The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) commends Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for today’s decisive action in signing 

 halting all new exploratory mining leases and operations within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Rainy River Headwaters Watershed. This historic directive safeguards one of the nation's most vital ecological, cultural, and economic landscapes from irreversible industrial damage.

NCAI recognizes the Bois Forte Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa — all signatories to the 1854 Treaty — for their unwavering leadership and commitment to protecting their ceded territory. For years, these Tribal Nations have stood alongside local communities, conservation advocates, and allied Tribal Nations to defend the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Rainy River Headwaters Watershed from the threat of toxic runoff, habitat fragmentation, and acid mine drainage associated with sulfide-ore copper mining. Earlier this year, the three 1854 Tribes, along with the Red Lake Nation, entered into a historic cross-border agreement with the Gakijiwanong Anishinaabe Nation (formerly Lac La Croix First Nation) in Ontario, Canada, to work collaboratively to protect treaty-guaranteed resources within the Rainy River Headwaters Watershed. Today’s executive order honors the critical importance of treaty rights and acknowledges that this pristine ecosystem is far more valuable left intact than mined for short-term gain.

“The protection of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Rainy River Headwaters Watershed is not just an environmental imperative; it is a fundamental defense of Tribal sovereignty and treaty rights. While this executive order provides crucial immediate relief, it also underscores the urgency for permanent congressional action,” said Larry Wright, Jr., Executive Director of the National Congress of American Indians. Exploratory mining leads to large-scale extraction, threatening ancestral lands and the fragile ecosystem with heavy machinery and toxic chemicals. Any pollution from drilling would irreversibly damage both Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Rainy River Headwaters Watershed. This executive order prevents devastation and safeguards our clean drinking water, protects sacred cultural sites and treaty resources in the ceded territory, and ensures the continued strength of the regional outdoor economy.

“We commend the 1854 Tribes for fiercely defending their ceded territory and the critical resources within it,” said Lenny Fineday, General Counsel of the National Congress of American Indians. “Governor Walz has demonstrated meaningful leadership by listening to Tribal Nations, respecting Tribal stewardship, and recognizing the lasting consequences these activities could have for treaty-protected lands and resources. We extend our deepest appreciation to Chairman Carlos Hernandez, Chairman Bobby Deschampe, Chairman Bruce Savage, and all the 1854 Tribal leaders for their steadfast leadership and advocacy in this fight. NCAI stands with all Tribes and First Nations within the Rainy River Headwaters Watershed and supports their efforts to secure permanent protections for these waters for generations to come.”

While this executive order is a significant step forward, NCAI remains focused on the ultimate goal: permanent federal protections for these lands, waters, and treaty-protected resources. NCAI supports the 1854 Tribes in their push for federal legislation that would permanently withdraw the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Rainy River Headwaters Watershed from mineral leasing and development. Guided by 

, which calls for the protection of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, the Rainy River Headwaters Watershed, and treaty-protected rights, NCAI will continue advocating for federal action that respects Tribal sovereignty, fulfills treaty obligations, and permanently safeguards these critical headwaters for generations to come.

NCAI Applauds Historic Executive Order Protecting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Rainy River Headwaters Watershed from Exploratory Mining 

National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers

United South and Eastern Tribes Sovereignty Protection Fund

 issue this joint statement to record our strong and unified position in support of the protection of the Section 106 process of the 

National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)

 and the fulfillment of the federal government’s trust and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations. The Section 106 process provides Tribal Nations with an important seat at the federal decision-making table, helping the federal government avoid harming cultural heritage sites and uphold its legal obligations while streamlining permitting. Doing so would help to avoid costly delays that can arise when these considerations are not taken into account from the beginning.

On July 24, 2026, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) voted 15-5, with two abstentions, to advance proposed revisions to the regulations implementing the Section 106 process at 

. Our organizations strongly oppose this rulemaking and believe it should not move forward in its current form. The proposed revisions are now undergoing executive branch review before being published as a proposed rule. As proposed, the revisions violate the United States’ trust and treaty obligations, exceed the boundaries of administrative authority, and attempt to alter responsibilities established by federal statute.

The Section 106 process reflects Congress’s recognition that federal agencies should understand the consequences of their decisions before historic and culturally significant places are damaged or lost. For Tribal Nations, the Section 106 process is inseparable from their inherent sovereignty, the unique legal and political relationship between Tribal Nations and the United States, and the trust and treaty obligations owed to Tribal Nations. It is for this reason that Congress included Tribal Nation-specific provisions within the NHPA. Federal decisions affecting sacred places, ancestral lands, burial places, traditional cultural places, cultural heritage, and cultural landscapes implicate these unique trust and treaty obligations and political relationships, which extend far beyond ordinary stakeholder engagement. Government-to-government consultation with Tribal Nations must be understood within that distinct legal and political relationship.

The draft revisions improperly advanced by the ACHP raise significant and, in our view, illegal and disqualifying concerns about the Tribal consultation framework that these obligations and relationships require. The proposed revisions would significantly expand federal agency discretion over whether and how consultation with Tribal Nations occurs, including, for example, by narrowing when the Section 106 process is triggered for a “federal undertaking” and what qualifies as a “historic property.” The proposed revisions would also decrease the instances in which impacts on Tribal Nations’ cultural heritage are considered “effected” sufficient to trigger consideration of mitigation measures, and they would limit Tribal Nations’ participation in deciding on and carrying out mitigation measures. Conversely, these revisions would allow project applicants and other non-federal parties to assume a greater role in activities that are inherently federal functions, which are non-delegable. They would further shorten critical stages of the Section 106 process and attempt to limit judicial review.

Taken together, the ACHP’s proposed changes extend well beyond matters of regulatory procedure and raise broader questions about the implementation of responsibilities Congress established under the NHPA, including those of the ACHP, the National Park Service and other federal agencies, State Historic Preservation Officers, Tribal Nations, Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, and other participants responsible for implementing the law. The proposed changes also raise questions about the extent to which administrative revisions may alter authorities established by statute or assigned elsewhere within the federal historic preservation framework.

