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

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

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

Updated – Native Service by the Numbers


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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HEARTH Act Passes House of Representatives 400 to 0

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

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

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

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

By Jefferson Keel, NCAI President
as published on 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Keel Op-Ed: VAWA tribal provisions are constitutionally sound

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by Jefferson Keel, NCAI President as published on 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Keel Op-Ed: Student Loan Interest Rates

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

NCAI President Jefferson Keel delivered remarks

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

The Significance of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

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

Special Rapporteur's meeting with tribal Leaders

 at the Embassy of Tribal Nations in Washington, DC. 

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

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

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

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

President Keel Meets with UN Special Rapporteur James Anaya

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

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

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

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

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

Download talking points for the Tribal Consensus recommendations documents

Sample Tribal Letter to Transportation Conferees

Tribal Consensus Recommendation to be attached to the tribal sample letter

View the full action alert and the list of Members who are conferees to the transportation bill as announced by Senate and House Leadership.

Please CC Gwen Salt, NCAI Legislative Associate - gsalt[at]ncai.org - on any letters.

Action Alert: H.R. 4348 and S. 1813 Transportation Bills

 to talk about the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the importance of the tribal provisions for Native women.

With the House considering VAWA in the next week, 

NCAI has called on Indian Country to raise its voice

 and ensure that the tribal provisions are included in House versions of VAWA.

NCAI Discusses VAWA Tribal Provisions on National TV

Legislation Protects All Domestic and Dating Violence Victims on Reservations; Attention Turns to House Judiciary Committee

Today, in a significant step forward for protection of Native women, the U.S. Senate passed S. 1925, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization of 2012. Title IX will address the epidemic of violence perpetrated against American Indian and Alaska Native women by restoring concurrent tribal criminal jurisdiction over all persons who commit misdemeanor domestic and dating violence in Indian country and clarifying tribal court authority to issue and enforce civil protection orders. Additionally, it strengthens federal authority to address violent felonies on Indian reservations.

Jefferson Keel, President of the National Congress of American Indians, applauded the Senate. “It was encouraging to see our leaders in the Senate put aside partisan politics and pass a bill that protects and serves all victims of domestic and sexual violence across the country—including our Native sisters, mothers, and daughters. Today’s vote on the VAWA reauthorization represents a historic vote for Native people and tribal sovereignty. Now, we must turn our full attention to the House and count on the same good will and bipartisanship to turn this bill into law and make these protections a reality.”

Several Senators took the floor yesterday and today to champion the tribal provisions in S.1925, including Senators Boxer, Klobuchar, Murray, Cantwell, and Murkowski. Senator Akaka, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and sponsor of the Stand Against Violence and Empower Native Women Act, had this to say about the bill’s key tribal provisions: “This bill’s tribal provisions address the epidemic rates of violence against Native women -- by enabling VAWA programs to more directly and promptly respond to their concerns and needs. These tribal provisions are critical to the lives of Native women and doubly important to me as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs -- and a Native Hawaiian.”

After sharing a powerful story from a Native victim of domestic violence, Senator Udall commented: “This is just one of the daily, even hourly, stories of abuse. Stories that should outrage us all. And that could end through local intervention. Local authority that will only be made possible through an act of Congress. We have the opportunity to support such an act in the tribal provisions of VAWA. I encourage my colleagues to fully support the tribal provisions in this important bill.”

Senator Murkowski spoke strongly in favor of the legislation and addressed concerns regarding violence against Native women in Alaska . She described included amendments that “ensure that Alaska Tribes lose none of the jurisdiction and authority that they have to issue and enforce their domestic violence protection orders.”

S.1925 passed the Senate on a 68 to 31 vote. Senator Hutchison offered a substitute version of the bill that would have removed the provisions affirming tribal court authority among other changes, but it was not accepted by a vote of 36 to 63. As a next step for the legislation, the House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a mark up for May 8th, and House Members will be home in their districts next week. NCAI encourages tribal leaders and all others to urge their House Members to support full inclusion of Title IX of S. 1925 in any House bill.

