Embassy of Tribal Nations – Washington, DC -

 On Friday October 12, 2012 the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a 

 regarding the enforcement of laws that affect the ability of members of federally recognized Indian tribes to possess or use eagle feathers. The new policy is the result of numerous consultations with tribal leaders, tribal nations, and individuals. The policy covers all federally protected birds, bird feathers, and bird parts. 

In response the National Congress of American Indians released the following statement acknowledging the important step this policy represents:

“Eagle feathers are of great spiritual and cultural significance to many tribal nations and their citizens, and we view the Administration’s new policy as a positive step toward addressing the use and possession of these sacred items. We are hopeful that this policy will protect the rights of all Native peoples to practice their religion without fear of interference by federal officials,” said Robert Holden, Deputy Director of NCAI, the nation’s oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native advocacy organization. “After decades of confusion, this new policy clarifies the position of the federal government in a manner that strikes a more equitable balance between the rights of Native American practitioners and the preservation of eagles.”

NCAI has convened Eagle Feathers Work Group meetings with DOJ officials numerous times during the policy drafting stages, and in the coming weeks, the work group will take a thorough look at the new DOJ policy and its implications.


“In general, we anticipate this policy will be well received by the work group and Indian Country in general. It may well resolve some decades-old concerns and everyone who has played a role in the process—both on the tribal side and the federal side—should be commended for their efforts. We encourage continued review of the policy and urge the federal government to be very sensitive to religious freedom concerns when considering enforcement,” concluded Holden.


The DOJ policy provides that, consistent with the Department of Justice’s traditional exercise of its discretion, a member of a federally recognized tribe will not be subjected to federal prosecution for certain types of conduct (see below). The Department will continue to prosecute tribal members and non-members alike for violating federal laws that prohibit the killing of eagles and other migratory birds or the buying or selling of the feathers or other parts of such birds. The new policy makes clear that DOJ’s priority is on large-scale commercial cases and incidents of illegal poaching, not the every-day use and possession of eagle parts and feathers by tribal members.

The policy provides that, consistent with the Department of Justice’s traditional exercise of its discretion, a member of a federally recognized tribe engaged only in the following types of conduct will not be subject to prosecution:

Possessing, using, wearing or carrying federally protected birds, bird feathers or other bird parts (federally protected bird parts);

Traveling domestically with federally protected bird parts or, if tribal members obtain and comply with necessary permits, traveling internationally with such items;

Picking up naturally molted or fallen feathers found in the wild, without molesting or disturbing federally protected birds or their nests;

Giving or loaning federally protected bird parts to other members of federally recognized tribes, without compensation of any kind;

Exchanging federally protected bird parts for federally protected bird parts with other members of federally recognized tribes, without compensation of any kind;

Providing the feathers or other parts of federally protected birds to craftspersons who are members of federally recognized tribes to be fashioned into objects for eventual use in tribal religious or cultural activities.

NCAI Statement on DOJ Announcement of Department-wide Policy on Eagle Feather Use & Possession

National tribal organization calls for civil discourse
and immediate stop to politicization of Native identity

Embassy of Tribal Nations - Washington, DC --

 The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) issued the following statement in the wake of recent developments in the Massachusetts Senate election contest between incumbent Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown and his opponent, Elizabeth Warren, who has stated she descends from Cherokee and Delaware Indian ancestry. 

NCAI, a non-partisan organization, is the nation’s oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native advocacy organization in the country.

NCAI Executive Director Jacqueline Pata released the following statement:

“In the last week, the Massachusetts Senate race reached an extremely disturbing place. The National Congress of American Indians is calling for the candidates to return civility to the public discourse and to immediately stop the politicization of Native identity. On Tuesday, 

video footage was released showing Senator Brown’s staff

 leading crowds in ‘war whooping’ and ‘tomahawk chopping’ during a clash with Warren supporters. Additionally, last Thursday Senator Brown made inflammatory remarks about Warren’s skin color as an indicator that she is not of Native descent.

The video footage of Senator Brown’s staff engaged in ‘war whooping’ and ‘tomahawk chopping’ is not only offensive and demeaning to Native Americans it is also demoralizing to citizens across the country. It’s concerning that experienced staff members of a United States Senator would act this way; Senator Brown should take corrective action immediately. These actions belittle the democratic process and are emblematic of an irresponsible public discourse on race and Native identity by misinformed individuals and the media.

Elizabeth Warren also bears responsibility for allowing the public discourse about Native identity to become misrepresented. She has every right to be proud of her family, however her campaign failed to educate a non-Native media and the public unfamiliar with federal tribal enrollment rules or about historic federal policies that make proving Native ancestry very difficult for some people. Finally, Warren’s campaign did not respond to requests for interviews from Native media organizations. All of these actions could have gone a long way to reducing tension and increasing awareness.

The video released of Brown’s staffers comes just days after Senator Brown 

responded to a question during the opening

 of a September 20, 2012 televised debate between the two candidates in which he referred to Warren’s white skin color as proof that she is not of Native American descent in response to an opening question about character, “I think character is important…what you are referring to is the fact that Professor Warren claimed she is a Native American, a person of color, and as you can see, she is not.”

Skin color or physical appearance has no bearing on one’s Native American heritage or status as an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe. As a result, numerous national television programs and websites have irresponsibly echoed Senator Brown’s statements by referring to someone’s skin color as an indicator for Native American identity. These claims are false and Senator Brown should correct the record and retract his statement immediately.

NCAI is concerned by the negative and racially charged statements and actions that are the result of the politicization of the issue of Native ancestry. This issue has no bearing on the qualifications to be the Senator of Massachusetts.

Native American peoples have long endured discrimination and we will not tolerate, nor should the American people tolerate, a return to hostile environments or ignorant discourse about America’s first peoples. Nor should we tolerate a hostile environment about a common characteristic many people share, a connection to Native American ancestry.

Today, Native people are proud of our ancestors, our place in the American family of governments, and we will not stand for irresponsible behavior or public discourse.”