Additionally, although project applicants and contractors may appropriately assist federal agencies with administrative aspects of inherently federal functions, private parties are not owed trust and treaty obligations and do not share the government-to-government relationship with the United States as sovereign Tribal Nations do. The distinction between providing assistance with and input on the Section 106 process and exercising federal governmental responsibility is therefore critical. Federal obligations to Tribal Nations remain regardless of who is seeking approval for an undertaking.

While efficient and predictable federal decision-making is an important policy objective, meaningful Tribal consultation and the historic preservation review it supports are not sources of delay when implemented correctly. When conducted early, consultation with Tribal experts can identify conflicts before substantial resources are committed, allow projects to avoid culturally sensitive places, inform alternatives, and reduce the potential for disputes, litigation, and subsequent project delays. A process that appears administratively shorter may ultimately create greater uncertainty when concerns are not identified until after significant decisions and investments have been made.

The consequences are particularly significant because damage to historic and cultural heritage is irreversible. Once a sacred place is destroyed, ancestral remains are disturbed, or a cultural landscape is fundamentally altered, consultation after the fact cannot restore what has been lost. The Section 106 process provides a mechanism for considering those consequences 

We raise these concerns while acknowledging that the Section 106 process, as it exists today, is far from a perfect safeguard. In practice, the process can be unevenly applied and vulnerable to political pressure that too often favors project proponents and federal agencies over the Tribal Nations whose irreplaceable sacred places and cultural heritage are at stake. The Section 106 process does not always protect what it should, and for this reason it must not be weakened in the manner that the proposed revisions would allow. The United States must instead remain steadfast in supporting a clear, affirmative policy of protecting Tribal Nations’ sacred places, ancestral lands, and cultural heritage — protection that a procedural review mechanism like the Section 106 process can help support.

As federal policymakers continue to consider matters involving federal permitting, infrastructure, energy development, federal lands, and historic preservation, the current proposed changes to the Section 106 regulations raise important questions about the relationship between legislative action, administrative reform, and congressional intent. Central among them is whether the proposed changes to 

 remain consistent with the United States’ trust and treaty obligations and the text, structure, and purposes of the NHPA, as well as preserve the respective responsibilities Congress established within the federal historic preservation system.

The process by which these substantial changes to the Section 106 regulations were developed is also significant. ACHP members were provided roughly one week to review a nearly complete draft before the July 24 vote — without consultation with Tribal Nations — despite a more deliberative process having been contemplated earlier. Changes affecting a longstanding federal statutory framework and the federal government’s relationship with sovereign Tribal Nations warrant careful consideration and meaningful participation by, and consultation with, Tribal Nations.

For Tribal Nations, participation in this revision process cannot be reduced to ordinary public participation or stakeholder engagement through the Federal Register. Public comment and government-to-government Tribal consultation serve different purposes and fulfill different legal obligations. Consultation recognizes the sovereign status of Tribal Nations, the unique legal and political relationship between Tribal Nations and the United States, and the trust and treaty obligations owed to them. Any federal consideration of changes affecting that relationship or those obligations should preserve that distinction. Our organizations’ position is that the integrity of the Section 106 process rests on meaningful government-to-government consultation with Tribal Nations; federal accountability for carrying out consultation obligations; recognition and protection of sacred places, traditional cultural properties, and cultural landscapes; respect for the statutory responsibilities established under the NHPA; and consideration of harm to historic and cultural heritage before it becomes irreversible.

We call upon members of Congress, federal agencies, preservation organizations, state governments, Tribal Nation leaders, and the American public to recognize that what Tribal Nations work to protect ultimately benefits us all, and that future generations depend upon the choices made today. For generations, Tribal Nations have fulfilled our traditional responsibility to protect the places that define who we are as Peoples. The federal government carries its own responsibility to honor its commitments, uphold its trust and treaty obligations, and engage Tribal Nations as sovereign partners. The Section 106 revisions advanced by the ACHP fail to fulfill that responsibility.

The current debate therefore extends beyond the merits of a single proposed regulation. It concerns the continued implementation of a statutory framework established by Congress in furtherance of the United States’ trust and treaty obligations and the balance between administrative efficiency, federal accountability, sovereignty retained by Tribal Nations, and the protection of places that cannot be replaced once they are lost. Our organizations stand united in this position. We will continue to work together, and with Tribal Nations across the country, to ensure that the Section 106 process is strengthened rather than weakened, and to advance a clear federal policy that protects Tribal Nations’ sacred places, ancestral lands, and cultural heritage while preserving meaningful government-to-government Tribal consultation and federal accountability.

As this rulemaking proceeds through executive branch review and toward publication in the Federal Register, the Association on American Indian Affairs, the National Congress of American Indians, the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, and the United South and Eastern Tribes Sovereignty Protection Fund will continue to make our position known, will mobilize Tribal Nations and allies to participate fully once the formal public comment period opens, and will pursue every avenue available to protect and mitigate harm to our shared cultural heritage. The future of the Section 106 process must be grounded in mutual respect, enforceable accountability, and genuine partnership, not administrative expediency or diminished protections.

About the National Congress of American Indians:

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

About the Association on American Indian Affairs:

The Association on American Indian Affairs is the oldest national Native non-profit protecting sovereignty, preserving culture, educating youth and building capacity. The Association was formed in 1922 to change the destructive path of federal policy from assimilation, termination and allotment, to sovereignty, self-determination and self-sufficiency. Throughout its more than 100-year history, the Association has provided national advocacy on watershed issues that support sovereignty and culture, while working at a grassroots level with Native Nations to support the implementation of programs that support Native Peoples. 

