NCAI calls for the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction to Consider the Federal Obligations to Indian Tribes

Washington, DC - The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) in a statement released today acknowledged the hard work of the President and Congress in averting a debt default by the United States. Immediately following the signature of the bill into law by President Obama, NCAI called on leaders of Congress and the President, to ensure members appointed to the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction have significant experience with the constitutional federal trust responsibility to tribal nations.

"President Obama and members of Congress worked hard to protect the economic security of our country. Now, there is much more work to be done. As members of the American family of governments, tribal nations will continue the effort to strengthen our economies," said NCAI President Jefferson Keel shortly after President Obama signed legislation to avoid financial crisis. "In order to do so, we call on Congress to appoint members of the new Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction who are well versed in the federal trust responsibility to Indian tribes."

Tribal governments are essential components of the American governmental framework, as assigned in the constitution and upheld by the Supreme Court. It's essential that the commitments to American Indian and Alaska Native tribes are honored when appropriating dollars and evaluating spending for education, law enforcement, emergency and disaster funding, infrastructure, health care, and social services.

"Tribal economies have felt some of the most significant pain in this recession. However, we've stayed optimistic about the opportunities available to create greater economic prosperity and we can't let our momentum slow," continued President Keel, the Lt. Governor of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. "We are dedicated to engaging in the new energy economy, developing infrastructure, strengthening our schools, and contributing to the economy of the United States. Good fiscal policy for America considers and invests in the unique opportunities presented by the innovation of tribal governments."

Keel concluded by stating, "Tribes understand the need to make government more efficient, however if tribal nations aren't adequately represented on the Joint Committee, the United States will be weaker as a result."

Indian Country Looks Forward Following Debt-Limit Deal

Pioneer of Federal Indian Law, David Getches, Passes Away; Remembered for Forging "A Revolution in Federal Indian law"

David Getches, 68, a leading American Indian rights lawyer, legal scholar, and founding Executive Director of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), passed away at his home on Tuesday July 5, 2011 from pancreatic cancer. The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has posthumously awarded the NCAI Lifetime Achievement Award to Mr. Getches; one of the highest honors given by the nation's oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization.

"David Getches forged a revolution in federal Indian law that led to a new respect for the rights of Indian tribes in courthouses throughout the nation," said Jefferson Keel, President of NCAI. "He was an exceptional man. Across Indian Country, Mr. Getches will be remembered as a great friend and brother to Native people. NCAI extends our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues for this profound loss."

The NCAI Board learned of David Getches' declining health last week and they reached an immediate, unanimous decision to recognize his lifelong contribution to American Indian law and tribal sovereignty. NCAI's Lifetime Achievement Award is given to those outstanding individuals who honor the place of American Indian nations, cultures and governments through a lifetime of work and personal dedication that produce results of historic proportions.

As the founding Executive Director of NARF, he was responsible for developing the staff, funding, and program of the organization, the leading and most influential nonprofit Indian-interest law firm. Getches litigated major cases involving Native rights, including the Northwest Indian fishing rights case (United States v. Washington, also known as "the Boldt decision"), which stands today as the leading case on the enforcement of tribal treaty rights. Getches also litigated a case on behalf of the Inupiaq to establish the North Slope Borough, the largest municipality in the world, which includes the Prudhoe Bay oil fields. Other cases he has been involved with have dealt with water rights, land claims, federal trust responsibilities, environmental issues, education, and civil rights on behalf of Native American clients throughout the country.

Getches most recently served as the Dean of the University of Colorado Law School since 2003 and has taught at the school since 1979. He took two leaves from the University of Colorado, first to serve as the executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources from 1983 to 1987, and then to serve as a special consultant to the Secretary of the Interior in 1996.

A national authority on natural resources and Indian law issues, Getches taught and wrote widely on water law, public land law, environmental law, and Indian law. Getches has published several books, written many articles and book chapters that appear in diverse scholarly and popular sources, including recent articles calling for legal reform regarding the Colorado River and criticizing the Supreme Court's departure from traditional principles in Indian law.



The NCAI Lifetime Achievement Award reads:



"National Congress of American Indians
Lifetime Achievement Award

David Getches, Founder of the Native American Rights Fund

Defender and Advocate for Tribal Sovereignty,
Treaty Rights and the Federal Trust Responsibility

Your piercing intelligence, diligent work and compassion for the Native cause fostered a legal revolution and brought hope and justice to Indian communities nationwide. We thank you and lift you up in our hearts."

White House kitchen garden event focuses on traditional food and celebrates launch of Let’s Move! in Indian Country

Washington, DC - President Jefferson Keel of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the country’s oldest and largest American Indian and Alaska Native advocacy organization, joined with Michelle Obama today to celebrate the importance of healthy eating and active lifestyles for Native American youth. Mrs. Obama, President Keel, and American Indian and Alaska Native children planted the “three sisters”– corns, beans and squash – in the White House kitchen garden. The event comes one week after the launch of Let’s Move! in Indian Country; a new initiative by the First Lady to reach Native young people.

“Supporting and reinvigorating our traditional ways of healthy living and eating is one of the most important things we can do to strengthen our Native American communities,” said NCAI President Keel after the event. “What the First Lady is doing is incredible. Let’s Move! in Indian Country is reaching a generation of tribal youth and connecting them with a healthy, traditional path in life. As tribal leaders we are very supportive and grateful for her efforts.”

According to the Indian Health Service the obesity rate among American Indian and Alaska Native youth is approaching 50%, twice as high as their white counterparts; and 20% of American Indians ages 15 years or older had pre-diabetes in 2001–2004. American Indian/Alaska Native adults are nearly two times as likely to be obese as their white counterparts. American Indian/Alaska Native adults are more than twice as likely as white adults to be diagnosed with diabetes.

“Last week we launched a new component of the program called Let's Move! (in) Indian Country. And we’re working specifically with young kids in the Native American community all across the country,” said the First Lady, Michelle Obama, addressing the American Indian and Alaska Native children. “This planting is a special way to highlight that new initiative. And this is the first time ever that we’re going to do a three sisters planting here in the White House kitchen garden. And you all are going to be a part of making that happen.”

After speaking to the youth gathered at the White House kitchen garden, President Keel spoke to the importance of healthy lifestyles for Native youth and performed a blessing for the event. Mrs. Obama, President Keel, and the children then planted the “three sisters” and harvested crops in the garden, including lettuces, rhubarb, chard, kohlrabi, sugar snap peas, turnips, broccoli and herbs – some of which will be used in Tuesday’s State Dinner in honor of Chancellor Angela Merkel. These crops were originally planted in March by Mrs. Obama and children from Harriet Tubman and Bancroft Elementary Schools.

The American Indian and Alaska Native children who joined Mrs. Obama and President Keel today come from a variety of tribal nations including Jemez Pueblo, Skokomish, Cherokee, Sault Ste. Marie, Navajo, Turtle Mountain Chippewa, St. Regis Mohawk, Tlingit, Oglala Sioux, Standing Rock Sioux, and the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. Mrs. Obama was also joined by leaders in the Native American community, including Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk, Indian Health Service Director Dr. Yvette Roubideaux, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service Director Dennis Concannon, Bureau of Indian Education Director Keith Moore, National Museum of the American Indian Director Kevin Gover, NFL quarterback Sam Bradford and basketball player Tahnee Robinson.

Photos of the event are available for free use here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ncai/sets/72157626878947612/

First Lady and NCAI’s President Jefferson Keel Celebrate Healthy Living for Native Americans

Washington, DC - After lengthy debate, members of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) passed a resolution at the conclusion of the organization’s Mid Year Conference reaffirming its position on reasonable lawyer fees associated with the 

Days before a federal judge will begin hearing arguments on the fairness of the settlement, NCAI released the following statement:

“It’s time to move on and clear this final hurdle so that decades of litigation can finally turn into the corrective action that so many American Indians are waiting for. This resolution simply reaffirms the original position of NCAI’s membership and the view that the lawyer’s fees need to be reasonable. It was clear in our meetings this week that tribal leaders believe the court will make the right decision, and do so expeditiously. The resolution supports only ‘the view’ of current proposed legislation that the attorney’s fees should be capped at $50 million.”

