NCAI Testimony on President's FY Budget 2014

NCAI Testimony President's Fiscal Year 2015 Budget 

"Support for an Annual Budget for the Office of Native Affairs And Policy at the Federal Communications Commission"

NCAI Analysis of the President’s FY2016 Budget Request

NCAI House Int Approps Testimony (Duplicate Copies)

NCAI House Ag Approps Testimony FY 16

USCCR Briefing JJP

House Committee on Appropriations; Written Testimony for Fiscal Year 2017

Senate Committee on Appropriations; Written Testimony for Fiscal Year 2017

NCAI Budget Report 2017 

NCAI Pres Budget Analysis FY 2018

NCAI Testimony on President's FY Budget Request for 2020

Appropriations & Budget

The relationship between Tribal Nations and the United States government is built upon mutual commitments. The financial allocations in the federal budget are meant to support the treaty and trust obligations to Tribal Nations and their citizens. The United States’ profound commitment to Tribal Nations arises from the treaties negotiated with, and subsequent agreements forged between, Tribal Nations and the U.S. The Constitution and the numerous treaties signed or adopted by the U.S. are the basis for the federal government's obligation to allocate funds for programs that fulfill this responsibility.

However, federal funding that supports Indian initiatives in every relevant program area—from education and public safety to infrastructure and health care—lags behind the average for the rest of the United States. This trend was documented in the 

2018 US Civil Rights Commission report, Broken Promises: Continuing Federal Funding Shortfall for Native Americans

. It is imperative that federal policy treats Tribal Nations equitably as compared to other governments by providing Tribal Nations the same access to federal resources, affirming that Tribal Nations have the same authority as other sovereigns to prosecute crimes and regulate commerce, and ensuring the same availability of federal incentives to spur investment and economic growth.

NCAI works to unify tribal leaders, organizations, and advocates to ensure that the historic and modern promises made to Indian Country are honored across the federal budget. Each year, NCAI compiles recommendations from tribal leaders, tribal issue organizations, regional intertribal groups, and advocates into an Indian Country budget request. NCAI utilizes this budget request in its advocacy efforts, which are primarily designed to increase funding levels across Indian Country programs, to develop additional federal funding streams for program areas that are underserved, and to pass mandatory funding for critical areas, such as health care and education. NCAI advocacy within the appropriations and budget space seeks to get Tribal Nations the resources they need and have been promised so that they may more effectively create their own self-determined futures.

Suzan Harjo v Pro Football

Ending the Legacy of Racism in Sports & the Era of Harmful "Indian" Sports Mascots

Support for the Introduction of H.R. 3487, “Respect for Native Americans in Professional Sports Act of 2015”

Support of Preserving the Badger-two Medicine Area & Requesting the DOI to consult w/ Blackfeet Tribe

NCAI Support for S.1419 

Cultural Protection

Tribal citizens are the lifeblood of our communities. Our traditions and lifeways, exercised everyday, bring vitality and purpose to our Tribal Nations and to our work. Strengthening the holistic health of Native people and diverse cultures serves as a principle objective of NCAI. Our cultural protection work encompasses the spiritual, cultural, physical, and overall well-being of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people and tribal communities. We must consistently seek opportunities to uplift and fortify our societies and cultures through policy.

As Native people, we often witness threats to our traditions, languages, religions, histories, and more from mainstream society. NCAI works with partners across Indian Country to educate non-Native people and turn back these attacks on our cultures and lifeways. Protection of Native cultural resources is critical to the vitality of traditional religions, customs, languages, and status as sovereigns. Tribal Nation communities wish to ensure that the laws aimed at protecting tribal culture are enforced properly, and expanded upon justly, to provide greater coverage and autonomy. To this end, NCAI and its allies advocate for the repatriation of Native human remains and funerary objects, the vigorous enforcement of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, and the revitalization of Native languages, among other important issues. Native culture is central to the identity of Tribal Nations and Native people. NCAI will continue to stand with Tribal Nations to protect our cultures for today, and for generations to come.