Talking points on the key tribal provisions that deal with criminal jurisdiction

Senate Passes VAWA, Including Protections for Native Women

Following a meeting with tribal leaders at NCAI's Embassy of Tribal Nations, James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, recorded this message about his official visit.

On April 23, 2012 the Embassy of Tribal Nations was the venue for one of the first discussions between tribal leaders and James Anaya, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The four-hour meeting was part of a kick-off to the Special Rapporteur’s 

 (April 23 – May 4 2012) examining the human rights situation of America’s indigenous peoples.

The Special Rapporteur is charged with the responsibility of gathering, requesting, receiving and exchanging information and communications from all relevant sources, including Governments, indigenous people and their communities and organizations, on alleged violations of their human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to formulate recommendations and proposals on appropriate measures and activities to prevent and remedy violations.

During his visit, the Special Rapporteur will hold meetings and consultations with federal and state government officials, as well as with indigenous nations and their representatives, in various locations. The results of this assessment will be reflected in a preliminary report that will be submitted to the United States for its comments and consideration.

Learn more about the Special Rapporteur’s visit.

Special Rapporteur Anaya Kicks-off Official Visit at Embassy of Tribal Nations

The past month has been a big month for the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (S. 1925) as Tribal Nations and allies continue to advocate to preserve the tribal provisions within the bill. While the legislation has gained many strong and invaluable supporters, misinterpretations of the bill’s key tribal provisions have drawn opponents.

The facts clearly illustrate the urgent and serious need for this legislation: 34% of American Indian and Alaska Native women will be raped in their lifetimes; 39% will be subjected to domestic violence in their lifetimes; and on some reservations, Native women are murdered at more than ten times the national average.

The U.S. Constitution and hundreds of treaties, federal laws, and court cases acknowledge that Indian tribes are sovereign governments. Despite this fact, Indian tribes are the only government in America without jurisdiction to combat certain types of domestic violence in their communities. S.1925, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, addresses this jurisdictional gap with local solutions that will deliver long-overdue justice to Native women and safety to tribal communities.

Myths and Facts of VAWA’s tribal provisions

It is crucial that all advocates understand and fully support the important provisions in VAWA. Some media outletsand opponents have purported misperceptions regarding the provisions. These myths are clearly dispelled and explained 

. Pass this information on and help educate about the myths and facts of VAWA’s provisions.

You can Take Action to Protect the Tribal Provisions and Protect Native Women

As of April 23, S. 1925 has been filed as a "motion to proceed" in the Senate and is likely to be debated on the Senate floor this week. There will likely be an alternative bill offered as a substitute, and perhaps other harmful amendments, so we want to make sure that S. 1925-the bill with key provisions that will enhance tribal sovereignty and protect Native victims-if the bill that passes.

Find out how YOU can support this important legislation today

, and advocate for the safety of all Native women.

Take Action: Protect Native Women - Support The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act

NCAI Contact: Tiffany Smalley,
Communications Fellow 202.466.7767 x 238

Former U.S. Public Health Service Officer and Dentistry Student Lisa Begay (Navajo) Receives Award

Washington, D.C.—The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has announced Lisa Begay of Mesa, Arizona as its inaugural Native Graduate Health Fellowship recipient. Ms. Begay, a former commissioned Officer in the U.S. Public Health Service, is a Navajo dental student at the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health, where she is enhancing her knowledge of dental health to complement her substantial field experience. The Fellowship will include both a financial award of $5,000 and professional development in tribal health policy.

These initiatives include helping to implement the “Cavity Free Club” at the Albuquerque IHS Dental Clinic and coordinating a mass mailing of first-birthday cards to Native children to encourage parents to make their child’s first dental appointment. Devoted to fostering the next generation of leaders in Native health, Ms. Begay has also served as an instructor for a national IHS course for dental assistants and encourages other Native students to consider dentistry fields.