About the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers: 

NATHPO is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) membership organization, founded in 1998, of Tribal preservation leaders protecting culturally important places that perpetuate Native identity, resilience, and cultural endurance. Connections to cultural heritage sustain the health and vitality of Native peoples. We provide guidance to preservation officials, elected representatives, and the public about national historic preservation legislation, policies, and regulations. We promote Tribal sovereignty, develop partnerships, and advocate for Tribes in governmental activities on preservation issues. For more information visit our website at 

About United South and Eastern Tribes (USET):

Established in 1969, the United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc. (USET) is a non-profit, inter-Tribal organization serving 33 federally recognized Tribal Nations from the Northeastern Woodlands to the Everglades and across the Gulf of Mexico. USET is dedicated to enhancing the development of Tribal Nations, improving the capabilities of Tribal governments, and improving the quality of life for Indian people through a variety of technical and supportive programmatic services.

Joint Statement on Protecting Section 106 Process of NHPA

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) joins the Nisqually Indian Tribe and Indian Country in mourning the passing of Chairman Ellery “Ken” Choke.

Chairman Choke was a respected leader who placed his people and community at the center of his service. His leadership reflected a deep commitment to the sovereignty, well-being, and future of the Nisqually Indian Tribe, as well as a commitment to strengthening relationships throughout the South Sound region and across Indian Country.

“On behalf of NCAI, I extend our deepest condolences to Chairman Choke’s wife, children, grandchildren, extended family, the Nisqually Tribal Council, and the entire Nisqually community,” said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright Jr., “Chairman Choke understood that Tribal leadership is grounded in service to one’s people. He carried that responsibility with dedication and advocated tirelessly for the rights, resources, and future of the Nisqually Indian Tribe. Indian Country has lost a valued leader, and we stand with the Nisqually people as they honor his life and legacy.”

Chairman Choke’s advocacy reflected many of the principles at the heart of NCAI’s mission, including defending Tribal sovereignty, protecting treaty rights and natural resources, and holding the federal government accountable for fulfilling its trust and treaty responsibilities. Most recently, he brought the Nisqually Indian Tribe’s priorities directly to Congress, where he testified in support of federal legislation to restore Tribal ownership of the Clear Creek Hatchery. This effort was rooted in self-determination, stewardship, and the protection of the Tribe’s treaty-reserved fishing rights.

His community-first approach to leadership was especially evident in his commitment to the 2026 Paddle to Nisqually. His dedication to this gathering reflected his commitment to culture, connection, and future generations.

NCAI holds Chairman Choke’s family, loved ones, and the Nisqually Indian Tribe in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. We honor his service, mourn his passing, and recognize the lasting impact of his leadership.

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

NCAI Mourns the Passing of Nisqually Tribal Chairman Ellery "Ken" Choke

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) sent a letter to Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Michael S. Selig formally requesting government-to-government consultation with federally recognized Tribal Nations before the Commission takes final action on its proposed amendments to Rule 40.11 concerning event contracts and prediction markets.

The proposed rule could have significant consequences for Tribal sovereignty, Tribal regulatory authority, Tribal-state gaming compacts, and the governmental revenues on which Tribal Nations rely on to provide essential services. NCAI has asked the Commission to suspend further action on the rule until meaningful consultation has occurred.

“Tribal Nations are sovereign governments, not private industry interested parties in a federal rulemaking process,” said NCAI President Mark Macarro. “A public comment period does not replace the federal government’s responsibility to engage Tribal Nations through meaningful, timely, and good-faith government-to-government consultation.”

In its letter, NCAI expressed concern that the CFTC has not conducted dedicated consultation with Tribal Nations regarding the proposed rule. NCAI emphasized that Executive Order 13175 requires federal agencies to obtain meaningful Tribal input when proposed actions may affect Tribal sovereignty, self-government, or economic interests.

The letter also underscores that Tribal gaming revenues fund health care, education, public safety, housing, infrastructure, elder services, emergency response, and cultural and language preservation. Any federal action that could affect these revenues is not simply a commercial matter—it directly affects the ability of Tribal governments to serve their citizens.

NCAI requested that the CFTC conduct formal consultation, evaluate the proposed rule’s Tribal implications, include consultation materials in the administrative record, and ensure that any final regulatory framework recognizes and preserves Tribal sovereignty and regulatory authority.

NCAI stands ready to work with Chairman Selig and Commission staff to establish an appropriate consultation process before any final rule is adopted.

NCAI encourages Tribal Nations to submit their own letters to the CFTC formally requesting government-to-government consultation in support of NCAI’s request and to strengthen the administrative record regarding this rulemaking. A template letter is available that Tribal Nations may use to submit the request to the CFTC. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact NCAI General Counsel Leonard Fineday at lfineday@ncai.org.

NCAI Sends Letter to CFTC Chairman Requesting Formal Tribal Consultation

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As wildfires continue across the Pacific Northwest and Western U.S., the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) extends its deepest solidarity and support to the affected Tribal Nations and communities. Tribal Nations are facing evacuations, threats to and the destruction of homes and infrastructure, and hazardous air conditions. The fires have also caused significant risks to Tribal homelands, sacred sites, and natural landscapes that have shaped and sustained Native communities since time immemorial.

“Tribal Nations are once again on the front lines – protecting their citizens, homelands, sacred places, and surrounding communities under extraordinarily difficult conditions,” said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright Jr. “NCAI stands with every family who has been displaced, every community facing loss, and every responder working tirelessly to protect lives and lands. Federal and state agencies must act with urgency, coordinate directly with Tribal governments, and ensure that lifesaving resources and long-term recovery assistance reach affected communities without unnecessary barriers or delays.”

Tribal Nations and their citizens across the Pacific Northwest are among those facing the direct and immediate effects of these fires. Affected Tribal Nations include the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indians Reservation, and the Spokane Tribe of Indians. NCAI extends its deepest gratitude to Tribal fire crews, first responders, emergency personnel, volunteers, and Tribal leaders working to protect their communities and provide assistance under dangerous conditions.