 - 5.2 million or 1.7 percent of the U.S. population are American Indian or Alaska Native, including those of more than one race. Of this total, 2.9 million were American Indian and Alaska Native only, and 2.3 million were American Indian and Alaska Native in combination with one or more other races. Source: 2010 Census Brief: Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin 

http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-02.pdf

“Tribal enrollment criteria are set forth in tribal constitutions, articles of incorporation or ordinances. The criterion varies from tribe to tribe, so uniform membership requirements do not exist.

Two common requirements for membership are lineal decendency from someone named on the tribe's base roll or relationship to a tribal member who descended from someone named on the base roll. (A "base roll" is the original list of members as designated in a tribal constitution or other document specifying enrollment criteria.) Other conditions such as tribal blood quantum, tribal residency, or continued contact with the tribe are common.”


About the Senator of Massachusetts Responsibilities.

 In addition to representing the State of Massachusetts, a Senator from the Bay State is one of 100 members of the Senate who engage in nation-to-nation relations between the 566 federally recognized tribal nations in the United States and the federal government. A Massachusetts Senator is also one of two members of the U.S. Senate who represent a state with two federally recognized tribes, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah).

NCAI Characterizes Massachusetts Senate Campaign as “Extremely Disturbing”

Unanimous Passage for both Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Confirmation and FEMA Reauthorization in House

NCAI Calls for Congress to Sustain Momentum in November - VAWA, Carcieri, and Indian Budget Priorities Remain

NCAI Releases Tribal Budget and Fiscal Cliff Analysis

Embassy of Tribal Nations - Washington, DC

 – The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is applauding the immediate successes resulting from last week’s second annual Tribal Unity Impact Week on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. The week of advocacy efforts was co-hosted by NCAI, in partnership with the California Association of Tribal Governments, the Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association, the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, the United South and Eastern Tribes, and the Navajo Nation.

By the end of the week, the House of Representatives had passed the FEMA Reauthorization Act of 2012, which includes tribal amendments to the Stafford Act, and the Senate had confirmed the nomination of Kevin Washburn, Dean of the University of New Mexico’s School of Law, as the new Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs.

“The unified efforts of tribal leaders and advocates last week brought an immediate impact and offers encouraging signs for our remaining priorities,” said Jefferson Keel, President of NCAI. “Two goals of Indian Country were achieved last week with the passage of the FEMA reauthorization in the House and the confirmation of the new Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs by the Senate. In this political environment it says a lot about the non-partisan nature of the U.S. government’s trust responsibility to tribal nations and the importance of tribal unity efforts in Washington, D.C. – we’re very pleased and grateful for all our partners’ efforts.

"At the same time, land restoration legislation to provide a clean fix for the 

 Supreme Court and legislation which supports local protection for our Native women remain unresolved," said Keel. "It’s vital that members of Congress are prepared to act in November, and all Tribal Unity Impact Week partners will be working to engage Congress during the lame duck session.”

During the two days of in-person meetings with members of Congress, government agencies, and Administration officials, tribal leaders and Indian Country advocates outlined five immediate priorities that had been identified for collaborative action by a number of regional inter-tribal organizations and the Navajo Nation, and NCAI.

The top five priorities of Tribal Unity Impact Week included strengthening tribal land restoration and addressing the 

 decision; protecting Native women through the passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA); securing the Indian budget; strengthening tribal emergency and disaster response capabilities for tribes by amending the Stafford Act; and confirming the nomination of Kevin Washburn as the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs.



FEMA Reauthorization & Amendments to the Stafford Act

On Wednesday, in the hours following the kickoff of Tribal Unity Impact Week and tribal leader meetings with members of Congress, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2903, the FEMA Reauthorization Act of 2012. The bill, which includes tribe-specific amendments to the Stafford Act, passed unanimously. The amendment to the Stafford Act, offered into the bill by Congressman Rahall (D-WV3), offers the option for federally recognized Indian tribes to make direct requests for emergency or disaster declarations by the President of the United States.

Addressing Tribal Unity Impact Week, FEMA’s Chief Counsel Brad Kieserman said "tribes are coequal sovereigns" and the Stafford Act should recognize that reality. The amendments passed in the House bill achieve this objective.

In November, the Senate is set to review H.R. 2903, as well as Senate bill 2283, introduced by Senator Tester (D-MT), which also includes a tribal amendment to the Stafford Act.

The key difference between the two bills is the House bill includes the tribal amendment within a larger FEMA Reauthorization. This gives the Senate Committee more language to consider before passing the bill than the Senate bill, which only contains language for a tribal amendment to the Stafford Act.



Washburn Confirmed as Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs

On late Friday, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs unanimously passed the nomination of Kevin Washburn, nominee for the Department of the Interior’s Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. Washburn’s nomination moved out of Committee and made it to the Senate floor on Friday evening where he was duly confirmed as the new Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs.

The nomination came following 

sustained and overwhelming support from Indian Country, including efforts led by NCAI

, for the past several weeks following the nomination in early August. In the week leading up to Tribal Unity Impact Week the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held Washburn’s confirmation hearing. Leaders and advocates called for a swift and immediate confirmation during Tribal Unity Impact Week.

NCAI congratulates Assistant Secretary Washburn on his confirmation.



Securing the Tribal Budget and the Fiscal Cliff

With an impending sequestration on the horizon, NCAI focused on what’s being labeled as the “fiscal cliff” and the budget concerns for Indian Country during Tribal Unity Impact Week. NCAI released a tribal budget analysis titled 

‘Honoring the Federal Trust Responsibility in the Federal Budget’

 during the week and delivered copies to tribal leaders and Hill staff. In addition, tribal leaders met with the Office of Management and Budget and various members of Congress urging them to recognize that the federal trust obligation to Indian tribes must be honored and tribal programs must be protected in any deal to reduce the national debt. Tribal leaders discussed the potential effects of sequestration on Indian tribal governments and highlighted the serious community impacts of 8.2 percent across-the-board cuts.



Tribal Unity Impact Week also highlighted two major legislative priorities for Indian Country that have yet to be resolved by Congress; the tribal provisions in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and a clean fix to the Supreme Court’s decision in 

. Given encouraging progress on both pieces of legislation, tribal advocates encouraged final passage without further delay.