In its first year, NCAI’s Native Graduate Health Fellowship is a part of NCAI’s commitment to equipping the next generation of Native leaders. NCAI received nearly 40 applications from students representing 26 tribes. A review committee comprised of NCAI staff and key leaders in Native health selected the inaugural Health Fellow, as well as two finalists, on the basis of demonstrated commitment to American Indian and Alaska Native health, academic achievement, and community engagement. The program aims to build a pipeline of Native health professionals who can support tribal sovereignty and who are prepared to lead in promoting health policies and practices that address the unique needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives.

NCAI deeply appreciates the generous support of Robert Burnette and the Seventh Day Adventist Church in helping launch the fellowship. The Klamath Tribes, the Kiowa Tribe, the Ketchikan Indian Community, and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe also pledged a combined $4,000 to help sustain the Fellowship’s endowment. NCAI is planning to expand this Fellowship into other high-need areas in Indian Country, such as education and economic development. For more information about supporting the fellowship, contact Peter Morris at (202) 466-7767 or 

NCAI Names Inaugural Graduate Health Fellowship Recipient


Immediate passage of S.1925, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, is critical to the safety of Native women. S.1925 contains key provisions that give tribes more local control to combat misdemeanor crimes of violence against women in their communities and federal prosecutors more tools to appropriately deal with the more serious felonies.

NCAI encourages our members and the general public to contact your Senators now about this bill. Urge them to contact their to support the immediate passage of S.1925 with the Tribal Provisions intact!

Download information on the key tribal provisions of the bill.

Safety for Indian Women –The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act

Learn more about the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA) in relation to the Supreme Court's review of the Affordable Care Act.

The Supreme Court has completed hearing three days of oral arguments in review of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). When the ACA was passed two years ago, the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA) was permanently reauthorized - an achievement for Indian Country that was more than 30 years in the making.

On the third day of the oral arguments, the Supreme Court addressed the "severability" of the law - which reviewed the question; if the individual mandate of the ACA is struck down, will the other pieces of the law remain? The IHCIA will be part of this consideration.

To learn more about the place of the IHCIA in the review of the ACA, download NCAI's briefing document: 

Supreme Court to Hear Oral Arguments - The Affordable Care Act & Indian Country

Health Reform & Indian Country

National Indian Organizations Release First Year Review of Health Care Legislation

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

The report, 

Moving Indian Country Forward: Health Care Reform One Year Later

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

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

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

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

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

Health Care Reform Moves Indian Country Forward

Leadership Awards presented to Congressman Don Young, Larry Echo Hawk - Assistant Secretary Indian Affairs, American University WINS Program, and Dr. Eddie Brown. Team from Wingate High School in New Mexico honored for winning Stock Market Game/Tribal Exchange.

Washington, D.C. – The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has announced the recipients of the organization’s prestigious Indian Country Leadership Awards. Congressman Don Young (R – AK) Chair of the House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs, Larry Echo Hawk - Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, the American University’s Washington Internships for Native Students (WINS) program, and the accomplished Dr. Eddie F. Brown, Professor, Arizona State University will be honored at the organization’s Indian Country Leadership Award Banquet held during 2012 NCAI Executive Council Winter Session. The organization will also recognize the winners of the 2011-2012 Tribal Exchange Game from Wingate High School in New Mexico. 

The organization’s Indian Country Leadership Awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of individuals and organizations to Indian Country in four categories: Congressional Leadership Award, Native American Leadership Award, Governmental Leadership Award, and Public Sector Leadership Award.

NCAI, the nation’s oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization, will present the awards during a Tuesday evening award reception held in conjunction with its Executive Council Winter Session in Washington, D.C.

Congressional Leadership Award – Congressman Don Young

Representative Young has been a champion for Indian Country for 20 terms in the United States House of Representatives. Representative Young knows tribes are fully capable of self-determination and he supports sovereignty in his legislative efforts on tribal priorities from energy to healthcare. In the 112th Congress, Representative Young became the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs and his leadership has been critical to enabling tribes to fully pursue economic development.

Native American Leadership Award – Dr. Eddie F. Brown, Professor, Arizona State University

Dr. Brown’s career has spanned the highest levels of tribal, state, and federal administration and universities. He has developed key bipartisan policy, conducted research, and informed social work practice to benefit Native families, communities, and governments. His endeavors ensure tribal sovereignty and strengthen the sustainability of tribal nations. He has served as the Co-Chair of the NCAI Policy Research Center’s Advisory Board since it was founded in 2003 and he continues to be a powerful advocate for Indian Country.

