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.

About the National Congress of American Indians:

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

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

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is now accepting breakout session proposals for the 83rd Annual Convention & Marketplace, taking place October 18–22, 2026, in Palm Springs, California.

We invite Tribal leaders, policy experts, researchers, community advocates, and organizations to submit proposals for breakout sessions exploring pressing issues, innovative practices, and policy solutions affecting Indian Country.

Breakout sessions will be held on (subject to change):

Tuesday, October 20, 2026, from 4:30–6:00 p.m. PT

Wednesday, October 21, 2026, from 4:30–6:00 p.m. PT

Thursday, October 22, 2026, from 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. PT

Sessions are 90 minutes in length and may include panels, roundtables, workshops, trainings, and Federal government consultations or listening sessions. 

Proposals must be submitted by Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PT. 

Call for Proposals | Breakout Sessions for NCAI 83rd Annual Convention & Marketplace

Native youth — your voice matters! Are you ready to lead, represent, and uplift Native youth across Indian Country?

We are now accepting applications for all NCAI Youth Commission (NCAI-YC) officer positions. Elections will take place during the 2026 NCAI Youth Convention, held in conjunction with the 

 in Palm Springs, California, October 18–22, 2026.

Be a citizen of a Tribal Nation that holds NCAI Tribal Nation Membership

Step forward, make your voice heard, and help shape the future of Native youth leadership!

Please share this opportunity with eligible Tribal youth and your networks.

For application information or questions, contact Alison Black, NCAI Youth Leadership & Training Coordinator, at 

Call for NCAI Youth Commission Candidates 

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: 

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 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 

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

Asst. Secretary for Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk, White House Officials,
Members of Congress Address Convention Delegates

PALM SPRINGS, CA-October 13, 2009-National Congress of American Indians President (NCAI) Joe A. Garcia addressed NCAI Convention delegates for the last time at the end of two terms as the organization's president, calling for unity among tribal leaders, and praising them for their accomplishments over the last four years.

"We have re-engaged and re-enabled ourselves from our spiritual side," he said to applause. "I feel it in this assembly and when I visit other tribal nations in the country. "In Alaska, North Dakota, Nevada, North Carolina, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma--ladies and gentlemen, be proud of yourself because you have created this revival. We have learned our lesson. Through the Creator, NCAI will continue to promote this feeling of unity and progress across Indian Country."

Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk addressed delegates and entertained questions for well over an hour while laying out his priorities as Assistant Secretary and those of the Obama Administration.

"I cannot do my job without feeling it," said Echo Hawk. "I have traveled around Indian Country. I have been across the country. I need to see it. When Indian nations asserting their treaty rights join with the United States of America, this country will accept that the tribes should be in the driving seat and realize this alliance must remain. This is what I realize that I need to do. I need to make sure that the United States is your partner and that together we work to ensure that treaty rights are upheld."

Echo Hawk expressed his strong commitment to improvements in Indian education, law enforcement and economic development. He also praised Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Ken Salazar as a "one who looks out for Indian Country," and announced the upcoming November 5th White House Tribal Nations Conference will be held at DOI.

Kimberly TeeHee, White House Senior Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs, made the announcement earlier that President Obama would fulfill his campaign promise to meet with tribal leaders on an annual basis.

"The Administration is making progress on a number of issues including public safety initiatives, as well as community and economic development," said TeeHee. "The FY2009 budget included education, healthcare, and law enforcement and this Administration has committed to improve on those."

TeeHee also noted President Obama's campaign promises that tribal leaders would have a seat at the table on improving the tribal consultation process and that the Administration has urged agencies to have listening sessions with Indian Country.

Sens. Max Baucus (D-MT) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND) both addressed the plenary session via video message due to their commitment to working on health insurance reform in Washington, D.C.

"Here in Washington we are looking forward to the most important legislation in a generation," said Baucus. "I am making sure that healthcare reform is right for Indian Country. I understand the situation of health in Indian Country. I'm working for it to be easier for Native Americans to enroll in federal healthcare programs. Native Americans will be exempted from the health mandate. I'm also pushing for an increase in the Indian Health Service budget in 2010."

"I have always been working hard on a bipartisan bill on Indian Law Reform," said Dorgan. "It is going to improve law enforcement on reservations. We also have a new bill with respect of energy on Indian reservations that tries to deal with the bureaucratic web that obstructs energy development and we have instituted a bill to get a national apology to Native Americans that is making good progress."

Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack (R-CA 45th), Vice-Chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Native American Caucus said she strongly supports the entrepreneurial spirit that has allowed some tribes to thrive.

"I proudly represent twelve tribes and work with them from water rights to environmental reform to everything else that affects them," she said. "We must support the sovereignty of tribal nations and I believe the government should not be taxing tribal health benefits. It is counterproductive and does not support the well being of health of tribal members. I know that Sen. Baucus is seeking to address the problem. The care provided to Native Americans is in dire need of reform."