 The tribal provisions of VAWA give Indian tribes local criminal jurisdiction over all crimes of domestic violence where the offender has significant ties to the reservation. Indian Country has reached out to Congress and asked that it pass legislation to protect Native women at the local level from instances of domestic violence. The Senate responded with Title 9 of S. 1925, which would allow Indian tribes to prosecute all persons with sufficient ties to the tribe who batter their Indian spouses or partners.



 Since last year’s Tribal Unity Impact Week, the Supreme Court handed down another decision, further eroding tribal land into trust policy. The recent decision in 

Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Potowatomi v. Patchak

, disregards decades of interpretation of the Quiet Title Act to permit retroactive challenges to the status of federal Indian trust land many years after it has been placed in trust.

Last week, tribal leaders highlighted the recent 

 decision as evidence of the problems the 

 decision created when it effectively divided tribes into two categories: tribes federally recognized prior to 1934, for which the Secretary of the Interior has the authority to take land into trust on behalf of; and tribes recognized after 1934, which the Secretary of the Interior lacks the authority to take land into trust for.

During Impact Week, tribal leaders reminded members of Congress that the right to acquire land for government purposes is one of the core bundles of rights reserved for tribal nations, and must be protected as a core principle within the federal trust responsibility towards Indian tribes.

Tribal Unity Impact Week Delivers “Immediate Impact” for Indian Country

Embassy of Tribal Nations in Washington, D.C. important part of Crooks legacy

Washington, DC – The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) released a statement today reflecting on the life and contributions of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Chairman Stanley R. Crooks, a lifetime member of NCAI and prominent leader in Indian Country, who passed away this past Saturday August 25, 2012 from natural causes.

“Chairman Crooks was a dedicated Lifetime Member of NCAI and his passion for making Indian Country stronger was only surpassed by his love for his family and community. He was bold, and he carried with him the pride and courage of the Dakota people. We are sure there will be generations of great leaders who will walk in his footsteps and continue the vision of the nation he led and the efforts he supported,” said Jefferson Keel, President of NCAI, and Lt. Governor of the Chickasaw Nation.

“Chairman Crooks will long be remembered at NCAI for his many contributions to Indian Country and his steadfast support for a unified voice for Indian Country. One of his greatest gifts to NCAI – and Indian Country – was his leadership, and that of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community in helping to establish the Embassy of Tribal Nations in Washington, D.C. The legacy of Stanley Crooks’ leadership is honored every time a tribal leader or citizen walks in the doors of our great Embassy; when a foreign dignitary or senior U.S. government official visits to build stronger ties between nations; when NCAI staff members arrive every day to work for the betterment of Indian Country. In the Embassy of Tribal Nations, his legacy will live on to the seventh generation, and beyond, and for that Indian Country should be forever grateful to Chairman Crooks and the nation he led for so many years.”

In February of 2006, the Shakopee Nation, led by Chairman Crooks, became the first Eagle level donor, establishing a challenge grant in the sum of $1 million, calling on other tribes to engage in the Embassy of Tribal Nations Capital Campaign project. In 2009, the Embassy of Tribal Nations was opened in the heart of Washington, D.C.’s “Embassy Row.”
In April of 2006 Chairman Crooks wrote an op-ed in which he outlined the vision for the Embassy and why it was important for Indian Country to realize the longtime vision for a home in the nation’s Capital:

“The Embassy of Tribal Nations will benefit all Indian nations and all Native people for generations to come. It will give Indian nations a permanent home in our nation’s capital. With this embassy, we can work towards increasing the status of our tribes and take our rightful place among other sovereign nations of the world - giving credence and attention to issues of importance in Indian Country.

By working under the same roof with other national Indian organizations and tribes, our goal of working with one voice can be attained. With a permanent home, Indian nations will have a base from which to carry out our intergovernmental relations to protect tribal sovereignty and treaty obligations.

The Embassy of Tribal Nations is an investment in the future of Indian Country. When this building is completed, all of Indian Country will have a presence in the Nation’s Capital and the halls of Congress like never before. “ – Chairman Stanley Crooks, April 2006

In 2004 the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community contributed $100,000 to launch another important NCAI institution - the NCAI Policy Research Center – a tribally-driven research center dedicated to supporting Indian Country in shaping its own future.

Chairman Crooks’ leadership was also instrumental to a renaissance in Native philanthropy. Under his leadership, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community members have approved community donations of more than $243 million to tribes and charitable organizations since 1996 and tribal loans of more than $450 million for economic development and community development. He served as Chairman of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community for more than 20 successive years and was reelected for a new four-year term of office in January of 2012.

NCAI Remembers Stanley R. Crooks, Shakopee Mdewakanton Chairman; a Bold Tribal Leader and Lifetime Member of NCAI

Jacqueline Pata, Executive Director of the National Congress of American Indians, released the following statement on Matt Lauer’s use of the phrase “Indian Giver” on NBC’s TODAY:

“Matt Lauer of NBC’s TODAY, an international media personality, made irresponsible comments on the global stage of the 2012 Olympic Games when he used the phrase “Indian Giver” during NBC’s morning coverage of the London Olympics. These comments were not in the spirit of the Olympic Games, nor civil discourse.

Mr. Lauer’s misinformed choice of words reinforces archaic and hurtful racial stereotypes that date back to colonial America. Early commerce between tribal nations and colonial settlers required the value of goods exchanged to be of equal or greater value, or the trade was not deemed acceptable. Some colonial traders who did not uphold this ethic used this phrase to discredit tribal nations and Native traders. Now, the pejorative phrase has become associated with a person who takes back a gift. This misrepresents the original and modern cultural values of Native Americans, based on fair trade, sharing, and empowering those around them.

Native Americans have made and continue to make significant contributions to North American society and the global community – including in sports and athletics.

In London, a number of Native American athletes are competing in the 2012 Olympics including; 

, a member of the Citizen Band Potawatomi tribe of Oklahoma - synchronized duet technical swimming - and 

 a Native Hawaiian, competing as the goalie for the U.S. National Water Polo team.