Tribal Nations as sovereign governments are essential partners in emergency response and relief efforts. NCAI calls on federal and state agencies to coordinate directly with affected Tribal Nations and provide necessary emergency resources– including shelter, firefighting and prevention support, health services, infrastructure restoration, and long-term support and recovery assistance. Assistance should immediately be provided directly to Tribal Nations without unnecessary administrative burdens.

NCAI also recognizes the urgent needs of Tribal communities and encourages individuals, partner organizations, and allies to support Tribal-led relief efforts. Direct donations and other resources can help provide emergency supplies, shelter, food, and other resources needed to support communities affected by the fires.

The effects of these fires will continue for years after they are extinguished. NCAI remains committed to advocating for the Tribal and federal resources, partnerships, and assistance necessary to support Tribal communities in protecting their citizens, homelands, and cultural resources for generations to come.

Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation: 

https://yakama.com/programs/signal-peak-and-ransier-fire-updates/

https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/TUN5ZX9Q8BYF4

Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon Wildfire Recovery Fund:

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/the-confederated-tribes-of-the-warm-springs-reservation-of-oregon-ctws-wildfire-recovery-fund

American Red Cross – Washington Wildfires: 

https://www.redcross.org/donate/dr/washington-wildfires-2026.html/?alloy_redirect=eyJ2IjoxLCJhZCI6IjY3NDQyNToxOjB8MiJ9

The Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest (NARA NW)

collecting emergency supplies to support relatives and families affected by the recent wildfires, including several of NARA NW staff who have lost their homes or been displaced.

Donations may be dropped off Monday through Friday from noon to 4:00 p.m. at either of the following locations:

Gresham Outpatient, 355 NW Division St., Gresham, Oregon

RiverHouse Administration,211 SE Caruthers St., Portland, Oregon

For questions or assistance, call the NARA NW Disaster Relief Line: 971-710-3116.

NCAI Stands in Solidarity with Tribal Nations Affected by Devastating Western Wildfires

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) congratulates Mark Cruz, a citizen of the Klamath Tribes, on his confirmation by the United States Senate to serve as Director of the Indian Health Service (IHS).

“Director Cruz assumes this important responsibility at a critical time for Tribal Nations and Native communities,” said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr. “We congratulate him on his confirmation and look forward to working together to ensure the federal government fully upholds its trust and treaty obligations and provides American Indian and Alaska Native people with the quality health care they deserve.”

The federal government has a trust and treaty responsibility to provide healthcare to American Indian and Alaska Native people, yet chronic underfunding, workforce shortages, aging facilities, barriers to care, and persistent health disparities continue to affect Native families and communities across Indian Country.

As Director, Cruz will lead IHS during a pivotal period and will have an important opportunity to strengthen the agency’s partnerships with Tribal Nations, improve health care access and delivery, support the recruitment and retention of health professionals, and address long standing health care infrastructure needs.

NCAI looks forward to working with Director Cruz, the Department of Health and Human Services, Congress, and Tribal leaders to advance Tribal self-determination and self-governance in health care, strengthen IHS accountability, and ensure that Tribal Nations guide the development of federal policies and programs affecting their citizens.

NCAI Congratulates Mark Cruz on Confirmation as Director of the Indian Health Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 15, 2026) | The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and the 

National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO)

 condemn President Donald Trump’s proclamations reducing Bears Ears National Monument by 

 and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument by 

. These actions directly attack Tribal sovereignty, sacred places, cultural resources, and hard-won advances in Tribal-federal collaboration.

Bears Ears was established through the unified leadership of the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Ute Indian Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and Pueblo of Zuni, creating a historic co-management framework rooted in Indigenous land stewardship. Similarly, Grand Staircase-Escalante holds profound cultural, spiritual, and historical significance for the Tribal Nations of Grand Staircase-Escalante Inter-Tribal Coalition — the Hopi Tribe, Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, Navajo Nation, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and Zuni Tribe. Stripping away protections from these interconnected homelands abruptly exposes sacred sites, ancestral burial grounds, and ceremonial areas to immediate threats posed by extraction, industrial development, looting, and vandalism.

NCAI’s opposition to these cuts is grounded in years of formal organizational policy:

The resolution urged Congress to take legislative action affirming that only Congress — not the President or executive agencies — may modify, reduce, or revoke national monument designations, and called on federal agencies to obtain free, prior, and informed consent from affected Tribal Nations before altering monument boundaries or protections.

 The resolution urged the permanent protection of the 1.9 million-acre Bears Ears region and the establishment of a historic Federal-Tribal Collaborative Management framework.

 As filed previously in federal court alongside the Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA), NCAI maintained that removing Tribal involvement and shrinking monument boundaries would inflict irreversible damage on sacred landscapes and severely fracture the government-to-government trust relationship.

 NCAI continues to vigorously oppose legislative maneuvers, such as the misuse of the 

, that seek to overturn the hard-fought 2025 Monument Management Plans for 

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

, which codify Tribal consultation and the use of Indigenous Knowledge in land management.

NATHPO and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers work on the front lines to protect sacred places, ancestral sites, burial places, cultural objects, and historic properties. Any federal undertaking affecting lands removed from monument protection must fully comply with the 

 and other applicable laws, including requirements to meaningfully consult with affected Tribal Nations and their Tribal Historic Preservation Officers.

 authorizes presidents to designate national monuments. It does not authorize presidents to unilaterally dismantle existing monument protections.

NCAI and NATHPO call upon the administration to:

Rescind the proclamations and restore the full boundaries and protections of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments.

Immediately halt new development, extraction, leasing, permitting, and other ground-disturbing activities on lands removed from monument protection while legal challenges proceed.