The latest resolution passed at the 2011 NCAI Mid Year Conference referred to the previous resolution from a year ago: “At its 2010 Mid-Year Conference, the NCAI enacted Resolution #RAP-10-037, which desired to see a number of changes incorporated in the 

 settlement agreement, including, “fairness in attorney fees and incentive payments to ensure that they do not unduly diminish the restitution to inpidual account holders.”

For more information download the resolutions here:

 TITLE: Supporting the Native American Rights Fund’s Request for Attorney’s Fees and H.R. 887

 - TITLE: Supporting the Cobell v. Salazar Settlement and Requesting Additional Considerations

NCAI Statement on Reasonable Lawyer’s Fees in Cobell v. Salazar Settlement Agreement

Speech Addressing the Native Resources: Tribal Cultures and the Economy

Good morning! We have received many great welcomes today from the wonderful people of the Midwest region. I trust that our dedication to our work will honor the spirit of their hospitality.

As the President of the National Congress of American Indians I’m honored to welcome you to NCAI’s Mid Year Conference here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

We come together with a great purpose; to work together and move forward shared priorities of our nations and communities.

And, we come together as a result of the amazing work of the local planning committee led by co-chairs Scott Vele and NCAI’s own Recording Secretary, Matthew Wesaw. I’d also especially like to thank Lewis Taylor of the Great Lakes Inter Tribal Council.
I’d like to start my report with some thoughts about NCAI itself and the membership of the organization.

So, I’ve got some thoughts about you, the members of NCAI, and the thoughts are good ones and I hope they inspire you in the days to come.

Your dedication to this organization, its vision and purpose, is the reason we are here. For close to 70 years now, Native people, leaders and advocates, have traveled to NCAI meetings from tribal nations and communities, villages and cities, in large groups or as a sole representative for thousands. We have slept in our cars, held bake sales, since 1944 we have made the sacrifices we need to make to gather with a single purpose – to strengthen the unified voice of Native people and ensure we protect and enhance sovereignty for the next generation.

Look around you, that tradition continues by you being here. We gather at these meetings not simply to exchange business cards or make deals. We are here to reconnect with family and friends, brothers and sisters, and even those we might disagree with, to ensure that as a whole, we have an ability to express the culture and traditions that make all of our nations so rich.

Look around you, these are our Native Resources. We are our Native Resources. We are our culture, we will help ensure the health of our people, we are the new ideas of living and teaching. We are the farmers that know our ways of agriculture and the business leaders who are engineering innovation in trade and commerce. We hold in our hearts the reverence for the land, and our relationship with it. Lastly, our most vital resource, is our relationship with each other. We are NCAI – leaders and advocates for a stronger Indian Country. Our greatest Native Resource is our unified voice and I encourage you this week to strengthen it by working together here, so that we speak to the world around us from the position of a shared alliance.

This theme, Native Resources: Tribal Cultures and the Economy, sets a course for us to imagine our future, with the circumstances of today as inspiration; our Native Resources will help us chart the course forward, to build stronger tribal economies based on the resources within our own nations, our own people, and ourselves. There is one way to honor vast resources of our nations, by doing the work to protect all that makes our people great. I ask you to remember with me here today, that the tradition of NCAI is not one that should be taken lightly, and your presence here is an affirmation of that tradition.

Last year, as a unified Indian Country we all experienced the fruits of our efforts, as we won an incredible set of legislative victories. Our follow up on these wins will shape Indian Country for years to come.

As we’ve reached our midway point of 2011, we stand on the brink of another historic year for Indian Country, not because of the legislation that is passed into law, but what we choose to do in the face of a difficult political environment in Washington, DC. As we all know it’s about the follow through. And 2011 can be a great sequel to our victories last year.

NCAI kicked off this year at the State of Indian Nations, where I called for tribal leaders to lead our nations and define a new era in federal-tribal relations. This era, as I explained, would be defined by what we as Native peoples choose to do for ourselves. And now we are seeing movement on issues and we must not lose our momentum.

I highlighted the importance of removing barriers to energy development on Indian land; now tribal energy legislation is being drafted in the Senate by Senator Borrasso as part of the work of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

We called for our children to continue to be a priority; just weeks ago, I stood with the First Lady, Michelle Obama, on the lawn of the White House, with dozens of Native Youth and other tribal leaders looking on, as we celebrated the launch of Let’s Move! in Indian Country. And in Congress, Federal legislation to establish a National Tribal Youth Corps is being considered, offering thousands of jobs in natural resources to our young people.

We called for more action to protect Native women from the terrible epidemic of violence. As our own First Vice President has highlighted in Indian Country Today, the Department of Justice, is making incredible progress, like we rarely see in Washington, DC, in offering solutions to the alarming rates of violence against Native women.

At the beginning of the year, we called for tribes to express their economic independence, to determine our own approaches to commerce and resource management. That’s why this past spring along with USET, we held a Tax Summit at Miccosukee. Our work here this week on Tax Policy and Tribal Economies will build on that momentum to remove barriers to economic development.

In the State of Indian Nations I asked us to consider this new era in front of us as the era of Promises Kept. NCAI and forty partners have formed an alliance that will keep a promise to the next generation. The alliance called Our Natural Resources, is developing a National Natural Resource Strategy that will shape a course for determining tribal natural resource management policy for decades to come.

We have set it as a goal this year to increase the visibility of investments in Indian Country to the highest levels of the federal government. That’s why when Robert Gordon, Executive Associate Director of the Office of Management and Budget, attended our recent Tribal Interior Budget Committee meeting it represented a significant moment to elevate our tribal governments’ place in the federal budget process. The tribal leaders who attend these meetings – and the HHS budget meetings – have been instrumental in advancing Indian budget priorities in this Administration.

There is no doubt that we have battles still to fight and Indian Country as whole must stay unified to overcome them. A Carcieri fix is a top priority and we will continue to push forward this agenda. The nomination of Arvo Mikkanen, has stalled in the Senate, and we still await a Native person to take their rightful place serving on the Federal bench.

In the media and in public perception, while our own media efforts have improved, there have been detractors, distracters, and setbacks. We must always meet these moments with a unified message, about our place in the American family of governments; one that has an equal place, guaranteed to us by our treaties, the U.S. constitution, and our inseparable bond to this place.

This past Memorial day, I laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I did this for a number of reasons. First, as we all know to well, our Indian warriors serve at a disproportionate rate, more than any other minority group, in the Armed Services. We currently have over 22,000 active duty members serving in the Armed Forces today. Many, too many, have died in the line of service.

We should all take a moment to honor our Native warriors. We have sent a letter to the Department of Defense to ensure that they reform their policies to ensure they honor our Native warriors.

Right now, the global market and the national economy continue to experience setbacks and Indian Country is not safe from these hardships. As governments at the federal, state, and local level, search for new revenue streams, Indian Country stands at the brink of a new economic revolution leading to sustainable prosperity for tribal nations, and as a result prosperity for the United States. We will do this, led by our cultures and people dedicated to the stewardship and management of our resources, ensuring that what has been provided to us by the creator.

Exactly how we envision Indian Country’s collective relationship to our “Native Resources” will change the future of Indian Country and our nation. We will do it by offering fresh and bold solutions to our nations’ most pressing problems.

Let’s remember NCAI is not just another meeting, let’s renew our partnership. Let us reaffirm this in our resolutions, our promises, and the actions we take when we return home to our people.