It’s noteworthy that 2012 also marks the 100th anniversary of one of the more memorable Olympic moments when Jim Thorpe, a Native American considered the best athlete of the 20th Century and an All-American hero, was called the “greatest Athlete in the world” by the King of Sweden. This happened when the King of Sweden gave Thorpe of the Sac and Fox Nation, his gold medals for placing first in game’s the pentathlon and decathlon competitions. Since 1912, no other athlete has accomplished this feat.

Matt Lauer can still have his great Olympic moment and exhibit true Olympic spirit by educating NBC’s global audience about the important place of Native American’s in society and sports. Like so many athletes are doing every day in London, we hope he rises to the moment. ”

Matt Lauer’s Comments “Not in the Spirit of the Olympics,” says the National Congress of American Indians;

NCAI President Jefferson Keel Statement of Support for Nomination

Yesterday, the White House announced the nomination of Kevin Washburn to serve at the Department of Interior as the next Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. Professor Washburn is the Dean of the New Mexico School of Law, and a pre-eminent scholar on federal Indian law and policy with a particular focus on law enforcement. Washburn worked closely with NCAI in the development of the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010. Washburn is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. NCAI President Keel offered his strong support for Washburn's nomination.

"Kevin is a member of my tribe, the Chickasaw Nation, and we have known each other for many years. He has had a remarkable career, and I am very confident in his abilities," said Jefferson Keel, President of NCAI and the Lt. Governor of the Chickasaw Nation. "Law enforcement and trust reform will be two of the most important issues for the BIA in the coming years. Kevin's experience as a federal prosecutor will be a great benefit. I am also very glad that he has extensive management experience as Dean at the University of New Mexico. The BIA is moving toward a new era as a partner with tribal governments, and I believe that Kevin will be a very strong leader. "

From the White House Press Release: Kevin K. Washburn is Dean of the University of New Mexico School of Law, a position he has held since June 2009. Prior to that, he served as the Rosenstiel Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law from 2008 to 2009 and as an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota Law School from 2002 to 2008. From 2007 to 2008, Mr. Washburn was the Oneida Indian Nation Visiting Professor at Harvard Law School. Previously, he served as General Counsel for the National Indian Gaming Commission from 2000 to 2002, and as an Assistant United States Attorney in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from 1997 to 2000. Mr. Washburn was a trial attorney in the Indian Resources Section of the U.S. Department of Justice from 1994 to 1997. Mr. Washburn is a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. He earned a B.A. from the University of Oklahoma and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

President Obama Nominates Kevin Washburn to be Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs;

President Barack Obama signs H.R. 205, the HEARTH Act of 2012, in the Oval Office, July 30, 2012. Standing behind the President, from left, are: Bryan Newland, Senior Policy Advisor at the Department of the Interior; Governor Randall Vicente, Pueblo of Acoma in New Mexico; David Hayes, Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior; Jefferson Keel, President of the National Congress of American Indians; Rep. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M.; Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii; interior Secretary Ken Salazar; Cheryl Causley, Chairperson of the National American Indian Housing Council; Governor Gregory Mendoza, Gila River Indian Community of Arizona; and Del Laverdure, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Interior.

Washington, D.C. - NCAI President Jefferson Keel witnessed and applauded President Obama signing the HEARTH Act into law today.

"This is a very good new law for tribal self-determination. The law provides that Indian tribes will be able to lease their lands for up to 25 years without the need for Interior approval. This will streamline business development and housing development and create jobs on reservations across the country," President Keel said.

In a statement released following the passage of the legislation

 on July 18, 2012, Keel praised the praised the unanimous support for the HEARTH Act in both the House and Senate as an example of strong bipartisanship upholding the federal trust responsibility.

The White House released details of the signing event today on the White House blog in a post titled, 

Strengthening Tribal Communities Through the HEARTH Act

President Obama Signs HEARTH Act

Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday July 17 the Senate passed by unanimous consent, H.R. 205, the Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership (HEARTH) Act. The bill, considered critical to tribal self-determination related to leasing tribal lands and economic development, passed the House of Representatives in May, and is expected to be signed by the President in the near future. A copy of the legislation is found 

The HEARTH Act authorizes surface leasing of tribal lands without needing to obtain direct approval from the Secretary of the Interior. Instead, tribal leases can be approved by the tribe under tribal leasing regulations. The new law will enable tribes to move much more quickly on leasing and economic development, while maintaining the Secretary’s trust responsibility to oversee trust lands.

“The HEARTH Act had strong bi-partisan support. It’s unanimous passage demonstrates that Congress can make progress on important legislation for Indian Country to help create jobs and improve the economy, ” said Jefferson Keel, President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). “This new law will speed housing and other development on tribal lands because we can do it ourselves under tribal government regulations. NCAI is very appreciative of Representative Heinrich and Senator Barrasso for taking the lead introducing the HEARTH Act in the House and Senate. We also appreciate the strong support from the Administration. Working together with the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) and many tribal leaders, the bill passed with unanimous support in both the House and Senate, such incredible support and many sponsors on both sides of the aisle.”

NCAI Praises Passage of HEARTH Act, Tribal Self-Determination in Land Leasing Bill Passes House and Senate Unanimously; President Obama to Sign Legislation

US Senator Daniel Akaka stands with Native women advocates during a rally for passing a comprehensive VAWA reauthorization.

Standing with Senator Akaka, from left to right, are Jacqueline Agtuca, Public Policy Director, Clan Star, Juana Majel Dixon, NCAI First Vice President, Deborah Parker, Tulalip Tribes Vice President, and Terri Henry, Co-chair of the NCAI Task Force on Violence Against Women and Councilwoman for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Washington, D.C. – Throughout last week, NCAI’s prominent female leaders and advocates for protecting Native women came to Washington, D.C. from across Indian Country to deliver a powerful message to decision makers on Capitol Hill: protect Native women and pass VAWA now. During the week, tribal leaders and representatives, including members of NCAI’s Task Force on Violence Against Women, met with legislators and held public events to raise awareness about the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) legislation.

