaska

 The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) strongly condemns the large-scale reductions in force (RIFs) purportedly resulting from the ongoing government shutdown, which disproportionately impact Tribal programs — particularly those supporting health care, housing, economic development, and education in Native communities.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought’s notice that “The RIFs have begun” on X (formerly known as Twitter) obscures the fact that these cuts represent the people and programs that are essential to the basic functioning of Tribes and their communities. Any reductions in force represent an immediate and direct threat to the sovereignty, well-being, and future of Tribal Nations, undermining decades of progress toward equitable federal-Tribal relations and self-determination, and are a direct affront to self-governance and self-determination.

"Targeting people who manage and support programs that are the backbone of Tribal communities — our health, our homes, our economic futures, and our children's education — is not just short-sighted, it's an abdication of the federal government’s trust and treaty obligations," said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr. "Our communities are not expendable. These actions are a betrayal of the promises made to Tribal Nations, and we will not remain silent as the very infrastructure of our future is dismantled."

This year is the 50th anniversary of the passage of the 

Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA)

, which shifted the United States government’s policy from one of Indian reorganization to self-determination. In the past 10 months, Tribal Nations have seen continued impact on the people, programs, and funding that are fundamental to Tribal self-determination, upholding trust and treaty obligations, and bound to Tribal Nations’ inherent right to sovereignty. These hits collectively undermine the intent and purpose of ISDEAA. The actions taken by OMB and agencies are an affront to the government-to-government relationship between the United States and Tribes, and must not stand.

NCAI calls upon the Office of Management and Budget and subject agencies to immediately rescind these ill-advised reductions in force, restore positions and funding appropriated to Tribes and Tribal programs, and uphold its responsibility to consult with Tribal Nations before taking actions that affect our people. NCAI further urges Congress to end the shutdown immediately and fully fund Tribal programs to prevent further disruption across Indian Country.

Tribal Nations have honored their commitments. It is past time for the federal government to do the same.

Access NCAI's Resource Hub on the Federal Shutdown Here

NCAI Strongly Condemns Large-Scale Federal Layoffs Harming Tribal Programs

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.


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

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be hosting Tribal Consultations notwithstanding the federal government shutdown. To access registration links and further details, please visit the event pages below:

USDA Tribal Consultations on the Department Reorganization Plan in D.C.

 | Tuesday, October 14 at 2:00-5:00 p.m. ET

USDA Tribal Consultations on the Department Reorganization Plan in Denver, CO

 | Thursday, October 16 at 12:00-3:00 p.m. MT

USDA Tribal Consultation on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

 | Wednesday, October 22 at 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET

USDA to Host Tribal Consultations Notwithstanding Federal Government Shutdown

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

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.

Tribal Trust Land Reaffirmation Act (H.R. 5257)

, aims to resolve a significant legal issue that has affected Tribal Nations for over a decade.

In 2009, the Supreme Court's decision in Carcieri v. Salazar created uncertainty regarding Tribal trust lands. The ruling limited the Department of the Interior's authority to take land into trust to only those Tribal Nations "under federal jurisdiction" as of 1934. This decision upended 75 years of federal practice and led to costly lawsuits challenging the status of Tribal lands, creating heavy administrative burdens for both Tribal Nations and the federal government.

The Tribal Trust Land Reaffirmation Act offers a straightforward solution. The bill legally reaffirms the status of all land taken into trust for any federally recognized Tribal Nation before the bill's enactment.

" because it secures all past land-into-trust actions but does not alter the process for future applications.

Trust land is essential for Tribal Nations to build housing, schools, and hospitals and to pursue economic development. By reaffirming the status of these lands, the legislation seeks to restore stability and protect Tribal sovereignty from expensive and burdensome lawsuits.

Tribal Trust Land Reaffirmation Act One-Pager

As legislation moves forward, future updates will be posted on the Lands and Natural Resources policy advocacy page.

Unpacking the "Carcieri Fix" and What H.R. 5257 Means for Tribal Sovereignty

— 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) mobilized Tribal leaders and organizations from across Indian Country this week for the 2025 Tribal Unity Impact Days, held September 16–18 in Washington, D.C. Over the three-day event, Tribal leaders met directly with members of U.S. Congress, Congressional staff, and federal agencies to advocate for the priorities of Tribal Nations and reaffirm the inherent sovereignty of Native Peoples.

Throughout the week, leaders highlighted critical policy issues, including, but not limited to: Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations, public safety, housing, Tribal taxation and economic development, self-determination, Tribal sovereignty and self-governance, agency hiring freezes, and holistic approaches to supporting the well-being of American Indian and Alaska Native families.

“This gathering demonstrates the strength and unity of Tribal Nations when we speak with one voice,” said NCAI President Mark Macarro. “Tribal Unity Impact Days is a reminder to Congress and federal partners that sovereignty is not negotiable; It is the foundation of our government-to-government relationship. Together, we are advancing solutions for the future of Indian Country.”

On Capitol Hill, Tribal leaders met with members of Congress, ensuring that Native voices remain central to the federal decision-making process. The event concluded with a press session at NCAI’s Embassy of Tribal Nations, where leaders emphasized that sustained, long-term investments in Tribal communities are necessary for self-determination and success.

“Indian Country has always persevered in the face of challenges,” added NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr. “By standing together, we honor the strength of our ancestors and continue the work of building a stronger future for Tribal Nations. We thank the members of Congress and the administration who stand with us... Thank you for listening and committing to a stronger Nation-to-Nation relationship.”

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 

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