NCAI Tribal Export Guide 

Securing Our Futures Report (Duplicate Copies)

Comments filed by NTCH, Inc. referring to Tribes

NCAI Comments on Public Notice FCC 15-49

"NCAI Opposition to Sec. 842 of H.r. 4909, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Duplicate copies)"

Empowering Tribal Workforce Development

Tribal Workforce Development Toolkit (Duplicate Copies)

Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah);The Aquinnah Wampanoag Gaming Corporation (Duplicate Copies)

ETWD Policy Brief 

NCAI Testimony Impact of Tax Code

NCAI Tribes & Transportation Report (Duplicate Copies)

Economic Development & Commerce

While remaining anchored to their cultural values, Tribal Nations demonstrate a tremendous propensity to promote and enhance tribal sovereignty through the pursuit of economic development initiatives and economic sovereignty. From operating tribal enterprises to supporting small business development to seeking out investment options, and creating access to workforce development programs and resources, Tribal Nations continue to leverage opportunities to protect and revitalize their communities. These efforts not only increase the prosperity of Tribal Nations today, but also are an integral investment in the economic security of future generations in Indian Country.


Supporting the economic development initiatives of Tribal Nations necessitates continued advocacy and work to ensure voices in Indian Country are accounted for and heard at the federal policy level. NCAI’s Economic Development and Commerce policy portfolio underpins this effort as we continue to monitor key federal economic policy developments, programs, and opportunities related to those needs that are most relevant to Tribal Nations, including but not limited to: banking, contracting, financing, gaming, small business development, taxation, trade, and other topics related to the development of economies, the private sector, and general commerce.

NCAI & NARF Concerns regarding Hydropower Provisions in EPMA 

Center for Biological Diversity, et al., v. United States Fish and Wildlife Service, et al., & Rosemont Copper Company  

Environmental Sustainability

Protecting and sustaining the natural environment is of paramount importance to Tribal Nations, which are disproportionately affected by climate change. Rising temperatures and sea levels disrupt traditional fishing, farming, and gathering practices and thus threaten Native communities and cultures. As both local experts and sovereign nations, Tribal Nations need the funding and authority to respond to the urgent ecological problems specific to their communities. Tribal ecological knowledge is time-tested, climate resilient, sustainable, and cost-effective. NCAI advocates for green energy, more sustainable extractive industries, better water and air quality, protection of natural resources, and the conservation of the natural world at both the local and national level.

NCAI Testimony "Improving and Reforming our Nation's Surface Transportation Programs" 

NCAI school construction funding letter 

NCAI  Senate CR BIA Construction Letter

PRC Tribal Insights Transportation Brief

NCAI Waste Management Policy Brief 

NCAI Comments on Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the Lifeline Program

NCAI Testimony on "Meeting the Transportation Needs of Rural America" U.S. House Hearing

NCAI Telecommunications List Serve Update

Senate Committee on Appropriations; Written Testimony for Fiscal Year 2017 (Transportation, Housing, Urban Development etc.)

NCAI Testimony on “Status of the Public Safety Broadband Network”

"NCAI Testimony “The GAO Report on, ‘Telecommunications: Additional Coordination and Performance Measurement Needed for High-Speed Internet Access Programs on Tribal Lands"""

NCAI Testimony Blue Dog Task Force on Rural America 

Infrastructure & Community Development

Proper community development and infrastructure planning has the potential to revitalize and transform the quality of life for tribal citizens across Indian Country. Safe, reliable, and innovative infrastructure—through roads, housing, public gathering spaces, and technology networks—lay the foundation for successful economic development and provide space for intentional cultural revitalization work. Infrastructure projects create jobs, allow more tribal citizens to easily access social resources and healthcare services, and have the potential to enrich citizens' lives in rural and remote areas through the build-out of broadband and high-speed internet. Tribal Nations have been ready to make these transformational changes in their communities for decades, and adequate federal funding and resources are the difference between maintaining the status quo and delivering safe and reliable infrastructure to the communities who need it most.