The group, led by co-chairs of NCAI’s Task Force on Violence Against Women, Juana Majel Dixon and Terri Henry visited members of Congress from in both chambers and from both sides of the aisle – including Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), Rep. Sandy Adams (R-FL), and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). The tribal leaders delivered a simple message: “Pass a VAWA that protects all victims now!” in hopes that the Senate will resolve the procedural problems in S.1925 and bring a bill that protects Native victims to the discussion table with the House.

The week of events also included a rally in which tribal leaders, members of Congress, advocates, and allies gathered on Capitol Hill to stand in solidarity against the 

- a version of the VAWA that excludes protections for certain groups of victims, including Native Americans. The rally marked the start of the national “

the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Against Women

. Throughout the ten day period, ally organizations and advocates promised to work to raise awareness about the importance of an inclusive version of the bill, urging Congress to support a VAWA that protects all women.

“If Native American rights and tribal provisions are not put into the current VAWA, as they were in S. 1925, we will all pay a price- not just the Native Women,” NCAI’s First Vice President Juana Majel Dixon remarked, “We can save VAWA now.”

Advocating and Protecting Native Women; NCAI Violence Against Women Task Force Leads VAWA Meetings on Capitol Hill

Washington, DC – In a 5-4 decision the Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), affirming the permanent reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA) which passed along with the ACA.

“This is an important step for health care in Indian Country; the permanence of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act has been affirmed and NCAI will stay focused on working with all members of Congress to uphold the trust responsibility to tribes,” said Jefferson Keel, President of NCAI, the nation’s oldest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native advocacy organization. “Moving forward, we are focused on improving health care for Indian Country, while ensuring the Indian Health Care Improvement Act remains protected and implemented as enacted.”

The IHCIA permanently authorizes daily health care delivery to nearly 2 million American Indians and Alaska Natives served by the Indian Health Service (IHS), who are in critical need of improved health care services. A snapshot of health conditions highlights the critical need for improving health care in Indian Country; Native people suffer from higher rates of diabetes and related illness, heart disease, and substance abuse than any other group.

The IHCIA authorizes new programs within the IHS to ensure the Service is more equipped to meet its mission to raise the health status of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level.
For example, it includes:

Authorities for new and expanded programs for mental and behavioral health treatment and prevention;

Expanded authorities for long-term care services, including home health care, assisted living and community-based care;

New authorities for development of health professional shortage demonstration programs;

Expanded authorities for funding of patient travel costs;

New authorities for demonstration projects for innovative health care facility construction;

New authorities for the provision of dialysis services;

Improvements in the Contract Health Services program, which pays for referrals;

New authorities for facilitation of care for Indian veterans; and

New authorities for urban Indian health programs.

The passage of the IHCIA on March 23, 2010 represented a fourteen year-long effort by NCAI, tribal leaders, and advocates to make permanent the legislative commitment by the federal government to deliver health care for American Indian and Alaska Natives. The IHCIA was originally passed in 1976 and last reauthorized in 2000.

Indian Health Care Improvement Act Permanent; Supreme Court Decision Upholds Reauthorization

Lincoln, NE – Access to voting and voter registration for Native Americans is nearing a “civic emergency” and the nation’s leading tribal advocacy organization has called for immediate action. Addressing tribal, state, and federal government officials, Jefferson Keel the President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), outlined a set of solutions to increase access to the ballot box and voter registration for American Indian and Alaska Native voters. In addition to grassroots voter registration efforts, Keel called for the Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities to be added to the list of federal and state government service providers, which serve as voter registration sites.

“Over the last century since securing our rightful place at the ballot box, Native people have remained one of the most disenfranchised group of voters in the United States. Today as a result, two out of every five eligible American Indian and Alaska Native voters are not registered to vote, in 2008 over 1 million eligible Native voters were unregistered,” said Keel, President of NCAI, the nation’s oldest and most representative tribal advocacy organization. “This should be considered a civic emergency – we should all be concerned: American Indians and Alaska Natives, tribal governments, state and federal governments, ordinary citizens. Today I’m offering a set of concrete actions we can take now to change this situation.”

Early in 2012, during NCAI’s State of Indian Nations Address, Keel called for the largest Native turnout in history. In remarks delivered at NCAI’s Mid Year Conference, he focused on the role of everyday citizens to register voters and that call for Indian Country to participate in Native Vote, NCAI’s national non-partisan campaign. In his address he highlighted three opportunities for tribes and Native citizens to make Indian Country’s voice heard in 2012 and beyond.

Keel announced a new partnership with national non-profit Rock the Vote, a partnership that allows the Native Vote campaign to provide resources for online voter registration through NativeVote.org. Keel also announced, “Rock the Native Vote Youth Week” September 24-28, 2012, coinciding with National Voter Registration day on September 25. The week of events across the country will engage tribal schools and Native youth programs in a range of civics education, including a tribal specific supplement to Rock the Vote’s Democracy Day class. Participants, such as local chapters of Boys and Girls Clubs of America, will educate Native young people about the power of civic engagement and the importance of registering their parents, family members, and one day, themselves, to vote.

He also highlighted the “Tools for All” partnership initiated with State Voices – a national civic engagement network. The partnership offers the chance for tribes to access voter outreach tools that can identify tribal members who need to register and encourage all tribal citizens to make their voice heard.

“Finally and most importantly, our federal and state government partners should provide the same voter registration services offered in other government facilities. That’s why today I’m calling for state election officials to work with tribes and the federal government to ensure tribal citizens are offered the chance to vote when they visit an add Indian Health Service (IHS) facility,” stated Keel.

President Keel cited a new report released by D?mos, a multi-issue national organization, outlining Native voter disenfranchisement and proposing IHS facilities as logical sites for voter registration. The report, 

Ensuring Access to the Ballot for American Indians & Alaska Natives: New Solutions to Strengthen American Democracy

, states that “Appropriate IHS facilities should be designated as official voter registration agencies along the same lines as state based public assistance agencies are now designated under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).

Keel announced he is sending a letter in support of the idea directly to every individual IHS facility, along with a copy of the report.

In the letter, Keel writes, “The Indian Health Service is a key agency in delivering on the federal government’s trust responsibility to tribes. As outlined in the report, IHS facilities, conveniently and centrally located in many tribal communities, are ideal voter registration sites. Joining other federal and state agencies in offering this service to clients will make a large impact in tribal communities, in the national Native Vote and in furthering the fulfillment of the federal trust responsibility.