Governmental Leadership Award - Larry Echo Hawk - Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs

As the longest serving Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs in over a decade, Larry Echo Hawk’s commitment to restructuring federal relations with Native nations has resulted in considerable improvements in the nation-to-nation relationship. Highlights of Mr. Echo Hawk’s accomplishments include the historic $3.4 billion Cobell Settlement; $1 billion in water settlements; passage of the Tribal Law & Order Act and implementation of a pilot program that reduced crime on four reservations by a combined 35 percent; and, sweeping trust reform.

Public Sector Leadership Award – American University - Washington Internships for Native Students (WINS) Program

The Washington Internships for Native Students (WINS) program offers Native students an invaluable opportunity to develop professionally while living, studying, and interning in Washington, DC. WINS plays a critical role in building a pipeline of young Native leaders who are prepared to lead Indian Country in the new era of nation-to-nation relations. Since 1994, over 900 students representing over 80 tribes have participated in WINS, and WINS alumni now hold key positions in the federal government and myriad national Native organizations, including NCAI.


The Stock Market Game / Tribal Exchange program teaches valuable financial life skills and team building while facilitating inter-tribal connections for American Indian and Alaska Native students. This program builds essential reading and math skills while preparing our Native youth to be the financially responsible leaders of tomorrow.

The Exchange is a 10-week program open to teams of Native students in grades four through twelve. Each team is given $100,000 in game money to invest in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. The team that increases the value of the investment most by the end of the game period wins.

The program addresses an important need in Indian Country despite today’s increasingly complex global economy, the FDIC has noted that 44.5 percent of Native people are unbanked or underbanked almost double the national rate. The Treasury Department reported that in 2001, 86 percent of tribal lands lacked a single financial institution, including a simple ATM.

This 2011-12 competition winners are from Wingate High School in New Mexico. The team included Nigel Nakai, Kayla Platero, Alicia Billey, Frances Shorty and their Advisor Bruce Lewis.

The program is funded through a grant from the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), which allows students attending BIE schools to participate in the program for free. Over 1,500 students have participated since the program’s inception.

NCAI Announces 2012 Indian Country Leadership Awards & Tribal Exchange Winners

Pushes Bi-Partisan Support for Tribal Budget Priorities

Washington, DC – The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) released an initial analysis today of the FY 2013 Budget as proposed by the Obama Administration. 

 details proposed investments and reductions in Indian Country priorities and programs. The inclusion of a number of tribal priorities reflects – in part – increased tribal consultation to identify Indian Country’s top priorities. The analysis also indicates the budget proposal is a good step toward meeting bipartisan goals for Indian Country - government efficiency, more program flexibility for tribes, and no-cost solutions for strengthening tribal and rural economies. The report underscores the fact that these are important steps on a long journey and sustained investments are necessary to ensure tribes fully contribute to a robust recovery.

“The Administration’s budget requests are a good first step in reflecting the priorities that Republicans, Democrats, and Administration officials have heard from tribal leaders in consultations and Congressional hearings. Congress should seize the moment and work to develop and pass a budget that fully addresses Indian Country’s priorities,” said Jefferson Keel, President of NCAI, the nation’s oldest and largest American Indian and Alaska Native advocacy organization. “Indian Country understands the federal government is constrained, that’s why we’ve called for increased flexibility for tribal programs and have identified no-cost provisions that strengthen tribal economies. We know what will work for our nations and we call on Congress to include Indian Country in finalizing a budget plan that grows tribal economies and meets the federal government’s trust responsibility.”

On February 13, 

the Obama Administration released a $3.80 trillion budget request to Congress

NCAI’s Analysis of the President’s FY 2013 Budget Request

 provides initial analysis of all major areas and agencies which oversee and administer funding for Indian Country. Many tribal programs fall into the category of discretionary domestic funding. In preparation for the President’s budget, some agencies have consulted with tribes about programs in the budget. 

 in January 2012 that outlined the consultation efforts of all federal agencies.