Housing infrastructure in Indian Country continues to lag behind the rest of the United States. Over 70 percent of existing housing stock in tribal communities is in need of upgrades and repairs, many of them extensive. In 2017, The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported that “the lack of housing and infrastructure in Indian Country is severe and widespread, and far exceeds the funding currently provided to tribes.” The lack of affordable housing contributes to homelessness and overcrowding in Native households and in tribal communities. Fifteen years after the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights’ initial 2003 report on federal funding and unmet need in Indian Country, the Commission found that the housing crisis in Indian Country has deteriorated even further. These findings underscore the need for robust funding increases through flexible programs that allow tribal nations to address the diverse and extensive housing infrastructure and financing needs of their communities.

Tribal access to modern communications networks supports economic development, tribal governance, healthcare, education, and public safety in tribal and surrounding communities. Consultation in federal decision-making that impacts Tribal Nations, greater representation in telecommunications infrastructure and media, and increased access for tribal citizens to mobile and fixed broadband internet will foster economic and community development in tribal communities that can, among other benefits, increase the efficiency and impact of certain federal programs and services by delivering them more proactively and cost-effectively. Unfortunately, many tribal communities continue to disproportionately lack broadband access, which directly inhibits Tribal Nations’ ability to support economic opportunity and a good quality of life for their citizens. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), geographic remoteness, a lack of necessary infrastructure, complex permitting processes on tribal lands, and jurisdictional conflicts between state governments and sovereign tribal governments create additional burdens to broadband deployment that are unique to Indian Country. To ensure that Tribal Nations are prepared to lead the way in America’s digital future, NCAI has continued to advocate for increased broadband deployment and access for tribal communities.

The economy and wellbeing of Indian Country are dependent upon transportation infrastructure. Without safe and well maintained roads, bridges, and adequate public transportation, Tribal Nations are unable to adequately provide essential services to their citizens. Tribal Nations construct, improve, and maintain transportation facilities that are used by tribal citizens and non-tribal citizens alike and require funding to promote public safety, economic development, and community wellbeing. There are approximately 160,000 miles of public roads in the National Tribal Transportation Facilities Inventory, placing sole or shared jurisdictional control over the construction and maintenance of these facilities with tribal governments. These roads are often the primary means of access to Native and non-Native residents and visitors alike. The lack of sufficient transportation infrastructure throughout Indian Country hampers economic development opportunities for Tribal Nations and their citizens and increases risks for all motorists who traverse these roads.

International Advocacy

NCAI recognizes that the realization of tribal sovereignty requires the full representation and engagement of Indigenous peoples as equals at 

 levels of the decision making process—including the international level. The adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in 2007, not only marked a significant acknowledgment of Indigenous peoples and their rights worldwide, but it also created opportunities for more action by Tribal Nations in the international sphere. Partially in response to the UNDRIP, in recent years, NCAI has prioritized negotiations at the United Nations (UN) and the Organization of American States (OAS), engaging in a number of substantive policy discussions of particular concern to Indigenous Peoples, including climate change, the protection of Indigenous traditional knowledge and genetic resources, and enhanced participation within international decision making forums. NCAI remains firm in its commitment to enabling “the participation of Indigenous governments and peoples on a regular and permanent basis in the UN” and remains steadfast in its responsibility to uphold the right of Indigenous peoples to exercise their inherent right to self-determination.