President Jefferson Keel final remarks as delivered.

Access to Elections and Voter Registration a “Civic Emergency” for Native Americans says NCAI President

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Jefferson Keel, President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), made the following statement in honor of Memorial Day.

“This Memorial Day, we again pay our respect to those members of the United States military, both Native and non-Native, that have passed on and who served with great honor to protect our lands and our nations. Service is one of the most honorable callings and for over a century Native men and women have offered their lives to ensure brighter days for future generations,” said Keel, President of NCAI and a veteran with over 20 years of active duty service in the United States Army. “Today, Native Americans continue to serve in distant lands, however upon returning home they face even greater challenges. Too often services to which Native veterans are entitled fall short of meeting their needs and are less adequate than those provided to their non-Native counterparts. It is our duty to protect and serve those who have served us with such honor. On this Memorial Day, we call on the United States and tribal nations to honor those veterans who have passed on, by supporting those veterans who have returned.”

NCAI is currently working to secure resources to enable tribal communities to establish Veteran Treatment Courts, an important tool in supporting veterans; to increase the number of tribal Veteran Service Officers; to increase funding for VA tribal home-loan programs and the homeless veteran initiative; and to collaborate with the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs to ensure effective consultation with tribal nations.

Updated – Native Service by the Numbers


Hundreds of thousands of tribal members have served in the U.S. military in the last century, including the recent engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan. As of March 2012 the Pentagon estimates that since 2001, 64 American Indians and Alaskan Natives have died fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq (42 in Operation Iraqi Freedom; 22 in Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan)).

The Pentagon also reported in March that 22,248 American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) currently serve in the military (active duty). Native personnel serve across the Armed Forces at the following levels; Army: 4,404; Navy: 13,511; Marine Corps: 2,128; and Air Force: 2,205.

The 2010 U.S. Census estimates that there are currently 156,515 American Indian and Alaska Native veterans. (Source: 2010 American Community Survey for the American Indian and Alaska Native alone population)

According to Department of Veteran Affairs, in 2006 more than 36,000 female veterans are AI/AN, representing almost 10 percent of all AI/AN veterans, and nearly twice the national average (6 percent of women in the overall population are veterans).


President Keel, serving his second term as President of NCAI, is a retired U.S. Army officer with over 20 years active duty service. He also serves as the Lt. Governor of the Chickasaw Nation.

During his military service, he served two extended tours of combat duty as an Infantryman in Vietnam, and received numerous awards and decorations for heroism, including two Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star with "V" for valor, and the Army Commendation Medal with valor. He is a former Airborne Ranger, infantry platoon sergeant and platoon leader, and served as an instructor in the elite U.S. Army Rangers. In June 2011, Jefferson Keel was one of three former service members inducted into the Military Memorial Museum Hall of Honor.

Native Military Service and Memorial Day; Statement by NCAI President Jefferson Keel

Washington, DC – The U.S. House of Representatives voted and passed a version of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization - HR 4970 - without any of the key tribal jurisdictional provisions intact. The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has serious concerns about the alternative provisions contained in the House bill and is calling on the House and Senate to restore the bipartisan and constitutionally sound tribal provisions in the Senate version of the bill, S.1925, that create local solutions to the epidemic of domestic violence experienced by Native women.

“Native women aren’t safer as a result of the passage of HR 4970. In fact, the tribal provisions included in this bill create additional hurdles for Indian women seeking protection from violence on tribal lands, and that is unacceptable,” said Juana Majel-Dixon, 1st Vice President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and co-chair of the NCAI Task Force on Violence Against Women. “Indian Country supports the bipartisan Senate VAWA bill, which contains constitutionally sound tribal provisions that provide local solutions that will deliver long-overdue justice to Native women and safety to tribal communities.”

Passed by a vote of 222-205, the tribal provisions included in HR 4970 would be a step backward in contrast to the bipartisan Senate VAWA bill, supported by NCAI and tribes across the country. Over the past few days, H.R. 4970 has been amended to include provisions that have the potential to cause great confusion surrounding tribes' authority to issue civil protection orders and that could further endanger Native victims.

HR 4970 would “federalize” the issuance and enforcement of protection orders for Native victims, authorizing Indian victims of domestic violence or Indian tribes on behalf of Indian victims to seek protection orders from U.S. district courts against suspects of abuse. This approach fails to address the crux of the problem - a lack of local authority to handle misdemeanor level domestic and dating violence when the perpetrator is non-Indian. The legislation passed by the House is drafted in a way that undermines the safety and autonomy of victims.

On the other hand, S.1925 contains key tribal provisions that would empower the governmental authorities closest to the alleged criminal activity—tribal police and courts—to intervene early in acts of domestic violence committed by non-Indians within the tribe's territory, before the violence escalates to the point of serious assault or homicide. These provisions are limited in scope, do not infringe on existing federal or state court jurisdiction, and defendants who stand trial before a tribal court would have the full panoply of constitutional rights.

House Passes VAWA with Weakened Tribal Provisions; NCAI Voices Serious Concerns Regarding HR 4970

HEARTH Act Passes House of Representatives 400 to 0

Washington, DC - In good news for Indian tribes, last night the House of Representatives unanimously passed H.R. 205, the Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership (HEARTH) Act. The legislation will amend the Indian Long-Term Leasing Act of 1955 to authorize surface leasing of tribal lands under tribal leasing regulations, which would be approved by the Secretary. The legislation supports tribal self-determination and will enable tribes to move much more quickly on leasing and economic development, while maintaining the Secretary’s trust responsibility to oversee trust lands. It is an extension of the Navajo Leasing Act of 2000 to all Indian tribes.

“NCAI is very appreciative of Representative Heinrich for taking the lead on the HEARTH Act and passing the bill in House with the incredible support of Representatives Hastings, Markey, Young, Boren, Cole and Kildee and all the co-sponsors,” said Jefferson Keel, President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). “In the Senate the lead sponsor is Senator Barrasso with Senator Akaka and more sponsors on both sides of the aisle. This legislation has strong bi-partisan support, and offers an opportunity to keep making progress on important legislation that will help create jobs and improve the economy. I urge the Senate to take up H.R. 205 and pass it this week.”