We are grateful to be here on the shores of Lake Michigan. As we watch the sun rise over the lake in the mornings, I invite you to cast your mind to the new horizon for Indian Country. On the horizon I see our futures rising and I ask every NCAI member to gather here with optimism in your heart and a common concern on your mind.

This week we speak of “Our Native Resources,” it is our sacred duty – only ours – to ensure they remain this way.

NCAI President Keel's Prepared Remarks at 2011 NCAI Mid Year Conference

NCAI President Jefferson Keel and American Indian Veterans to Honor Warriors at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following President Obama’s Memorial Day speech at Arlington National Cemetery, President Jefferson Keel of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) will place an American Indian wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. President of the nation’s oldest and largest American Indian and Alaska Native advocacy organization, Jefferson Keel will accompany Don Loudner, National Commander of the National American Indian Veterans, to lay a multi-colored tribal wreath at the tomb.

“Over a hundred thousand Native men and women have served to protect this land and this country. Some who will never be named or honored. The commitment of American Indians and Alaska Natives to protecting our homeland is unquestionable,” said Keel, President of NCAI and a veteran with over 20 years of active duty service in the United States Army. “On Memorial Day we honor those who gave their lives for our safety and those veterans alive today, all of whom deserve to be cared for as heroes.”

The Pentagon estimates that since 2001, 61 American Indians and Alaskan Natives have died fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq; close to 450 have been wounded. It is also estimated that nearly 24,000 American Indian and Alaska Native active duty personnel serve across the Armed Forces. Hundreds of thousands of tribal members have served in the U.S. military in the last century, making vital contributions to the defense of the nation.

The most recent AI/AN service member to be killed in the line of duty was U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Joe Michael Jackson from the Gila River Indian Community and the Yakama Reservation. He died April 24, 2011; killed by an improvised explosive device while helping to clear a trail of mines on a steep slope in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province’s Sangin District.

The following data was released and updated by the Pentagon in May 2011:

American Indian/Alaska Native military deaths in Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom, or OIF) from March 2003 through May 2, 2011: 42

American Indian/Alaska Native military wounded in action in Iraq (OIF) from March 2003 through May 2, 2011: 336

American Indian/Alaska Native military deaths in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom, or OEF) from October 2001 through May 2, 2011: 19

American Indian/Alaska Native military wounded in action in Afghanistan (OEF) from October 2001 through May 2, 2011: 109

President Keel is a retired U.S. Army officer with over 20 years active duty 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 will be one of this year’s three former service members inducted into the Military Memorial Museum Hall of Honor.

American Indian & Alaska Native Veterans to be Honored at Tomb of Unknown Soldier

Initiative will “Energize a Generation” of Native young people to healthier ways of life

WASHINGTON, D.C. – First Lady Michelle Obama’s office launched today the American Indian and Alaska Native initiative of the First Lady’s prominent Let’s Move Initiative; Let’s Move! in Indian Country (LMIC). Representatives of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) attended the launch event on the Menominee Indian Reservation in Wisconsin and released a statement applauding the focus of Let’s Move! in Indian Country on the health and well being of tribal young people.

“We commend the First Lady for being a positive influence in the life of Native young people. Let’s Move! in Indian Country will energize a generation of tribal youth to connect to their traditional ways of healthy living,” said Jefferson Keel, President of NCAI. “When it comes to staying healthy, Native youth face more challenges and obstacles than most. Let’s Move is an important effort in reaching out to provide solutions for our young people.”

The health profile of Native youth underscores the importance of this initiative. According to the Indian Health Service the obesity rate among American Indian and Alaska Native youth is approaching 50%, twice as high as their white counterparts; and 20% of American Indians ages 15 years or older had pre-diabetes in 2001–2004. American Indian/Alaska Native adults are nearly two times as likely to be obese as their white counterparts. American Indian/Alaska Native adults are more than twice likely as white adults to be diagnosed with diabetes.

Matthew Wesaw, Chairman of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians in Michigan and NCAI’s Recording Secretary, joined Assistant Secretary of the Interior– Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk and Office of the First Lady, Executive Director of Let’s Move! Initiative Robin Schepper, USDA Deputy Administrator for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Lisa Pino, IHS Director for Improving Patient Care Program Lyle A. Ignace, M.D., M.P.H., and Menominee Tribal Chairman Randal Chevalier to launch Let’s Move! in Indian Country.

The launch of the Let’s Move! in Indian Country is an effort of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! Office, the White House Domestic Policy Council, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Education, and the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin.

According to First Lady’s Let’s Move Office, the agencies, tribes, urban Indian centers, community organizations, and other stakeholders have set four main goals for LMIC: (1) create a healthy start on life for children; (2) create healthier learning communities; (3) ensure families access to healthy, affordable, traditional food; (4) and, increase opportunities for physical activity. In addition to being a federal interagency initiative, LMIC outlines ways for tribal governments, schools, the private sector, and non-profits to engage in this effort. LMIC sets the framework for each of these sectors to come together and contribute to the common goal of ending obesity within a generation. More information can be found at: 

http://www.doi.gov/letsmove/indiancountry/index.cfm

NCAI Applauds First Lady’s Launch of Let’s Move! in Indian Country

 American Indians and Alaskan Natives killed and 

 wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq since 2001

Based on updated and revised information from the Department of Defense we are updating the reported number of American Indian/Alaska Native military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan. See the information at the end of the statement.

Washington, DC - In a statement released today, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) responded to the death of Osama bin Laden and reports that the American Indian name “Geronimo” was used as the code name for the operation to kill the al-Qaeda leader.

“We join President Obama in reflecting on the sacrifices made by the members of our military to defend our great nation. When terrorists attacked on 9/11, it was an attack on our homeland that deeply affected tribal nations, along with our fellow citizens. Osama bin Laden was a shared enemy. Since 2001, 

 American Indians and Alaskan Natives have died defending our country in Afghanistan and Iraq. 

 have been wounded,” said Jefferson Keel, President of NCAI, the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country.

“Let’s be very clear about what is important here; the successful removal of Osama bin Laden as a threat to the United States honors the sacrifice these Native warriors made for the United States and their people,” added Keel, an Army Veteran and the Lt. Governor of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma.

In November 2010, the Pentagon estimated that nearly 24,000 American Indian and Alaska Native active duty personnel serve across the Armed Forces. Hundreds of thousands of tribal members have served in the U.S. military in the last century making vital contributions, such as the Native American code talkers.

Reports from news outlets in the days following the tactical strike in Pakistan to capture or kill bin Laden have stated that the military’s code name for him was “Geronimo,” referring to the Apache leader revered by many as a hero in the Southwestern, United States.

“Our understanding is that bin Laden’s actual code name was ‘Jackpot’ and the operation name was ‘Geronimo’,” said Keel. “To associate a Native warrior with bin Laden is not an accurate reflection of history and it undermines the military service of Native people. It’s critical that military leaders and operational standards honor the service of those who protect our freedom.”

Jefferson Keel, President of NCAI, is a retired U.S. Army officer with over 20 years active duty service. He served two extended tours of combat duty as an Infantryman in Viet Nam, 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.

Revised data as provided by Department of Defense:

American Indian/Alaska Native military deaths in Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom, or OIF) from March 2003 through May 2, 2011: 42 (number reported as of October 2010 should have also been reported as 42)

American Indian/Alaska Native military wounded in action in Iraq (OIF) from March 2003 through May 2, 2011: 336 (337 reported as of October 2010 was corrected by DoD)

American Indian/Alaska Native military deaths in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom, or OEF) from October 2001 through May 2, 2011: 19 (was 17 as of October 2010)

American Indian/Alaska Native military wounded in action in Afghanistan (OEF) from October 2001 through May 2, 2011: 109 (was 89 as of October 2010)

NCAI Releases Statement on Use of "Geronimo" as Name for Osama bin Laden Operation

Commission Meeting Considered Milestone in Implementation of Tribal Law & Order Act

Santa Fe, NM – The President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), Jefferson Keel, will be one of nine members convening the first meeting of the Indian Law and Order Commission this Wednesday April 6, 2011 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Established under the 2010 Tribal Law & Order Act, the Commission’s appointed members will make recommendations to President Obama and Congress on how to improve the administration of justice on tribal lands.