Engage in meaningful nation-to-nation consultation with every affected Tribal Nation.

Consult directly with affected Tribal Historic Preservation Officers before authorizing any action that could affect sacred places, cultural landscapes, historic properties, or ancestral remains.

Preserve and strengthen Tribal participation in the stewardship and management of both monuments.

Uphold the federal government’s trust, treaty, historic preservation, and consultation responsibilities.

We further call upon Congress to defend the integrity of the Antiquities Act by rejecting 

 and any similar legislation that seeks to weaken protections for Tribal sacred places, cultural resources, and ancestral homelands.

Protecting these lands is not simply a conservation matter. It is a matter of Tribal sovereignty, religious freedom, historic preservation, cultural survival, and justice.

Grand Staircase-Escalante Inter-Tribal Coalition

, and all affected Tribal Nations as they continue to defend the monuments in the consolidated 

 litigation, which was remanded to the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah following the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ June 2026 decision. NCAI and NATHPO will also support Tribal Nations in pursuing appropriate legal remedies challenging these unlawful reductions, informed by the legal theory first advanced in the Tribes' 2017 lawsuit, 

, which remains pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, while continuing to oppose legislative efforts to weaken the Antiquities Act.

About the National Congress of American Indians: 

NCAI and NATHPO Condemn Trump’s Massive Cuts to Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante

America’s History Must Include the Truth About Tribal Nations.

| The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the oldest and largest organization representing Tribal Nations and Native peoples, expresses profound concern over the White House’s report, 

, which seeks to redefine how our nation’s history is interpreted and presented to the American public.

The story of America cannot be told honestly by erasing or minimizing the histories of the original peoples of this land. Tribal Nations have existed since time immemorial and continue to exercise their inherent sovereignty today. Any effort to reshape our nation’s history that ignores the experiences, voices, and legal status of Tribal Nations undermines both historical accuracy and the government-to-government relationship recognized in the United States Constitution, treaties, federal law, and centuries of judicial precedent.

The report dismisses or challenges well-established historical scholarship concerning Native American history, including the realities of land dispossession, forced removal, genocide, assimilation policies, and the federal Indian boarding school era. These are not matters of political ideology — they are documented historical facts supported by extensive federal records, Tribal oral histories, academic scholarship, and official findings of the United States government itself.

For generations, Native peoples endured deliberate policies intended to remove them from their homelands, dismantle Tribal governments, suppress Native languages, prohibit cultural and spiritual practices, and separate Native children from their families through the federal boarding school system. The devastating impacts of these policies continue to affect Tribal communities today.

The United States has acknowledged many of these truths. Federal investigations into the Indian boarding school system documented widespread abuse, forced assimilation, and the lasting intergenerational trauma experienced by Native families. These findings deserve recognition — not dismissal.

Similarly, discussions of land dispossession are not an attack on America; they are an acknowledgment of the historical processes through which the United States expanded while entering into hundreds of treaties with Tribal Nations — many of which were subsequently violated. Honest history recognizes that the United States and Tribal Nations share a complex history rooted in diplomacy, conflict, resilience, and survival.

“The report overlooks a fundamental truth: Native Nations are not simply another cultural or ethnic group. Tribal Nations are sovereign governments with a unique political relationship with the United States,” said Larry Wright, Jr., NCAI Executive Director. “Native citizenship in Tribal Nations exists alongside United States citizenship, a dual political status that reflects the enduring sovereignty of Tribal governments. This distinction is foundational to the U.S. government’s relationship with Tribal Nations and should never be minimized or mischaracterized.”

Museums, educators, historians, and cultural institutions have a responsibility to present history grounded in evidence, scholarship, and the lived experiences of the communities whose histories they interpret. Honest history does not weaken America. It strengthens our democracy by allowing us to learn from the past, honor those who endured injustice, and build a more informed future.

“As our nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of the United States, Americans deserve a complete history — one that recognizes both our country’s achievements and its failures. Patriotism is not built upon omission. It is strengthened by truth, accountability, and a shared commitment to justice,” said Wright.

NCAI stands with Tribal Nations, Native scholars, educators, cultural leaders, survivors of the federal Indian boarding school era, and all who believe that America’s story must include the voices of Indigenous peoples. Attempts to erase or diminish these histories dishonor not only Native communities but also the nation’s own commitment to truth and democratic values.

The National Congress of American Indians calls upon federal leaders, Congress, museums, educators, and the American public to reject efforts to politicize or revise the documented history of Tribal Nations. Instead, we urge continued support for historical scholarship, Tribal consultation, Indigenous language revitalization, implementation of the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative recommendations, and education that reflects the full and accurate history of the United States.

“America’s story begins with Tribal Nations. It cannot be told truthfully without us.”

NCAI Responds to White House “Saving America’s Story” Report

 The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) honors the life and service of Victor Roubidoux, an Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma elder, U.S. Army veteran, founder and former director of the Grey Snow Eagle House, former Treasurer of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, and former chair of NCAI’s Repatriation and Sacred Sites Committee.

Roubidoux’s life was marked by service, vision, and a deep responsibility to protect the cultural and spiritual relationships Tribal Nations hold with eagles. Through the Grey Snow Eagle House, he helped create a Native-led place of care for bald and golden eagles, supporting their rehabilitation, long-term protection, and when possible, their return to the wild. His work strengthened the role of Native leadership in conservation and reflected a lifelong commitment to honoring sacred responsibilities through action.

“Victor Roubidoux carried his responsibilities with humility, strength, and a deep love for our people,” said Christie Modlin, NCAI Secretary and Secretary of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma. “His service to the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, his leadership in protecting sacred places, and his lifelong care for eagles leave a legacy that will continue to guide and inspire our Nation and all of Indian Country.”