In the budget analysis, NCAI highlights the no-cost solution included in the budget proposal for restoring lands to tribal governments impacted by the Carcieri Supreme Court decision. NCAI’s review also emphasizes the importance of sustained funding for tribal self-determination, critical to the economic foundation of Indian Country and the benefits tribes offer to surrounding rural and regional economies. Recommendations from Indian Country that were included in the FY 2013 proposal include increases for contract support costs, some natural resource and environmental protection programs, public safety initiatives, and contract health services.

While the Administration’s budget proposal maintains support for critical programs, there were some cuts that represent major setbacks to progress in Indian Country. One example is in funding for Bureau of Indian Education construction, where proposed cuts reduce funding to $52.8 million, down from $140.5 million in FY 2011 and $70.8 million in FY 2012. These cuts would directly impact economic growth and job creation in communities hit hardest by the economic downturn.

NCAI’s Analysis of the President’s FY 2013 Budget Request comes just weeks after the release of NCAI’s comprehensive FY 2013 Indian Country Budget Request.

- Download 

NCAI’s FY 2013 Indian Country Budget Request

HIGHLIGHTS OF PROPOSED FUNDING FOR TRIBAL PROGRAMS

Economic Development and Land Restoration

Included in the President’s FY 2013 Budget Proposal is a no-cost economic development and jobs creation solution for restoring land to tribal governments impacted by the Carcieri Supreme Court decision. (p. 758 of the Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2013, Appendix.)

The budget request for the Indian Health Service is $4.422 billion, an increase of $115.9 million over the FY 2012 enacted level.

Approximately $345 million is proposed for public safety initiatives in Indian Country, with a total of $156.8 million set aside for tribal grant programs within the Department of Justice.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is essentially level-funded, with small increases for Tribal Priority Allocations, contract support costs, Rights Protection Implementation, and Tribal Management and Development, among others.

An increase of approximately $29 million over FY 2012 appropriations is proposed for the Tribal General Assistance Program. These additional funds will assist tribes in capacity building and promote protections for the environment and human health.

Bureau of Indian Education construction is proposed to be cut to $52.8 million. This program was funded at $140.5 million in FY 2011 and $70.8 million in FY 2012.

The Indian Guaranteed Loan Program would decrease to $5 million, a $2.1 million cut

NCAI Releases FY 2013 Budget Analysis

I want to thank the Native service members and veterans who have joined us today. Many know the story of Indian Country -- the challenges we have faced, and the ones we face today. But very few Americans know the story of the hundreds of thousands of tribal members who have served in the United States military, as far back as the Revolutionary War. As a veteran myself, I want to thank Lt. Colonel Hunting Horse and the 24,000 active duty American Indian and Alaska Native service members serving today to protect the sovereignty of the United States and the tribal nations of North America. Thank you. 

My fellow tribal leaders, tribal citizens and American citizens, members of the National Congress of American Indians, members of the Administration and the 112th Congress, and those listening or watching today: I am honored to speak to you all, but especially to address representatives of the more than 5 million Native people and the 566 tribal nations of Indian Country.

The State of Indian Nations is strong. Our nations are strong. Our peoples are strong. Like our sovereignty, the strength of our nations, is our inheritance. The State of Indian Nations, as I outline it today, should be defined by what we commit to right now to make the state of Indian Nations even stronger in the years to come.

We all know tribes have faced a difficult history. We are rising from harsh economic conditions to contribute to a more prosperous tomorrow. Tribes have been doing more with less for generations, and I am here today to outline a path to overcome our shared challenges – to lay out specific economic changes and improvements for our tribal nations. Some of these changes require legislative action but many others can come from direct action by the Administration. Ultimately though, it will be the actions of Native people that can change their nations and communities.

Native people are the first Americans. Tribal nations are its first governments – one of three sovereigns recognized in the United States Constitution. And our America is a place where each member of the American family of governments contributes to a prosperous future.