“Safe, strong tribal communities are in everyone’s interests. Tribal citizens – and our neighbors – care deeply about justice systems that work for Indian Country,” said Jefferson Keel, President of NCAI, the nation’s oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization. Keel is also the Lt. Governor of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. “The members of this Commission represent deep experience in and a passion to address the issues facing tribal communities. As a group, we have the capacity and desire to ensure that the Tribal Law & Order Act is fully implemented, and exceeds expectations.”

Indian reservations nationwide face violent crime rates more than 2.5 times the national rate and some reservations face more than 20 times the national rate of violence. More than 1 in 3 American Indian and Alaska Native women will be raped in their lifetimes, and 2 in 5 will face domestic or intimate partner violence. The Department of Justice has also found that non-Indians commit approximately 88 percent of violent victimizations against Indian women. Yet the complex jurisdictional scheme on tribal lands prevents tribal governments from criminally prosecuting non-Indian offenders for such violent crimes.

The Indian Law and Order Commission has the potential to be a critical driving force behind implementation of the Tribal Law & Order Act. The law itself does many things and contains several accountability measures, it: mandates Federal agencies responsible for investigating and prosecuting reservation crime to produce declination reports and share information with tribal officials; provides tribes with additional tools to combat crime locally; authorizes tribal access to national criminal history databases; enhances tribal court sentencing authority; and, expands the Special Law Enforcement Commissions program, which gives commissioned tribal officers the ability to enforce federal law on the reservation. However, the Indian Law and Order Commission is in the unique position to serve as an additional accountability measure. Once funded, this oversight body will have the influence and resources to advance implementation in a way that no other body can.

Appointments to the commission were made by President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House John Boehner, and House Minority Leader Pelosi. The following individuals make up the Commission’s membership:



Appointed by President of the United States, Barack Obama

:
- Carole E. Goldberg, Professor of Law at University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, Director, Joint Degree Program in Law and American Indian Studies
- Theresa M. Pouley, Chief Judge of the Tulalip Tribal Court, Associate Justice of the Colville Tribal Court of Appeals, and a member of the Colville Confederated Tribes in Northeast Washington.
- Ted Quasula, General Manager, Grand Canyon Skywalk, member of the Hualapai Tribe in northern Arizona.



Appointed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:


- Jefferson Keel, Lt. Governor of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma and President of the National Congress of American Indians
- Troy Eid, former U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado
Appointed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell:
- Affie Ellis, Assistant Wyoming Attorney General



Appointed by Speaker of the House John Boehner:


- Tom Gede, a principal of Bingham Consulting Group



Appointed by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi:


- Earl Pomeroy, former U.S. Representative from North Dakota
- Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, former U.S. Representative from South Dakota

The Commission has already met twice via teleconference to address preliminary administrative matters. However, this week’s meeting in Santa Fe will be the Commission’s first in-person meeting, where they intend to tackle their substantive tasks and commence the difficult work that awaits them.

NCAI President Jefferson Keel’s Statement on First Meeting of Indian Law and Order Commission

An Old Joke Being Played on Indian Country, Again

NCAI President Jefferson Keel's opinion piece about a misinformed member of the media calling for the elimination of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The opinion piece ran on the Indian Country Today Media Network.

Read original post on the Indian Country Today Media Network

A misinformed member of the media is once again playing a joke on Indian country: ignore the federal trust responsibility and tribal people will be better off. Don’t be fooled, it’s not a new joke. Indian country heard this same argument during the termination era. John Stossel’s piece “

” is conveniently making its way across the internet just as Congress considers budget cuts in excess of $30 billion, putting Indian country and the federal trust responsibility in the crosshairs. The objective is simple: Distract the public and distract Indian country from holding Congress accountable to meet one of its most basic constitutional responsibilities.

John Stossel called for the elimination of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, saying the government has “helped Indians the most … and no group does worse” while also saying those who receive government funding are “freeloaders.” Not only did Mr. Stossel recycle a myth from the termination era, he simply repackaged

 a story that ABC aired over a decade ago

 while Stossel was reporter for ABC’s 20/20. That piece starts off, “Often the more the government helps, the worse things get; look at what they did to the first Americans.” Sound familiar?

The National Congress of American Indians was formed in 1944 to fight against termination, and every day since, members of our organization have successfully protected tribal sovereignty. Grandstanders like Mr. Stossel are not only trying to grab headlines and boost ratings by calling for the elimination of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, they are attempting to eliminate tribal sovereignty completely.

There is no debate to be had. The federal trust responsibility is simply that, a responsibility, and a legal one. Many members of Congress understand that responsibility clearly, whether Republican, Democrat, or Independent. The federal government acquired the entire landmass of the United States through treaties with the Indian tribes, and in return made treaty promises to protect and fund tribal self-government on reservation lands. This is a sacred trust responsibility that originates from the United States’ most sacred document.

The federal responsibilities in Indian Country were written into the Constitution by the founders. The Indian Commerce Clause, the Treaty Clause and the Property Clause are the sources of these federal responsibilities to fund Indian affairs. The First Federal Congress, which was essentially an extension of the Constitutional Convention, spent over 5 percent of its initial budget on Indian affairs.

Misguided calls to “eliminate the Bureau of Indian Affairs” and other federal programs that benefit Indian tribes and Indian people are based on a misunderstanding of the nature and use of these federal funds. The Indian budget is the basic funding for police, schools, courts, jails, health care for a land mass area larger than seven New England states, or the size of Nebraska. Just like our military bases, these lands are a federal responsibility.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has a long history—much of it tainted with dishonor—but in recent decades it has been engaged in a process of transformation that is focused on empowering tribal governments and removing the barriers to economic development. This push toward tribal self-government has been the most successful policy toward Indian tribes in the history of our Nation.

The process is incomplete, and tribal citizens and tribal leaders can be as frustrated as anyone at the slow progress that the BIA is making in certain areas. But we should not confuse this frustration with a desire to eliminate the BIA. We’ll continue to urge Congress to hold the BIA accountable and make the system work better. There is enormous potential for energy development and other economic growth on tribal lands that will benefit our entire nation. At the same time we urge Congress to protect and honor the Constitution and the treaties, and continue its strong support for funding Indian programs.

This April Fools’ day, let’s be sure we’re not played the fool once again by the sensational media accounts about Native people. John Stossel is just another outsider painting a misinformed picture of Indian Country. Let’s not get distracted from the true picture. Our people are strong in the face of adversity, our cultures are thriving, and we will always honor our sacred responsibility to the land and our people.



Jefferson Keel, the current President of NCAI is the Lt. Governor of the Chickasaw Nation. Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indinas is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the broad interests of tribal governments and communities. Learn more at NCAI.org

OPINION: Don’t Be Played the Fool; It’s about Sovereignty

National Indian Organizations Release First Year Review of Health Care Legislation

 Marking the one year anniversary of the enactment of health care reform, leading national American Indian and Alaska Native organizations released a report today, highlighting improved health coordination between tribes and federal partners.

The report, 

Moving Indian Country Forward: Health Care Reform One Year Later

, highlights improved coordination of health care services such as cancer screenings and dialysis treatment, increased resources for tribal, urban, and Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities, authorized development of long term care programs, and expanded workforce initiatives in tribal communities.

"Healthy tribal communities are vital to healthy tribal economies, and health care reform advances our efforts in that area," said Jefferson Keel, President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). "The permanent reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA) in concert with the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been critical to the federal government upholding its trust responsibility to provide health care to the citizens of tribal nations."