Before founding the Grey Snow Eagle House, Roubidoux served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Gold Palm. He later served the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma as Treasurer for 13 years and contributed to national advocacy through his leadership with NCAI’s Repatriation and Sacred Sites Committee, helping advance efforts to protect sacred places, cultural items, and Tribal sovereignty.


NCAI extends its condolences to Victor’s family, the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, the Grey Snow Eagle House staff, and all those who carry forward his work. His legacy will be remembered through his service to his Tribal Nation, his care for eagles, and his enduring contributions to cultural protection across Indian Country.


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

NCAI Honors the Life and Service of Victor Roubidoux

NCAI Statement on Protecting Native Voting Rights Following Supreme Court Mail-In Ballot Decision

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) notes that the Supreme Court of the United States upheld a Mississippi law that allows legally cast mail-in ballots to be accepted after Election Day as long as they are postmarked by Election Day. In many Tribal communities, voters face unavoidable delays from the United States Postal Service and other common carriers, which can result in disenfranchisement if their ballots cannot be collected and delivered to distant, state-designated locations in a timely manner.

Like Mississippi, many states have enacted similar legislation to ensure the voices of American voters in remote and rural areas – including the voices of many American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) voters – are still heard and included. As an amicus curiae with the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) and others, NCAI and its attorneys at the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) brought to the Court’s attention these very real logistical obstacles faced by millions of AI/AN voters.

Despite this positive ruling, Tribal Nations and their citizens must maintain vigilance over their hard-won voting rights, be aware of impediments and obstacles, and strategize now to ensure that their voices are heard in every election. Threats to AI/AN voting rights persist through regulations and executive orders that seek to impose administrative burdens on voting which disproportionately impact Tribal access to the electoral process.

“Since our founding over eighty years ago, NCAI has stood strong for Native voting rights in state and federal elections,” said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr. “The Court’s decision ensures one less barrier to counting Native votes. NCAI remains dedicated to ensuring each and every Native voice is heard at the ballot box.”

 for more information and for available resources on how you or your community can help in the ongoing work of ensuring Native votes count. If your Tribal Nation, organization, or collective is committed to increasing civic participation and strengthening the political power of AI/AN communities, we encourage you to apply for a Sko Vote Den 2026 Mini-Grant by 

. The application is online only and can be accessed using this 

NCAI calls on Tribal Nations and all Tribal citizens to exercise their civil liberties through voting at every election opportunity.

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) applauds the nomination of Mark Cruz (Klamath Tribes) of Oregon to serve as Director of the Indian Health Service (IHS) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In this role, he will be responsible for ensuring comprehensive and culturally respectful healthcare delivery to approximately 2.8 million American Indians and Alaska Natives across the United States.

Mr. Cruz has extensive experience working in the federal government as a Senior Advisor to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and previously as Deputy Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs for Policy and Economic Development at the Department of the Interior under Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney.

During his time at HHS, Mr. Cruz has strongly advocated for the interests of American Indians and Alaska Natives, overseeing a Presidential Budget that requests historic increases in appropriations to IHS of nearly $1 billion, assisting with the mobilization of more than 70 Public Health Service officers from the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps to IHS facilities across the country, and working to reduce barriers preventing Tribal Nations from developing health responses that take into account the unique needs and traditional practices of the community.

NCAI supports the Senate’s swift confirmation of Mr. Cruz as IHS Director and looks forward to working collaboratively with him in this position to improve health outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native communities, prevent chronic diseases, address infrastructure needs, and strengthen the healthcare workforce.

NCAI Applauds Nomination of Mark Cruz for Director of IHS

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) honors Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby following his announcement to retire after more than five decades of service to the Chickasaw people and nearly 40 years as Governor.

Governor Anoatubby helped define a modern era of Tribal Nation building. Since beginning his service with the Chickasaw Nation in 1975, he demonstrated a steadfast commitment to sovereignty, self-determination, and the long-term well-being of Chickasaw citizens and Tribal citizens throughout Indian Country.

Governor Anoatubby’s service has long intersected with NCAI’s mission. He has advocated alongside NCAI since 1979, the same year he was elected the first Lieutenant Governor of the Chickasaw Nation. His leadership — first as Lieutenant Governor, then as Governor beginning in 1987 — overlapped with critical chapters in NCAI’s advocacy for Tribal sovereignty, government-to-government relations, trust and treaty obligations, Tribal public safety, health care, economic development, and the protection of Native cultures and communities.

“Governor Anoatubby’s leadership stands as one of the most enduring examples of what it means to build for future generations,” said NCAI President Mark Macarro. “His service to the Chickasaw Nation – the continuity and stability of governance – has strengthened not only his own Nation, but Indian Country as a whole. Through decades of growth, advocacy, and collaboration, Governor Anoatubby has helped demonstrate the power of Tribal sovereignty in action.”

Under Governor Anoatubby’s leadership, the Chickasaw Nation experienced historic growth, expanding from approximately 250 employees and an $11 million operating budget in 1987 to nearly 15,000 employees and a national economic impact of more than $8 billion. His leadership helped advance a model of Tribal self-governance rooted in careful planning, diversified economic development, expanded services, and sustained investment in Chickasaw citizens.Governor Anoatubby’s retirement marks the conclusion of a remarkable era of leadership. His impact will endure far beyond his time in office. NCAI joins Indian Country in honoring Governor Anoatubby’s extraordinary legacy and extends its best wishes to him, his family, and the Chickasaw Nation.

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

NCAI Statement on the Retirement of Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) strongly opposes the use of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to disapprove the 2025 Monument Management Plan for the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. NCAI urges Congress to vote "no" on H.J. Res. 151 and S.J. Res. 109, which would overturn the Grand Staircase-Escalante Resource Management Plan and eliminate critical protections for Tribal Nations’ cultural resources, sacred places, and ancestral homelands.