To achieve that vision, we need leaders who understand that Indian Country matters. Especially in a Presidential election year! We’re all aware of the impact an election can have on Indian Country. And, in recent years, many have come to learn that the door swings both ways – Indian Country can have a significant impact on elections – and it can be game changing.

As grandmas on the Navajo nation and young people in Alaska Native villages go to the ballot box this November, they are standing on the shoulders of those who fought hard for that right. As students at Arizona State University and veterans in foreign lands cast their vote, they are reminding America that we matter.

In the 1940s, thousands of Native veterans returned home to a shocking reality: America had accepted them on the battlefield, but had no place for them at the ballot box.

Ira Hayes – a member of the Gila River Indian Community, who raised the flag at Iwo Jima – returned to the homeland he had defended, and was denied the right to vote. Miguel Trujillo from Isleta Pueblo, who enlisted as a Marine in the days following Pearl Harbor, returned home to New Mexico and was denied the right to vote.

These American heroes inspired the fight – all the way to the federal courts – for the right to participate in the 1948 elections. They expressed the power of the Native vote the first time they cast their ballots, and it’s been at work ever since.

Stories like these have shown Native people that when it comes to Native Vote, we can and we must think big. Simply put, we will work tirelessly in 2012 to see the highest Native turnout ever.

We know it can be done. For instance, on the Fort Belknap Reservation in Montana, turnout rates are regularly over 80 percent. A survey of seniors at UCLA showed that Native young people participate at rates higher than any other group of students. This is especially important because almost half a million Native youth will be eligible to vote for the first time in the next four years.

Native people don’t see the world in two and four year election cycles. We’re focused on building stronger communities for generations to come. When we step in the ballot box, we want to vote for candidates who will stand with tribal nations to create a strong prosperous future. We are not mobilizing for one party or for one candidate. Indians don't just vote D for Democrat or R for Republican. For us, it’s “I” for Indian. We are independent voters and we will continue to vote for the candidate who is strong on our issues, and cares about our priorities.

That’s why today, I’m calling on all Presidential candidates to make sure Indian Country is at the table during the campaign and throughout your Administration. These specific actions should form the foundation of your Native policy platform:

First, we call on the President to send a Special Message to Congress on the importance of the Nation-to-Nation Relationship. In 1970, President Nixon sent a historic message to Congress on tribal self-determination. That message launched the self-determination era – the very framework that allowed tribes to prove our capacity as governments. All Presidents should do the same.

Second, we call on the President to fully implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We specifically call for a review of all existing federal law to ensure they are in alignment with the Declaration.

Third, we call for an Annual Nation-to-Nation Summit and ongoing high-level meetings. This would institutionalize the current Tribal Nations Summit, a meaningful commitment to our nation-to-nation relationship that must be upheld by all future Presidents. We also call on the President to convene regular meetings on specific issues between tribal leaders and cabinet secretaries.

Fourth, elevate Native people in the federal government. It is past time for qualified Native people to be seated on the federal bench. The appointment of a Senior Advisor on Native American Affairs has advanced policymaking at the White House and we applaud President Obama for his leadership. With the importance of the Indian budget in the coming decade, we urge the creation of an office for Native American programs at Office of Management Budget.

And finally, we call upon all candidates to actively engage Indian Country in your campaign. We invite each candidate to visit Indian Country to outline your policy positions. We also urge the campaigns to make sure tribal nations are part of the discussion at the Presidential debates.

Between now and the election, we have a lot of work to do! For all of the partisan challenges of the past year, the Congress has found common ground on Indian policy. Under the bipartisan leadership of Senators Akaka and Barrasso, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs has reached across party lines to develop legislation that promises to transform Indian Country. And in the House, Republicans like Chairman Don Young and Democrats like Dale Kildee have worked hard to educate their colleagues about the benefits tribal governments offer our nation.

There are some important things the Congress can do right now that can grow Indian economies and create jobs. Without spending a dime, the Congress can fix the problems created by the Carcieri Supreme Court decision and offer certainty for land-into-trust transactions that are critical to Indian Country’s economic future.