The report, co-authored by NCAI, the National Indian Health Board, and the National Council of Urban Indian Health, reviews implementation of both pieces of legislation, ongoing tribal consultation, outreach and education efforts, and FY 2012 budget requests related to health care.

"The journey to bring improved health care to tribal nations has only just begun, and now tribes are able to reach our people that need it most: young adults previously without health insurance, children with pre-existing conditions, and elders seeking more efficient prescription solutions," said Cathy Abramson, Chairwoman of the National Indian Health Board.

"Vital provisions in these bills reach tribal communities where it counts, no matter where tribal citizens live, whether in villages, tribal lands, or in off-reservation communities," said Dr. Patrick Rock, President of the National Council of Urban Indian Health.

NCAI Executive Council Winter Session 2011

February 28, 2011 – The Westin – Washington, DC

Good afternoon and welcome to NCAI’s Executive Winter Council Session. One of the honors of my role as President of NCAI is to address the many Indian leaders gathered here today. I am both honored and excited because you have worked hard to prepare our nations for a new era in U.S. tribal relations.

In January, here, in our nation’s capital, I delivered your message – to Indian Country, to the nation, and to the world – in the 2011 State of Indian Nations Address. In that speech I emphasized that Indian nations offer enormous opportunity to a country facing economic crisis. The message is clear – and familiar, because it’s one many of us have carried for decades –if only the government will respect our Constitutional sovereignty and work with us to cut the red tape that blocks investment, Indian nations will make a tremendous – and much needed – contribution to the American economy and America will be stronger.

During this time of increasingly bitter partisanship in Washington, we sent a clear message – the federal trust responsibility does not have a political affiliation. At this juncture, when we have seen so much progress, it is critical for Congress and the Administration to honor the special status of tribal nations – and our citizens.

I urged Congress to sustain investments in tribal nations by holding Indian programs harmless and providing much needed funding for infrastructure, law enforcement, health care, job creation, and education. Now is not the time to step back from investments in tribal communities that hold promise for our entire nation.

But the speech also contained an important message that was one for us as tribal leaders. I said that the new era isn’t defined by the opportunities presented to us. It “is defined by what we, as Indian nations, choose to do for ourselves.” This moment in the history of Indian Country must be marked by tribal nations coming together, and I mean together, being unified as we put together the best recommendations for this Administration and Congress.

We must work with both sides of the aisle in congress to create jobs that will address the unemployment crisis that has faced many of our communities for decades. We must work to address tax policy so our governments have access to the same tools available to other governments. We must work to protect business development tools – like the 8(a) program – to provide jobs and economic development that strengthen our entire nation.

It’s time to roll up our sleeves. Let’s come together, here, this week, and forge ahead with a clear plan to present legislative policies that will strengthen our nation, and set the tone for generations to come. In the lead up to this year, we have experienced tremendous gains, but it has not been a result of waiting for someone to determine our future. Our recent momentum is a result of continued work, unity and resolve.

That is why today, I issue an invitation—to all of the tribal leaders in the room and to Indian people across the nation—to unite and move forward in partnership as we combat the challenges of our time and fight for a brighter future for our children. Let us as tribal nations come together and set an example for the rest of America to follow. Let us demonstrate to the rest of the world that unity is strength.

As we face pressing policy challenges, we must remain united as we fight for a Carcieri fix, for trust reform, for energy legislation, for policies that spur economic development rather than slow it down.

Yesterday, the executive board heard recommendations and a call for action regarding a proclamation on native languages. As the nation considers education reform, we must put forward clear and unified policy recommendations that clarify our governmental roles, as we define what Indian education means for our children.

Now, I know this won’t be easy. We all have our differences and our own interests at stake, but unity isn’t about when we all agree. That isn’t a challenge. Unity is when we disagree, and we work to find common ground, because our collective efforts are so much more effective. Indian leaders have worked hard to prepare our nations for this moment. We have demonstrated our capacity as self-determined governments that contribute to a stronger America. If this truly is the dawn of a new era for Indian country…let’s get to work and define that new era, before it defines us.

Defining this new era means working together to ensure the policy changes we have won are implemented effectively. The transformation of tribal justice systems was not won with the passage of the Tribal Law & Order Act, it will only be won in the coming years as we fight to ensure the Act is implemented and funded effectively. A modern health care system worthy of our people was not won when President Obama signed the Indian Health Care Improvement Act into law, it will only be won when our communities receive the health services they deserve, the health services we were promised in our treaties!

Defining the era also means we can’t just ask for policy change, we must be prepared to make these opportunities happen. Take trust reform, for example. We have all been talking about trust reform for decades but with the historic Cobell Settlement and the establishment of the Land Consolidation Fund, we are at a critical moment. For the first time in our history, the federal government stands ready and willing to initiate a process of true reforms to the trust relationship in partnership with Indian people. We have a tremendous opportunity to be a part of these trust reform conversations, and to put forward our recommendations on what trust asset management should look like.

The door of opportunity is open because of your hard work and the work of the bipartisan leaders that we will hear from this week. But it is up to us to walk through that door of opportunity; by presenting fresh ideas and concrete proposals about what we would like to see changed, why we would like to see it changed in that way, and just how to affect those changes.

When the President calls for energy independence or investing in green jobs, when people in Congress talk about domestic energy development, that is our time, that is our chance to say, “look at Indian Country.” We have what you need and we want to partner with you to grow the American economy.

We need to take charge of the policy debate over energy by developing concrete energy policy recommendations that realize the vast potential of tribal energy resources. Policy change in this area offers immense promise for tribal communities, and the United States as a whole. As I stated in the state of Indian Nations address, tribes care for approximately ten percent of America’s energy resources, including renewable energy, worth nearly a trillion dollars in revenue. Yet, only a handful of tribes have been able to successfully utilize these resources.

In the 112th Congress, we need to launch a concerted effort to get our tribal energy initiatives signed into law so we can – at long last – unleash the potential of Indian energy resources throughout the nation.

We have a similar opportunity with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We need to take immediate action within our own communities to endorse the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples—just as the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma recently did—and make sure that we are living up to the principles of the Declaration in our own communities. In fact, my good friend, Grand Chief Edward John—a great indigenous leader of the First Nations—stated just last week that this is OUR declaration and we need to take ownership over it.

Tomorrow evening at the legislative reception at National Museum of the American Indians, you’ll see the words, “Indian Country; Celebrating Together.” Around the room will be legislative victories from the last year. Let’s take the time and reflect on the significance of these achievements. But let’s look at those victories not through the lens of the past but through the lens of the future. Let’s look forward to the bright future our children, and our children’s children, will enjoy. Let’s envision the time when our children look back and say “This was the moment when the future of Indian Country changed forever.”

This new era has been prepared through partnership with our allies in the Administration and Congress, but it will be defined by what we – the tribal leaders in this room – will do together to seize this moment and enact real and lasting change for our communities.

The new era starts now. It starts today, this very moment. Let’s move forward together, united, for a future of stronger Indian nations that contribute to a brighter future for all Americans.

Executive Council Winter Session: Remarks from NCAI President Jefferson Keel

National Congress of American Indians calls for swift confirmation of Assistant U.S. Attorney Arvo Mikkanen to Federal District Court Judgeship

Washington, D.C. – The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) commends the Obama Administration’s nomination of Assistant U.S. Attorney Arvo Mikkanen to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma. NCAI, the nation’s oldest and largest American Indian and Alaska Native organization, is calling on the Senate to move quickly to confirm the appointment and fill the federal district court vacancy.

“Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikkanen has served our country for many years as a federal prosecutor, and with his vast experience in both federal and tribal law, he is an excellent choice for the Federal District Court in Northern Oklahoma.” said Jefferson Keel, President of NCAI, and Lt. Governor of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma. “We urge the Senate to act swiftly to confirm Mr. Mikkanen’s nomination and make the federal judiciary more representative of all citizens of this country, including Native Americans.”

When confirmed, Arvo Mikkanen will be the only [Article III] Native American serving on the federal bench, out of a total of 875 federal judgeships, and only the third Native American in history to secure a federal judgeship. The other two American Indians to serve on the federal judiciary were Frank Seay (now on senior status), nominated by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, and Billy Burrage, nominated by President Bill Clinton in 1994.

Mikkanen, who has been an Assistant US Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma since 1994, is an enrolled member of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, and has had a distinguished legal career. He served as a trial and appellate judge for Court of Indian Offenses and Court of Indian Appeals for the Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, Wichita, Caddo, Delaware, Fort Sill Apache, Ponca, Pawnee, Kaw, Otoe-Missouria, and Tonkawa Tribes from 1988 to 1994, and he served as Chief Justice of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Supreme Court from 1991 to 1994. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Yale Law School.

Obama’s District Court Nominee to Be Sole Native American on Federal Bench

“Clear the Way” to Develop Energy and Infrastructure in Indian Country

Washington, D.C. – In today’s State of Indian Nations address, the President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), Jefferson Keel, called for a new era in U.S. tribal relations, defined by optimism and economic opportunity. He called for the U.S. government to focus on Indian Country as a place where infrastructure challenges could be seen as opportunities for economic growth. Republican Senator Murkowski of Alaska delivered the congressional response.

“Unemployment [in Indian Country]…is often four to five times the national unemployment rate,” said Keel as he addressed tribal leaders, members of Congress and the Obama Administration. “Tribes care for approximately ten percent of America’s energy resources, including renewable energy, worth nearly a trillion dollars in revenue…[this] will mean long-term economic development, and in turn the United States will become stronger.”

President Keel outlined other economic opportunities including broadband infrastructure, “which is the back-bone of the new economy. Across the nation, broadband is available to 95 percent of Americans. But in tribal communities, it’s only 10 percent,” explained Keel as he spoke to the nation via a live web broadcast and through radio stations across the country. “Broadband is the pipeline to progress, and we need investment, but first we need an end to barriers that stand in the way of that investment.”

Coming off an exceptional year of bipartisan policy achievements for tribal nations, Keel pointed out that the momentum must be sustained if tribal nations and tribal citizens were to feel the impact in their communities. He called on Congress to seize the opportunity, emphasized must sustain investment in Indian programs, and provide funding for infrastructure, law enforcement, health care, job creation, and education.

“The trust responsibility to tribal nations is not a budget line item, it is a solemn promise,” said Jacqueline Johnson Pata, NCAI’s Executive Director, following the event. “Today we’ve released Indian Country’s Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Request and drawn a roadmap outlining key opportunities for investment that will carry America and Indian Nations to brighter days.”

Keel concluded the speech saying, “The Indian nations can do the work—if the federal government will clear the way for us to exercise our liberty and thus make a new era and a more perfect union.”

Read a transcript of the State of Indian Nations Address

Optimism, Energy, and Economic Development Define State of Indian Nations

9th Annual State of Indian Nations Address Remarks by Jefferson Keel, President, National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)

Thursday, January 27, 2011, 10:30 AM ET - Newseum, Knight Studios, Washington, DC

Introduction: Toward a More Perfect Union



My fellow tribal and American citizens, members of the National Congress of American Indians, members of the Administration and the 112th Congress of the United States, and those listening or watching today from around the country and the world: I stand here, honored, to deliver to you, the State of Indian Nations address.

After an exceptional year of bipartisan achievements to strengthen Indian Country, I am pleased to report that the state of Indian nations is strong, and driven by a new momentum.

We stand at the beginning of a new era for Indian Country, and for tribal relations with the United States.

Previous eras were defined by what the federal government chose to do: the Indian removal period when tribes were forcibly removed to reservations, the allotment era, the reorganization and termination of tribes, even the recent promise of the self-determination era.

But this new era is defined by what we, as Indian nations, choose to do for ourselves. I am honored to be joined this morning by many Indian leaders who have worked hard to prepare our nations for this moment. We are poised to be full partners in the American economy, and in America itself.

We expect that in years to come—in seven generations—our children’s children will look back and say, “This was the moment when the future of Indian Country changed forever.”

Call it the Era of Recognition. Call it the Era of Responsibilities Met, or of Promises Kept.

Whatever it is called, it brings us closer than ever to the true Constitutional relationship between the United States and Indian nations.

It brings us closer to what the Constitution calls a “more perfect union.”

Today, I issue an invitation—to tribal leaders, to Indian people, to our partners in Congress and the Administration, and to all Americans—to join together in building this new era.





Why is this new era possible only now, instead of before?

Recent years have brought a new foundation, the self-determination era has brought a promising partnership between tribes and the federal government. We have demonstrated our capacity as self-determined governments that contribute to a stronger America. We have worked hard to reach this point.

But that alone is not enough to realize the promise of this new era.

Barriers remain—and we are eager to work with our federal partners to remove those barriers to the economic potential of our nations.

There is another reason we are just now seeing this opportunity for a new era.

The state of the economy has played a role. These difficult times have made self-reliance into a necessity.

Today the country is entering more than a time of difficult budget choices. As the federal government contemplates fundamental changes in the priorities of government, Indian Country offers a bold opportunity.

Investing in self-reliant Indian nations is not only the Constitutional and morally right thing to do, Indian nations offer a great untapped source of economic opportunity for all Americans.

This is a great moment, when doing the right thing is also the smart to do.





I was encouraged when the House of Representatives read aloud the U.S. Constitution earlier this month. America’s founders recognized the inherent sovereignty of Indian tribes and the special relationship between tribes and the federal government, and they affirmed it by putting it into words in our Constitution.

Like all American people, we are afforded basic Constitutional rights. Moreover, we carry a special recognition, that tribes are inherently nations with in a nation, that tribes as stated in Article 1, Section 8, are in the company of “foreign nations” and “the several states.”

These basic rights, these inherent rights, are what we seek together to bring to all American people: “justice,…domestic tranquility,…general welfare, and…the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.”

The preamble to the Constitution speaks of a more perfect union. The new era for Indian nations is a profound step toward that more perfect union."





I stated earlier that there has been much progress to make this new era possible. I’d like to review some of those successes from 2010.

The passage and enactment of the Tribal Law and Order Act, and the Indian Health Care Improvement Act were monumental. We thank those on both sides of the aisle who crafted legislation that holds the promise of safer, healthier and more economically productive Native communities.

But this work is not complete. Words are one thing, but actions are another. We call for these initiatives to be fully funded and fully implemented.

We were encouraged by the recent settlements of the Cobell litigation over the mismanagement of Indian lands, and the Keepseagle settlement for discrimination against Indian farmers. Indian tribes have supported these overdue settlements because they will help us turn the page on the wrongs of the past and direct our energies toward securing a better future.

Finally, we welcome the United States’ adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This formally affirms our fundamental human rights. It is a great step forward in respect and recognition of Indigenous peoples throughout the world.

This very morning the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women is visiting tribal nations to investigate the challenges facing tribal justice systems.

Together, these achievements set the stage for a new era in Indian Country. This is a moment of opportunity, and we must look to the future to realize its promise.



The resilience and spirit that carried our people to this day is what will carry us to our next great moment. Our cultures are resolute and diverse. We see every challenge as an opportunity.

Indian nations face great challenges, but we hold great unrealized potential.

High unemployment is new to most Americans, but Native people have felt it for decades, often four to five times the unemployment rate of the country as a whole. But at long last, this new era represents a way forward.

One opportunity for tribal nations is energy development. Our deep relationship to the land and our reverence for the earth’s natural resources provide a clear course for our communities.