“The Grand Staircase-Escalante landscape is inseparable from the histories, cultures, and lifeways of the Tribal Nations who have inhabited this land since time immemorial,” said NCAI President Mark Macarro. “This plan was developed through years of public input, scientific research, and meaningful Tribal consultation. Overturning it through the Congressional Review Act would disregard Tribal engagement, weaken protections for sacred places, and create unnecessary uncertainty for Tribal Nations and surrounding communities.”

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, first designated in 1996, protects nearly 1.9 million acres in southern Utah. The landscape includes places of immense religious, spiritual, historic, and cultural significance, including ancestral footprints, petroglyphs, springs, plants, animals, and other resources central to Tribal Nations’ ways of life.

The 2025 Monument Management Plan includes important resource management directives that support the protection of Tribal cultural resources and sacred places, including the consideration of Indigenous Knowledge. NCAI is deeply concerned that the legislation now before Congress would eliminate these protections without the same level of consultation and engagement that shaped the plan.

Federal planning documents such as the Grand Staircase-Escalante Resource Management Plan provide transparency, trust, and informed decision-making for Tribal Nations with sovereign interests in protecting irreplaceable cultural landscapes. NCAI strongly opposes the continued misuse of the CRA to undo years of Tribal engagement and federal planning processes.

Using the CRA to overturn resource management plans also sets a dangerous precedent. Until recently, resource management plans had not been treated as rules subject to CRA review. This approach creates legal uncertainty, undermines informed land-use decisions, and places ancestral lands, cultural sites, and sacred resources at greater risk of looting, vandalism, and degradation.

NCAI calls on Congress to uphold Tribal consultation, protect sacred and culturally significant landscapes, and reject H.J. Res. 151 and S.J. Res. 109.


NCAI Statement Opposing Congressional Review Act Efforts to Overturn the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Management Plan

 — As the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), Tribal Nations, and advocates observe Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR) Awareness Day, we are reminded that this crisis is not abstract — it is personal. Behind every recommendation are families still searching for answers and communities working to keep their people safe.

The work to prevent tragedy and keep our women, children, and relatives safe is further strengthened by the leadership of the NCAI Violence Against Women (VAW) Task Force, which has consistently elevated the priorities of Tribal Nations in addressing violence against Native women and communities. The Task Force has played a critical role in ensuring that federal policies are informed by those closest to the issue and grounded in the realities facing Tribal communities. Their work reinforces a fundamental truth: Effective solutions must be shaped and led by the voices of victims, survivors, and families.

NCAI underscores the critical importance of the Not Invisible Act Commission (The Commission), the Not One More: Findings & Recommendations of the Not Invisible Act Commission (Not One More Report), and the response reports from the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of the Interior (DOI), and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) as foundational efforts to address the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP).

The work of The Commission reflects the voices of Tribal leaders, survivors, and families who have long called for action — not more studies, but real solutions. Together, they provide a roadmap to improve coordination, strengthen data systems, enhance victim services, and respect Tribal sovereignty in protecting our communities.

Shannon Holsey, NCAI VAW Task Force Co-Chair and President of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians, expressed her thoughts on the importance of this day of observance: “Today is a powerful reaffirmation of why the Violence Against Women Task Force exists — to center the voices of Native women, survivors, Tribal leaders, and advocates, and to ensure that safety for our women and families remains a national priority grounded in Tribal sovereignty. The Task Force’s work, including the recommendations advanced through the Not Invisible Act, reflects years of Tribal expertise, lived experience, and survivor‑led advocacy.”

She added, “These recommendations were not meant to sit on a shelf. They require full implementation, sustained coordination across federal agencies, and accountability at every level of government. The federal government has a responsibility to follow through — to move beyond acknowledgment and toward action — so that the commitments made to protect Native women and communities result in measurable, lasting change.”

Last year, the DOJ removed the “Not One More Report” from the DOJ website, eliminating access to this critical resource. Public access to these materials is essential. When they are removed or made difficult to find on government websites, it creates real barriers for those working on the ground to implement solutions and to hold the government accountable. This action raises serious concerns about transparency and signals a step backward at a time when sustained commitment is needed most. For Tribal Nations, this kind of erasure cuts deeper as it risks undermining the trust built through consultation and shared work.

Carmen O’Leary, NCAI VAW Task Force Co-Chair and Director of the Native Women’s Society of the Great Plains, stated, “The efforts to bring about the Not One More Report were time- and resource-consuming. Choosing commissioners was thoughtful work and brought together a group that included multiple disciplines and many Tribal Nations. The report analyzed the emotional accounts of many to identify the gaps in policy, law, and procedures that have led to the deaths and injustices suffered in Indian Country and beyond. Ignoring the final product of this work enables the injustices to continue and wastes the precious time and resources expended to shape the recommendations, to resolve problems, and create safety.”

#SEA-25-081: Supporting a Whole-of-Government Implementation of the “Not One More” / Not Invisible Act Commission Recommendations to Address Missing & Murdered Indigenous Peoples and Human Trafficking

 — adopted by the NCAI General Assembly at its 82nd Annual Convention — Tribal Nations expressed their unified voice: The federal government must restore these resources and fully implement the recommendations. This is not just a policy request; it is a call to honor the time, testimony, and lived experiences that shaped these efforts. When the voices of victims, survivors, and families are centered, the path forward becomes clearer, more effective, and more just.

Not One More Report and related responses

 from DOJ, DOI, and DHHS publicly available to ensure Tribal leaders, families, and advocates can continue to access these tools, push for progress, and hold the federal government accountable. This is the first time in over a year that these three documents have been presented together on a publicly accessible website.

NCAI calls for the immediate restoration and preservation of these resources on federal platforms as well as full implementation of the recommendations by Congress, the President, and all relevant federal agencies. Ensuring continued access and implementation is one step toward honoring survivors, supporting families, and making meaningful progress toward ending the MMIPR crisis. The work has already been outlined. What is needed now is follow-through.