The House bill has been sent to the Senate, where it awaits consideration. The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs has reported out the companion legislation, S. 703.

NCAI Praises House Passage of HEARTH Act, Urges Swift Senate Action

By Jefferson Keel, NCAI President
as published on 

There is a group of criminals, on Native American lands, who assault, rape, and abuse Native women and they can’t be arrested. These criminals are non-Native men. They don’t have to face a judge, spend any time behind bars, or be hounded by a criminal record. Instead they remain free to go after the next victim or the same one, time after time. Congress, the one legal body able to fix this problem, could let these injustices continue if they don’t act.

The epidemic of violence against women on tribal lands is staggering; 34% of American Indian and Alaska Native women will be raped in their lifetimes, 39% will experience domestic violence, and as a Department of Justice study found, non-Indians commit 88% of these heinous crimes. Tribal justice systems are the most appropriate entities to root out these criminals, yet they are the ones with tied hands—restricted by antiquated jurisdictional laws established the U.S. government limiting tribes from prosecuting non-Native criminals.

Over the last few weeks, we have seen members of Congress from both sides of the aisle work to pass a law that would give tribes the authority over these criminals; the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The proposed tribal provisions of the law, passed with bipartisan support in the Senate, are now being left out of the main House of Representatives version of VAWA. Some members of the House fear they don’t have the power to fix the problem or are afraid non-Natives will be subject to tribal law and not guaranteed their constitutional rights.

The reality is the tribal provisions of VAWA are fully constitutional and offer every safeguard provided by U.S. courts – more importantly they are vital to curtailing a very real problem.
In a recent letter to Congress, fifty leading U.S. law professors outlined their confidence in the constitutionality of the legislation. At the core of the letter, the lawyers highlighted the Supreme Court case law supporting Congressional authority and the requisite safe guards of the provisions offered to every defendant.

The Supreme Court in U.S. v. Lara, 541 U.S. 193 (2004), held that “Congress does possess the constitutional power to lift the restrictions on the tribes’ criminal jurisdiction.” Moreover, the VAWA provisions at issue are designed to catch a very narrow set of criminals, not just anyone. They are limited to only crimes of domestic violence or dating violence committed in Indian country, where the defendant is a spouse or established intimate partner of a tribal member.

Defendants prosecuted under these provisions would be entitled to the full array of constitutional protections; due-process rights, an indigent defendant’s right to appointed counsel (at the expense of the tribe) that meets federal constitutional standards, and as the proposed law states, “all other rights whose protection is necessary under the Constitution of the United States.” This includes the right to petition a federal court for habeas corpus to challenge any conviction and to stay detention prior to review, a right of which the prosecuting tribe must timely notify the defendant.

Finally, any non-Indian defendant prosecuted under these new provisions has the right to a trial by jury drawn from sources that do not systematically exclude any distinctive group in the community, including non-Indians.

These provisions offer tribal governments and the United States an opportunity to advance our cause together and root out this epidemic of violence. If Congress removes the restrictions placed on tribal governments, tribal law enforcement, and tribal courts, Native and non-Native communities alike will have the means to protect our women and remove criminals from our lands.

Tribal governments are members of the American family of governments, rooted in the constitution itself – we are America’s first nations. We are ready to work together to end this violence. Yet, it is Congress that must take the first step to remove the restrictions placed on tribal governments.

When Congress does act, it is my hope that it will be to allow our governments and justice systems to stand together to keep every American, and Native American, safe, and demonstrate our commitment to our greatest shared value: justice for all.

Keel is the president of the National Congress of American Indians, the nation’s largest and oldest American Indian and Alaska Native advocacy organization and is the Lt. Governor of the Chickasaw Nation, located in Oklahoma.

Keel Op-Ed: VAWA tribal provisions are constitutionally sound

Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee marked up and passed the Adams (R-FL) version of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA), H.R. 4970. Tribal advocates—as well as women’s advocates across the nation—worked very hard over the past few weeks to defeat this partisan bill that excludes key protections for Native women and rolls back protections for other vulnerable populations. But, in a near party-line 17-15 vote (Representative Ted Poe (R-TX) crossed the aisle and voted against the bill’s passage), H.R. 4970 passed out of the House Judiciary Committee. The bill is expected to come to the House floor for consideration by the full House of Representatives as early as next week.

In yesterday’s committee markup, a substitute amendment offered by Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI) that closely mirrors the bipartisan Senate-passed bill was not even allowed to be considered or debated. Numerous amendments were offered by committee members that aimed to improve the Adams bill, but these amendments were consistently defeated by the House committee majority. Representative Issa (R-CA) made a powerful statement in support of tribal sovereignty and offered an amendment that would have restored the critical tribal criminal jurisdictional provisions in Section 904 of the bipartisan Senate bill, but he was forced to withdraw his amendment when members of his own party threatened to rule it out of order because it was not “germane.”

Despite the disappointing results of yesterday’s committee markup, we still have a real chance at getting the key Title IX tribal amendments included in H.R. 4970 through a floor amendment. 

Please contact your U.S. Representatives right away and urge them to support a floor amendment to H.R. 4970 that would restore the critical protections for Native women contained in the bipartisan Senate bill.

Click here for a sample letter to send to your Representative.

Click here for talking points on the tribal provisions that need to be included in H.R. 4970.

And don’t forget to call Representative Issa (R-CA) at 202-225-3906 and thank him for standing up for the protection of Native women and tribal sovereignty in yesterday’s House Judiciary Committee markup hearing.

VAWA Update: House Judiciary Committee Passes VAWA Bill Without Key Tribal Provisions

by Jefferson Keel, NCAI President as published on 

Over the last week President Obama, in public events at high schools and speeches throughout the country, has led the charge to ensure that higher education for all students from all backgrounds is affordable. The president has done this because on July 1, 2012, if Congress doesn’t act, interest rates on federally subsidized student loans will double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. He has also made a direct tie between access to education and the rebuilding of the economy. What has received very little attention, however, is the impact that such an increase would have on access to education, educational achievement, and ultimately the already fragile economy of Indian country.