Tribes care for approximately ten percent of America’s energy resources, including renewable energy, worth nearly a trillion dollars in revenue.

And yet, only a handful of tribes have been able to successfully utilize these resources. In fact the 49 bureaucratic steps that deter energy development on Indian lands stifled the ability of the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota to access their considerable oil reserves, while oil rigs formed a ring outside reservation boundaries. It took direct action by the Interior Department to streamline this process for the Three Affiliated Tribes. We call on the Congress to apply this kind of concerted effort to unleash the potential of Indian energy resources throughout the nation.

Realizing the potential of energy resources offers immense promise for tribal communities, and the United States as a whole. To achieve the goals of energy independence and economic growth, the focus must turn to the potential in Indian Country.

Just last week, Energy Secretary Chu offered a promising jump-start to such investment. He announced $10 million in support for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in Indian Country.

Tribal energy development will mean long-term economic development, and in turn the United States will become stronger. That is an investment worth making.

This is a good development and it is part of the solution to realizing our potential, but it is not the entire answer.

On this and other issues, barriers stand in the way of progress for Indian Country and our entire nation.

Sometimes it’s bureaucracy. Sometimes it’s a lack of access to financing and federal programs. We call for tribes to receive the same treatment under the law as state and local governments on tax and financial matters. It is time for these barriers to be lifted.

The situation is similar for electronic communication, which is the backbone of the new information economy. Across the nation, broadband is available to 95 percent of Americans. But in tribal communities, it’s only 10 percent. Broadband is the pipeline to progress, and we need investment, but first we need an end to barriers that stand in the way of that investment.

As with energy, the result will be growth, jobs and opportunity—because our potential is already there. We’ve already seen what such investment can do. The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation operate a telecommunications company that is using federal funds, plus grant and loan packages, to expand broadband. So far they are reaching 1,000 square miles of a reservation. They are connecting nearly 2000 people, 18 businesses and the tribal government, plus schools, health care facilities, and police and fire departments. This kind of investment is the foundation for progress throughout Indian Country.

Broadband is just one aspect of our infrastructure needs. In fact, there has never been sufficient federal or private investment to spur growth, or fund adequate services in this area.

There is also huge potential to invest in our youth. We seek investments in after school programs, quality education from pre-K through college, and job training programs. We have many bright students, yet many of our Indian schools lack the curriculum or proper tools that enable them to compete for scholarships and other opportunities.

Our Republican and Democratic partners in Congress and the Administration share a vision for a more effective education system in America, and we encourage them to start in Indian Country. Our children have been waiting for generations, and today is always a good day to begin.

These are some of the things that Congress can do to free the tribes to pursue self-reliance. There are other things to do, too—things that won’t cost a penny.

Our largest assets – tribal lands – remain fragmented and caught in a web of stifling BIA regulations and bureaucracy. Current trust policy is neither effective nor appropriate, and Congress must modernize the trust to reflect the role of tribes as decision-makers in the management of our own lands.

The Supreme Court’s decision in Carcieri is threatening the ability of many tribes to restore their lands and build economic development and jobs. This must be fixed.

With the Cobell settlement and the pending establishment of the Indian Land Consolidation Fund, the federal government has an opportunity to make foundational changes to the trust that will improve administration and further self-determination. We thank the Administration and Secretary Salazar for their leadership on these issues, but the work is not done.

We share the passion for self-reliance and more efficient government brought by many new members of Congress. In many instances, that is exactly what Native people need: a government that respects our Constitutional sovereignty, a government whose leaders want to cut the red tape that blocks investment and prevents us from participating fully in economic life. This new era must be characterized by equal treatment of tribal nations with other governments — the same rules, and the same opportunities for economic growth.

The federal trust responsibility does not have a political affiliation. At this momentous juncture, when a new era is rising, it is critical for Congress and the Administration to honor the special status of tribal nations – and our citizens – solemn promises made in treaties, executive orders, and acts of congress.

We urge Congress to sustain investments in tribal nations by holding Indian programs harmless and providing much needed funding for infrastructure, law enforcement, health care, job creation, and education. For the strength of our nations, and to achieve a more perfect union, now is not the time to step back from investments in tribal communities that hold promise for our entire nation.

The foundation is in place, but much work lies ahead. Tribal nations are united with our federal partners by the great ideals of democracy, equality and freedom.

There’s something else that unites us, too. This address would not be complete without acknowledging the service of nearly 24,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives in the American armed forces. In that alone, the state of Indian nations can be summed up in one word: proud.

As a veteran, I am keenly aware of this great commitment. Just as hundreds of thousands of other Indian people, I have stood for America as a citizen, I have stood for America as a brother on the field of battle, and I stand now as a warrior to defend the honor of our historic trust.

Since 2001, when our homeland was attacked, 77 of our people have died fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, and over 400 have been wounded. The bond between America and the Indian nations is not in doubt. We remain united, and in a new era we will build a more perfect union...together.



Toss a stone into the water and the ripples are felt far away.

In the same way, the decisions before us today will be felt in tribal life for seven generations, and beyond.

Tribal governments understand that Washington is entering more than a time of difficult budget choices. Congress and the Administration are contemplating fundamental changes in the priorities of government.

This is a challenge, but our nation-to-nation relationship presents a unique responsibility and great opportunity—and that is the gateway to a new era of opportunity and self-reliance.

Today we call on our federal partners to clear the way for us to expand economic opportunity through entrepreneurism, so that we might compete.

Clear the way for us to develop energy on our lands, build commerce and create jobs, so that we might contribute to the national economy, energy independence, and a larger recovery.

Clear the way for us to build public infrastructure for our communities, so that our children might thrive and our culture enrich all those around us.

Clear the way for us to build up our own communities.

When you invest in Indian Country, you will be astounded at the economic strength we bring to America. It is time to harness that power and realize the tremendous return on that investment.

The United States and Indian nations are partners and neighbors, bound by the Constitution, we are bound by our great and shared commitment to liberty—and that includes economic liberty.

The Indian nations can do the work—if the federal government will clear the way for us to exercise our liberty and thus make a new era and a more perfect union.

The opportunity of that new era depends on governing wisely today.

God bless America and the Indian nations as we make this great and promising journey together.

State of Indian Nations Address: “Sovereign Indian Nations at the Dawn of a New Era”

National Congress of American Indians Echoes Sentiment that U.S. adoption is “One of the most significant developments in international human rights law in decades”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 16, 2010 - President Obama announced that the United States will lend its support to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) today during the second annual Tribal Nations Summit in Washington, D.C. Prior to this morning's announcement, the United States had been the lone holdout of the original four nations to vote against the adoption of the Declaration by the UN General Assembly in 2007; the other three (Australia, New Zealand, and Canada) have all since reversed their position.

“We echo the sentiment that this is one of the most significant developments in international human rights law in decades. The United States and the Obama Administration have done the right thing today by joining the rest of the world in affirming the inherit rights of Indigenous people,” said Jefferson Keel, President of the National Congress of American Indians, the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. “International human rights law now recognizes the collective and individual human rights of Indigenous peoples, including treaty rights, land rights, and the right of self-determination.”

In delivering his remarks to hundreds of tribal leaders gathered for the Tribal Nations Summit, President Obama was clear that the aspirations in the Declaration were ones that all Americans should vow to uphold. Immediately after he made his announcement of support, the President emphasized that "what matters far more than words...are actions to match those words."

The Declaration, for the first time, gives international recognition to the collective human rights of Indigenous peoples, including treaty rights, land rights, and, perhaps most importantly, the right of self-determination. The Declaration calls for the maintenance and protection of Native cultures, languages, and identities; the fulfillment of treaty obligations by nation states; the equal treatment of and end to discrimination against Indigenous peoples; and the rights of Native peoples to meaningfully participate in the decision-making process and to be consulted on all matters that concern them.