Bono Mack also touted energy independence in America and how tribes should play a crucial role. "Tribes know better than ever how we can seek this energy whilst respecting sacred sites. We should aggressively secure our energy resources and create green jobs and Indian Country's input is crucial in doing this."

NCAI's 66th Annual Conference and Trade Show continues through October 16. The Trade Show is free and open to the public. For more information or press inquiries contact Adam McMullin at 202-422-8416 or 

NCAI President Joe A Garcia Opens 66th Annual Convention

Census Bureau Reaffirms Commitment to Working with American Indians and Alaska Natives to Ensure Accurate 2010 Count

PALM SPRINGS, CA-October 12, 2009-The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the oldest and largest organization representing tribal governments, formally launched its 2010 Census Campaign, "Indian Country Counts," at a press conference during its Annual Convention in Palm Springs, CA. Census Bureau Director Robert M. Groves signed a reaffirmation of the Census Bureau's first American Indian and Alaska Native Policy statement.

"It is an honor for me to reaffirm the Census Bureau's commitment to the American Indian and Alaska Native people," said Groves. "The key to an accurate count in the 2010 Census is the active involvement of this organization and each of its members. We have a very strong campaign to reach and inspire American Indians and Alaska Natives to participate in the census, and we appreciate all of your support in making the census a success."

NCAI President Joe Garcia noted the importance of counting every American Indian and Alaska Native in the 2010 Count.

"The numbers that come out of the 2010 Census will affect policy and human service programs for Native communities for generations to come," said Garcia. "A true Indian count is just one of the steps tribes must take on the path to regaining our economic, social, and governmental strength as Native people. This data directs billions of dollars in federal funding that flows into Indian Country. Often the most vulnerable are the hardest to count, and consequently end up missing out on the resources they need."

James Steele, Jr., Chairman of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes reiterated the importance of direct community involvement in the 2010 campaign.

"There are many important reasons we should all be a part of this campaign and think about our own strategies," said Steele. "There are many ways to be involved, and we each know our communities the best. Only we can really assure our members that it's worth our time, and that personal census information will not be shared with anybody - not landlords, housing authorities, any law enforcement or any other agency."

The National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC), the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), the National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA), and the National Council on Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) have also shown their support for the 2010 Census campaign in Indian Country.

"Nowhere is the Census information more important than in the area of Indian housing," said NAIHC Chairman Marty Shuravloff. "The number of American Indians and Alaska Natives, their income levels, the cost of housing, housing conditions, and the number of individuals living in crowded conditions all count toward how much money a tribe receives to help overcome the deplorable housing conditions that exist within Native American communities. So much is riding on a complete and accurate response to the Census."

Not only does census data determine funding for Indian housing, it also has a great impact on health services in Native communities.

"Diabetes, substance abuse, suicide prevention, and obesity are only few of the health problems we are facing, and the critical funding to provide for health care services will not happen unless you and your family are counted in the 2010 Census," said Reno Keoni Franklin, Chairman of the NIHB. "This is your opportunity to help make a difference. Please make sure everyone is counted, because your health counts!"

The future of Indian Country also depends on the Census count, including adequate services for family and youth.

"NICWA encourages Native families to respond to the Census and to be recognized in every city, reservation, town, village, and pueblo," said NICWA Executive Director Terry L. Cross, MSW, LCSW, ACSW. "Funding for the programs and services that build healthy Native families and protect our children and youth often use Census demographic information. We look forward to our American Indian and Alaska Native families being represented accurately during the census."

For more information on NCAI's 2010 Census Campaign, please visit

NCAI, National Native Organizations Join U.S. Census Bureau in Launching "Indian Country Counts" Census Campaign

PALM SPRINGS, CA-October 12, 2009-In an announcement to the National Congress of American Indians' (NCAI) 66th Annual Convention, White House Senior Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs Kimberly TeeHee announced today that President Obama will meet with tribal leaders in Washington, D.C. November 5th, 2009. President Obama committed to an annual meeting with tribal leaders during his 2008 campaign. NCAI President Joe A. Garcia released the following statement on the historic meeting: 

"Indian Country has been waiting for well over a decade for a meeting of this caliber with the President of the United States. I commend President Obama for setting this precedent for his Administration's Nation to Nation working relationship with tribes. We have an ambitious agenda to strengthen economic development and improve tribal government services. Tribal leaders are very satisfied that President Obama is fulfilling his promise to meet with tribal leaders on a regular basis during his term in office. This historic meeting will coincide with NCAI's Grand Opening of the Embassy of Tribal Nations on November 3rd and a tribal leaders meeting on November 4th. I encourage tribal leaders to come to Washington as a united Indian Country so we can begin the consultation process with the President and his Administration."

White House Announces Tribal Leaders Summit - NCAI President Joe Garcia Commends President Obama

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

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