Native college enrollment has more than doubled between 1976 and 2006. Education after high school, whether it be at a tribal college, a vocational training program, community college, or a four-year institution, has become a real option for the next generation of tribal citizens to advance their knowledge and skills. The number of our young people seeking those opportunities will only increase in the years to come, as 32 percent of the American Indian and Alaska Native population are 18 years old or younger.

Financial aid is critical in helping our young people pursue higher education and earn their degrees. Today approximately 63,000 Native students and their families rely on federal loans—a large percentage of which are subsidized Stafford loans—to help pay for college. With already increasing costs, the steep rise in interest rates would come at a time when Native people need access to higher education more than ever.

College has become more expensive for Native students: between 1995 and 2008, the cost of a full-year education at an undergraduate institution increased from $11,500 to nearly $20,000. Couple those increasing costs with a higher interest rate, and the rate increase will burden students, including Native students, with an average additional $1,000 per school year in student loan debt.

As Indian country knows all too well, this dramatic cost increase will make higher education even more expensive for those who already struggle to afford it. Twenty-eight percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives lived below the federal poverty line in 2010, compared to 15 percent of the general population. Poverty rates are even more pronounced on Indian lands at 38 percent. To afford the rising expenses of college, Native students rely on financial aid of all forms to reach graduation.

College is America’s “economic imperative,” as President Obama has stated, and the stakes are even higher in Indian country. The profound value of higher education for tribal nations extends beyond just economics: it is essential to ensuring our cultural economy, our political survival, and the vitality of our sovereignty.

Today’s generation of Native youth presents a tremendous opportunity to transform Native nations through higher education. Tribal nations need Native college graduates to bring their skills back home, boost available human capital and thereby attract new businesses, reduce unemployment, stimulate reservation economies through direct spending, and launch their own entrepreneurial ventures.

Yet, the United States Congress could stand in the way of the next generation of entrepreneurs and lawyers, natural resource managers and engineers, agribusiness managers and artists, who all are looking to bolster tribal economies, strengthen our communities, and lead our governments.

Congressional inaction threatens to saddle Native students with even more student loan debt. The rate hike will not only push higher education beyond the reach of many American Indians and Alaska Natives, but will also make it more difficult for Native students to return home after graduation. With higher student loan debt, our young people will be forced to take higher-paying jobs in areas away from Native communities. We can’t afford this loss—culturally or economically.

That’s why, for the sake of economic recovery and our collective future, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is calling on Indian Country to pick up your phones, write letters, and urge Congress to maintain these crucial investments in higher education and keep college within the reach of all Americans by taking immediate action. Tell members of Congress to stand up against doubling the interest rates for subsidized Stafford loans.

The need is clear: if Native nations are to participate in the global information economy as equal partners and make a robust contribution to America’s economic recovery, more of our citizens must obtain postsecondary degrees. For Native nations to seize this opportunity and significantly increase college completion rates, however, one considerable barrier to higher education must be torn down: cost.

The consequences are not something Indian country—nor the entire nation— can afford. Congress must act now to ensure that all Americans, including American Indians and Alaska Natives, have a fair shot at higher education.

Jefferson Keel is the President of the National Congress of American Indians, the nation’s largest and oldest American Indian and Alaska Native advocacy organization and serves as the Lt. Governor of the Chickasaw Nation, located in Oklahoma. President Keel earned his Bachelor’s degree from East Central University and Master’s degree from Troy State University. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army

Keel Op-Ed: Student Loan Interest Rates

NCAI President Jefferson Keel (second from left) sits next to Rex Lee Jim, Navajo Nation vice president (first from left), during the conference with James Anaya, UN Special Rapporteur (third from right), held April 26-27 2012 at University of Arizona.

NCAI President Jefferson Keel delivered remarks

 at a two-day conference and consultation with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, James Anaya. Titled “

The Significance of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

”, the conference was held April 26-27 at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, just days after the 

Special Rapporteur's meeting with tribal Leaders

 at the Embassy of Tribal Nations in Washington, DC. 

The conference and consultation took place in the context of the Special Rapporteur’s official visit to the United States to examine the situation of indigenous peoples in the country, in light of the standards expressed in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In his remarks President Keel stressed the value of Indigenous cultural ideals to the improvement of the world economy.

“For tens of thousands of years, our people have been stewards of the environment. And now, non-Indigenous leaders are realizing that we are also successful stewards of our economies and societies. Indigenous peoples have been doing more with less for generations. It is clear that tribal businesses bring value to the table.”

Other presenters at the University of Arizona conference included Carrie Dann, executive director, Western Shoshone Defense Project; Dr. Suzan Shown Harjo, president The Morning Star Institute; and Rex Lee Jim, Navajo Nation vice president.

In the United States: A Pressing Need to Develop Tribal Economies -Regaining Sovereignty Over Our Land

President Keel Meets with UN Special Rapporteur James Anaya

In March, the U.S. Senate passed S.1813, 

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century(MAP-21)

, a two-year $109 billion bill that would maintain funding for highways, transit and safety programs at current levels, with most funding adjusted for inflation. In addition, MAP-21 would consolidate highway programs including the Indian Reservation Roads Program to Tribal Transportation Program. Two weeks ago, the House passed H.R. 4348, a highway extension that would extend SAFETEA-LU to September 30, 2012, and includes language that mandates construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.

It has been announced the Senate-House conferees are scheduled to meet:

To prepare for the upcoming conference meeting, NCAI has developed a sample tribal letter and encourages tribes to send to Senate and House conferees, and to your Congressional members to support the tribal consensus provisions to include the final version of the surface transportation reauthorization. These provisions are non-funding formula related issues but are beneficial to tribal transportation, and it is very important for tribes to continue to build upon the successes of their transportation infrastructure as it is vital to the development of tribal communities and economies.

Download talking points for the Tribal Consensus recommendations documents

Sample Tribal Letter to Transportation Conferees

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