The importance of the Declaration to American Indian and Alaska Native tribes is significant. While not legally binding in and of itself, it nevertheless performs the invaluable functions of gathering together in one document the basic rights of Indigenous peoples, educating the general public, and providing clear direction for those nation states endorsing the Declaration. The Declaration has considerable moral and political force and Indian nations will not hesitate to use the Declaration as the standard by which to measure the actions of the federal government.



About The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI):

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 promoting a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people and rights. For more information visit www.ncai.org

President Obama Announces U.S. Support for United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

On eve of the White House Tribal Nations Summit, National Congress of American Indians hails the historic nature of direct meetings

WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 15, 2010 – President Obama met directly with 12 tribal leaders at the White House this afternoon. The meeting with the tribal leaders from 12 regions of the United States, comes the day before the President will host leaders from the 565 federally-recognized tribes during the White House Tribal Nations Summit, the second in as many years. The National Congress of American Indians is hailing the meeting as a substantial step in establishing a nation-to-nation relationship for the 21st Century.

“These meetings are summit level meetings between leaders of tribal nations and the President of the United States. They are both symbolic and substantive” said Jefferson Keel, President of the National Congress of American Indians, the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. “Last year’s summit was historic in size and ambition. We anticipate the results of the meetings with the President today and tomorrow will change the future of Indian Country for generations to come.”

The meeting comes on the eve of the second White House Tribal Nations Summit, in which the leaders of all 565 federally-recognized tribes were invited to meet with President Obama and members of his Administration throughout the day.

Tribal leaders and President Obama enter these meetings following one of the most significant years of bi-partisan accomplishments for Indian Country. Since the first Tribal Nations Summit, held by the Obama Administration in November of 2009, the United States government has taken historic steps, including: making permanent the Indian Health Care Improvement Act; signing into law the Tribal Law & Order Act; reaching agreement on USDA’s settlement of the long standing Keepseagle case; and, signing into law the Cobell Settlement, closing the chapter on over a century of government mismanagement of Indian assets.

Names of Leaders Who Met With The President on Wednesday:

Earl J. Barbry, Sr., Chairman, Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana

Cedric Black Eagle, Chairman, Crow Nation

Brian Cladoosby, Chairman, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community

Karen Diver, Chairwoman, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Brenda Edwards, Chairperson, Caddo Nation

Tex G. Hall, Chairman, Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation: Three Affiliated Tribes

Gary Hayes, Chairman, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe

John Red Eagle, Principal Chief, Osage Nation

Joe Shirley, Jr. , President, Navajo Nation

Robert H. Smith, Chairman, Pala Band of Mission Indians

Edward K. Thomas, President, Tlingit Haida Central Council

Mervin Wright, Jr., Chairman, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe of Nevada

President Obama Holds Direct Talks with American Indian Leaders at the White House

NCAI President Encouraged Heading into Second Obama White Tribal Nations Conference

President Obama signed into law today the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 which included the $3.4 billion Cobell Settlement and major tribal water settlements that have been at the forefront of Indian Country's legislative agenda.

"The President and the Congress have continued to exhibit a renewed determination to honor the federal trust responsibility to tribal nations and Indian people," said Jefferson Keel, President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. "Today's ceremony is another concrete example of this administration's commitment to work with members of Congress to honor our historic, nation-to-nation relationship. Tribal leaders look forward to meeting with the President and his administration next week at the White House Tribal Nations Conference and continue building our vision for strengthening Indian Country."

The signing of the Cobell settlement, which resolves a long running class action litigation over mismanagement of Indian trust funds, comes one week prior to the President's Tribal Nations Conference, the second of his Administration. Leaders from the 565 federally recognized tribal nations have been invited by the White House, to the Tribal Nations Conference in Washington, D.C. on December 16, 2010.

The Cobell settlement also includes payment for resource mismanagement and funds for consolidation of fractionated lands. The case has been pending since 1996. In the last month, the Cobell Settlement moved forward rapidly in the Senate as budget neutral legislation, after lingering for the last year in both houses. Unresolved for fourteen years, the settlement was part of a number of historic measures included in the Claims Resolution Act of 2010. In addition to the Cobell Settlement, historic water settlements vital to Indian Country, totaling over $1 billion, were passed as part H.R. 4387. The water settlements involved the Crow Tribe, Taos Pueblo, the White Mountain Apache Tribe, and the Aamodt Settlement including the Pueblos of Nambe, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso and Tesuque.

More background information on the signing is available 

President Obama Signs Cobell Settlement, Closes Chapter on Historic Injustices

Tribal Water Rights Settlements also Headed to President for Signature into Federal Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 30, 2010 – In a historic vote today, the United States House of Representatives passed the $3.4 billion Cobell Settlement as part of 

, the Claims Resolution Act of 2010. The Claims Resolution Act of 2010 now moves to President Obama’s desk for signature.

“The passage of the Cobell Settlement is a significant milestone in the history of American Indian relations with United States government,” said Jefferson Keel, President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. “Not only does Cobell settle historic injustices through legal means, it starts the U.S. government on a course for meeting its obligations and making reservation lands more productive for future generations. We commend the bipartisan effort from members of the House and Senate who worked tirelessly to pass this legislation.”

The Cobell settlement resolves the long running class action litigation over mismanagement of Indian trust funds. It also includes payment for resource mismanagement and funds for consolidation of fractionated lands. The case has been pending since 1996.
In press releases, following statements on the House floor, both Representative Tom Cole (R-OK) and House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), outlined the importance of passing the Cobell Settlement as part of the Claims Resolutions Act of 2010.

"This legislation brings a fair and responsible resolution to the Cobell case and is a great bargain for American taxpayers,” said Representative Tom Cole (R-OK), Co-Chairman of the Native American Caucus. “The Cobell settlement helps correct a historic wrong and ensures that Native Americans enjoy the full benefit of tribal lands and resources. The bill is fully paid for and will save taxpayers millions in additional costly litigation.”

"These settlements have been reached in court, and now it is our job to ensure that the federal government lives up to its end of the bargain," said House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD). "I’m glad that this bill funds the Pigford and Cobell settlements without adding to the deficit; and I’m also glad that this bill can bring to a close an unfortunate chapter in our history."

In recent weeks, the Cobell Settlement moved forward rapidly in the Senate as budget neutral legislation, after lingering for the last year in both houses. Unresolved for fourteen years, the settlement was part of a number of historic measures included in the Claims Resolution Act of 2010. In addition to the Cobell Settlement, historic water settlements vital to Indian Country, totaling over $1 billion, were passed as part H.R. 4387. The water settlements involved the Crow Tribe, Taos Pueblo, the White Mountain Apache Tribe, and the Aamodt Settlement including the Pueblos of Nambe, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso and Tesuque.

Historic Cobell Settlement Passes U.S. House of Representatives

“One Step Closer to Settling Historical Injustice” says National Congress of American Indians

 – The United States Senate has passed the long awaited $3.4 billion Cobell Settlement brought by American Indian plaintiffs. Praising its passage, the leadership of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country, has called for a swift passage of Cobell in the House.

“The passage of the Cobell Settlement in the Senate brings tribal nations and the federal government one step closer to settling this historical injustice,” said Jefferson Keel, President of the National Congress of American Indians. “We urge the House to pass this legislation and send it to the President’s desk for final signature. NCAI is also encouraged by the passage of several important tribal water settlements. Congratulations to Indian Country for these important steps forward.”

The National Congress of American Indians statement comes at the conclusion of the organization’s 67th Annual Convention held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. During NCAI’s Convention the Obama Administration made history by announcing to tribal leaders the second Tribal Nations Summit to be hosted by the President. The Tribal Nations Summit will be held in Washington, D.C. on December 16, 2010.

Read the press release about the Tribal Nations Summit: 

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