Tami Truett Jerue, NCAI VAW Task Force Co-Chair, Executive Director of the Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center, and Not Invisible Act Commission Member, added, “The Not Invisible Act Commission was built on the voices of survivors, families, and Tribal Nations who trusted that their pain would be heard and their testimony would lead to change. That trust demands a response. The Commission identified gaps in law, policy, and practice that have allowed violence against Alaska Native and American Indian women and girls to go unaddressed for far too long. May 5th, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives, is a reminder that those recommendations are not suggestions. They are the pathway to safety. The recommendations exist. The path is clear. Our communities have waited long enough. It is time to act.”

Not One More Report and Related Resources

NCAI and VAW Task Force Co-Chairs Commemorate Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives Awareness Day

 — The National Congress of American Indians was honored to be represented by NCAI President Mark Macarro and Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr., during events held in conjunction with His Majesty King Charles III’s visit to Washington, D.C., including the Garden Party hosted at the British Ambassador’s residence. Guests included Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs; Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Mike Johnson; former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul; and Holly Cook Macarro, wife of NCAI President Macarro. In addition to the Garden Party, President Macarro was a special guest of King Charles III at the joint meeting of Congress, along with other dignitaries and leaders of causes important to His Majesty.

Their participation reflects the importance of ensuring Tribal Nations and Indigenous Peoples are visible and included in diplomatic, governmental, and international spaces where relationships are strengthened, histories are acknowledged — including difficult histories — and shared futures are discussed. NCAI’s inclusion in these events was meaningful and emblematic of a broader acknowledgment of the sovereign status of Tribal Nations and the importance of Indigenous representation in diplomatic spaces.

NCAI’s presence at these events underscores a fundamental truth: Tribal Nations are sovereign governments with enduring political, cultural, and diplomatic relationships that long predate the formation of the United States and continue to shape the world today. As heads of sovereigns, Tribal Leaders must be included in conversations with other Heads of State and Government to ensure our interests and rights are being preserved, protected, and enhanced.

“It was an honor to meet His Majesty King Charles III during his visit to Washington, D.C., and to attend the Garden Party at the British Ambassador’s residence alongside NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr.,” said NCAI President Mark Macarro. “We were also deeply honored to be among those invited to attend the King’s historic address before Congress. Tribal Nations and Indigenous Peoples must be seen and included in spaces where diplomacy, history, and future partnerships are being shaped, and NCAI is proud to represent Indian Country.”

Since ascending to the British throne, His Majesty King Charles III has met with and engaged in dialogue with Indigenous leaders from Canada and Brazil. King Charles III will conclude his visit to the United States by meeting with Tribal representatives at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.

NCAI looks forward to continuing its work with Tribal Nations, partners, and allies to advance sovereignty, uphold trust and treaty obligations, and strengthen the visibility and influence of Indigenous leadership at every level.

NCAI Statement on President Mark Macarro and Executive Director Larry Wright, Jr.'s Participation in Events During His Majesty King Charles III’s Visit to Washington, D.C.

On Wednesday, April 29, 2026, the Supreme Court of the United States gutted Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act with their ruling in

. The Native American Rights Fund and the National Congress of American Indians who have fought for Native voting rights since their inceptions more than 50 years ago respond:

Today’s decision cruelly undercuts the Voting Rights Act, the foundational tool for Native voters and other voters of color to protect themselves from racial discrimination when voting, including in redistricting. This decision mocks our shared democratic principles and will have a direct impact on people’s lives. When a Tribal Nation or Native American community’s political voice is diluted, so is its ability to secure good schools, adequate infrastructure, health care access, environmental protections, and economic opportunity. Taking away voting protections, like what happened with today’s decision, makes it harder and at times impossible for Native voters to elect representatives who will respond to their needs.

Native American communities and other voters of color continue to face 

unique and unreasonable obstacles to voting and having their votes count

. This ruling denies the reality that racial discrimination is prevalent and ongoing, but it does not change the fact it is. Indeed, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) has never lost on the merits of any redistricting lawsuit it has brought on behalf of Native people and Tribes. In just the last five years NARF and our partners have successfully brought cases in 

. Across this nation, the Voting Rights Act once stood as an important deterrent to those who would undermine the fundamental rights of Native voters, but today’s decision will embolden racial discrimination against Native voters and other voters of color.

Every voter’s voice should count. Over the more-than-fifty years since our foundings, we at the Native American Rights Fund and the National Congress of American Indians have — over and over again — joined organizers and advocates across the country to repel attacks on voting rights. In fact, every major civil rights victory in our history has grown out of a moment such as this one. We will continue to fight for justice for Native voters and all voters because our country is stronger when our democratic values are honored and every vote is protected.

NCAI and NARF Joint Statement: SCOTUS Ruling Guts Voter Protections

The National Congress of American Indians mourns the passing of Louise Benson, former Chairwoman of the Hualapai Tribe, who passed away at the age of 83. A dedicated leader and steadfast advocate for her people, Chairwoman Benson leaves behind a legacy of visionary leadership, economic development, and long-term investment in the future of the Hualapai Nation.

During her tenure, Benson played a central role in the development of Grand Canyon West, transforming it into a globally recognized destination on Hualapai lands. She led efforts to establish the Grand Canyon Skywalk, which has welcomed millions of visitors since its opening and created lasting economic opportunities for the Tribe. Her administration also advanced critical infrastructure, including the paving of Diamond Bar Road, improving access to the region.

Chairwoman Benson was equally committed to protecting the long-term well-being of her Nation. She spearheaded a decade-long effort to secure water rights for the Hualapai Tribe, laying the groundwork for 

a historic Tribal water rights settlement

 that ensures future generations have access to essential resources. Her leadership reflected a deep commitment to sovereignty, self-determination, and the prosperity of her people.

The Forefront: Statement

Who We Are

Our Work

News & Events

Resources

Get Involved

Contractor Opportunities