"Comments of NCAI on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Keystone XL Pipeline (Duplicate Copies)"

NCAI Support for H.R. 812

"NCAI Comments in Response to National Park Service Proposal to Change Regulations Governing Federal Agency Nomination of Properties"

NCAI Comments on “Waters of the United States”

Written Testimony of Kevin J. Allis, Chief Executive Officer (Duplicate Copies)

NCAI Testimony Copper Mining Operation (Duplicate Copies) 

General Mining Law 1872 Brief 

Lands & Natural Resources

Since time immemorial, the people of Turtle Island have cultivated a relationship with the land, its resources, and its other inhabitants. That relationship remains a unique feature of modern tribal governance, whether Tribal Nations were relocated or able to remain on their ancestral homelands. Today, land use policies encompass the physical location of a Tribal Nation and its members, the use of agriculture or commerce to support its mission, and responsible stewardship of its resources. For centuries, Tribal Nations were relocated to undesirable locations that were not arable or that had been contaminated, and the strength of modern self-governance allows Tribal Nations to demand better treatment for themselves and their lands. NCAI has and will continue to advocate for policies that protect the environment, support tribal self-determination in land ownership and use, and acknowledge the unique and irreplaceable character of the spaces that Tribal Nations call home.

Handbook State-Tribal Relations

Govt to Govt State and Tribal Governments 

Govt to Govt Cooperation between tribes 

State of Hawaii v. Office of Hawaiian Affairs

NCAI Testimony Carcieri and Patchak Decisions

NCAI Census Testimony 

Jimcy McGirt v. Oklahoma NCAI Brief 

NCAI Letter of Support Trust Process and Existing Indian Trust Lands

NCAI Testimony on H.R.375

NCAI Testimony on H.R. 375

Swinomish Indian Tribal Community v. Alex M. Azar, II, et al.,

Navajo Nation v. Department of Interior, et al., State of Arizona, et al., 

United States v. Joshua James Cooley, SC Case (Duplicate Copies)

Rep Deb Haaland Confrimation toolkit 

Legal & Governance

NCAI’s legal and governance work is centered on defending tribal sovereignty, protecting the inherent rights of Native peoples, and expanding Native peoples’ ability to exercise their own self-determination. NCAI’s legal and governance efforts focus heavily on ensuring that the judicial branch is aware of Tribal Nations’ legal arguments and positions on a wide range of issues. NCAI’s work in this area includes supporting litigation throughout the country, promoting Native nominees for judicial appointment, and scrutinizing the record of federal judicial nominees.

Through NCAI’s partnership with the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) on the Tribal Supreme Court Project (TSCP), NCAI has continued to supplement initiatives that protect and aid Native peoples and communities before the United States’ Supreme Court. Through the TSCP, and other engagement with litigation around the country, NCAI contributes to substantive conversations about the law and works to enact strategies to change it.

NCAI Comments IHS SA Policy and Protocol

US Senate Letter VAWA Consideration (Duplicate Copies)

Policy Brief for stats on Violence Against Native Women 

Policy Insights Brief Stats of VNW

Final ai/an report

NCAI Comments on Regulations for State Courts and Agencies in Indian Child Custody Proceedings

Backgrounder Resilience brief

NCAI Testimony Juvenile Justice in Indian Country

NCAI Testimony on Addressing the Needs for Victim Services

Model Indian Juvenile Code 

PRC Research Update for Annual Convention 

VAWA Data Brief 

VAWA 2013 (SDVC) Five year report (Duplicate Copies)

NCAI Testimony on the need to reauthorize VAWA (Senate Judiciary Committee)

NCAI Testimony FY 2020 Tribal Homeland Security

NCAI Testimony Reauthorization of VAWA (House Judiciary Committee)

Juvenile Justice Policy Update (Duplicate Copies)

NCAI Research Policy Update (Stats on data for violence against AI/AN women)

2022 VAWA Toolkit 

NCAI Research Policy Brief (Juvenile Justice)

A roadmap for making Native America safer report 

Public Safety & Justice

The ability of any nation to enact, enforce, and interpret its own laws and be governed by them is one of the most recognized powers of any sovereign. To ensure that Tribal Nations can safeguard against criminal activity, natural disasters, and national security threats, it is imperative that Tribal Nations have both the jurisdiction and the resources needed to keep tribal communities safe and secure for everyone.

NCAI’s many public safety and justice initiatives include advocacy for restored criminal jurisdiction, ending the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW), and supporting the survivors of domestic violence and abuse. As a policy issue, MMIW refers to the ongoing efforts to reduce violence against American Indian / Alaska Native (AI/AN) women, prosecute crimes when they do occur, and provide culturally-appropriate services to victims and their families. Additionally, NCAI advocates to strengthen tribal law enforcement, improve coordination between federal agencies working for and within Indian Country, and urge the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Interior (DOI), and all other federal agencies to live up to their trust and treaty responsibilities to Tribal Nations. NCAI is committed to improving public safety within Tribal Nations, increasing access to justice for Native peoples, and protecting the health and well-being of tribal citizens.

Moving Indian Country Forward: Health Care Reform 

NCAI Tribal Insights Brief (Higher Education & Workforce Development)

CDC Tribal Consultation Letter

"NCAI Testimony for 15th Annual (HHS) Tribal Budget Formulation and Consultation Session"

NCAI Testimony 2013 Annual Budget and Policy Consultation HHS

NCAI Testimony 2013 Annual Budget and Policy Consultation TANF

NCAI Testimony (Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies)

Native boys Backgrounder 

NCAI Testimony TANF Reauthorization

NCAI Testimony House Appropriations on Food Distribution & Assistance 

NCAI Testimony Support of S. 246, the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children (Duplicate copies)

Comments on FNS proposed changes 

NCAI Testimony Broken Promises Report 

NCAI Testimony on Native Veterans' Access to Healthcare

NCAI Testimony on Partial Government Shutdown

Farm Bill Brief 

NCAI Workforce Development Policy Brief (Duplicate Copies)

President Sharp's Testimony for addressing health disparities during COVID

NCAI Testimony Hard-to-count communities for 2020 Census

NCAI Research Policy Update (2020 Census AI/AN Redistricting Data)

Tribal Food Sovereignty Policy Brief

NCAI Research Policy Brief (Native Youth Data)

Social Resources

At the center of tribal communities are the people that bring vitality to our diverse groups. The health and wellbeing of our tribal communities are imperative in progressing towards an era of greater self-determination and prosperity. The social resources portfolio specifically focuses on the areas of policy that provide for our tribal people and empower them to thrive. NCAI’s work in this policy area is extensive and includes significant, sustained efforts to improve education, health care, and social services for all Tribal Nations and their communities.

View Resolutions Summary Document (Annual 2023)

NCAI resolutions are one of the policy mechanisms used to express the organizational positions on tribal, federal, state, and/or local legislation, litigation, and policy matters that affect tribal governments or communities.

All of NCAI’s advocacy work is guided by the 

. Please review the process before you submit if you are not familiar with it.

Resolutions will only be accepted via this form.)

Only NCAI Individual Indian members in good standing are authorized to submit a resolution. Sponsors must update or renew their membership in order for their resolutions to be considered at Conference.

If you have issues submitting resolutions via the online form above, direct questions to Meghan Kearney at 

NOTE: This is not the submission place for Membership and Tribal Delegate Resolutions. Membership and tribal delegate resolutions should be emailed to 

 Any questions about this process should be directed to Dillon Shije at 

3. Timely resolutions for the upcoming 80th Annual Convention must be submitted by 

. After this initial deadline, any resolutions received will be considered late and must therefore, be considered 

 as determined by the NCAI Resolutions Committee. Late resolutions will be accepted until 

The resolutions created and passed by NCAI members cover a broad range of topics and are important for providing direction to the organization and as advocacy tools with policy makers. Currently, the 

 houses several thousand resolutions dating back to 1944. If you are not able to locate a resolution, please contact Suzanne Gould, NCAI Archival Specialist at 