The Department of the Interior is already acting to streamline lease approvals for renewable energy development, and we urge the Congress to pass the HEARTH Act to expand leasing reform and to pass an Indian energy self-determination law.

Congress can also act on public safety legislation that will attract businesses to our communities. We urge passage of amendments to the Stafford Act that are supported by FEMA and would remove burdens from states and tribes in times of critical emergencies when lives are on the line.

Native women are the protectors of our culture, our families, and our future. We call on the Senate to pass the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization and the SAVE Native Women Act— both of which would take critical steps to address the horrific rates of violence being perpetrated against our women.

The Native CLASS Act offers the chance to provide the kind of education our young people need to succeed today and build the economies Indian Country needs for tomorrow. Our young people must not be left behind anymore.

Congress must stand with us now to get these bills passed, but long term success depends on America keeping her promises. That’s why NCAI, along with our partners in Indian Country are making available to you today our plan for the Indian budget.

This document outlines our vision for investing in the future of our America, and stabilizing the Indian budget. It will create reliable, safe domestic energy; it will build a 21st century education system; it will modernize our infrastructure; and, it will fund implementation of critical legislation like the Tribal Law & Order Act and the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.

Just as our plan holds hope for the future, the Budget Control Act poses great risks. The Act requires Congress to cap discretionary spending for the next 10 years. Much of the funding that fulfills the federal trust responsibility is categorized -- wrongly, in our view -- as domestic discretionary spending.

The trust responsibility is not a discretionary choice. It is not a line item. It is a solemn agreement that has been sustained over hundreds of years. Unless Congress acts to hold tribal programs harmless, then starting in 2013 we are facing ten to fifteen percent cuts across the board for the next decade -- cuts that will threaten essential services and affect millions of Native citizens throughout vast regions of rural America.

We are well aware of the budget challenges our nation faces. We live in Indian Country – we know all about doing more with less. We urge Congress to stand up for the relatively small piece of the federal budget that belongs to tribal nations and our citizens.

Protecting the Indian budget is the first step but long-term success depends on tribal nations having the same opportunities to protect and preserve our communities that are available to state and local governments. We exercise jurisdiction over lands that would make us the fourth largest state. We run dozens of social programs previously administered by federal agencies or states. And, we protect reservation environments in the manner that states regulate off reservation lands.Tribal governments have proven our capacity to grow our economies, educate our people, and manage our resources. We need the federal government to put decision-making power back in the hands of the people who live in Indian Country -- the people who know best because these are our homelands, these are our people. The old way of doing things causes missed opportunities every day. The Swinomish Tribe, in Washington state, saw this first hand. The tribe had worked out a deal with Wal-Mart for a big new store on the reservation. This was a great deal -- a million dollars a year in lease revenue for the Tribe, and new jobs for tribal members and people throughout the community. As with every lease on Indian lands, the federal government needed to approve it. The process took more than a year and by the time it was approved economic conditions had changed and Wal-Mart had made other plans. A million dollars a year for Swinomish, gone. All those jobs, gone. And this is not an isolated story. Many tribal leaders can tell you stories about business opportunities lost because of red tape. This is why our federal partners have already proposed crucial lease reforms to free our economies. Tribal nations have proven our capacity. We don’t need the government involved in all our business decisions, we need flexibility. And by creating it, we will remove the barriers that cost us jobs and opportunity. This is a goal I think we can all agree on, across the political spectrum, and it is something we can achieve with a change in policy, not an increase in spending. That is the kind of solution Washington is crying out for and we in Indian Country are eager to answer the call. 

Ensuring governmental flexibility will yield more efficient programs and spending, because decisions will be made by those in the best position to respond to community needs. It will also relieve administrative burdens at the federal level.

This message comes directly from tribal leaders. We went to them with one simple question: What can we do with what we have already – without asking for more resources – that will provide greater opportunity for Indians and create more impact for federal programs? Over and over, the answer came back: We need freedom at the local level to best use our limited resources. We know what’s best because we live in Indian Country. We know where the needs are, and we know what works for our people. No one understands Indian life better than the Indian nations themselves. Give us flexibility.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota is delivering broadband services across their reservation because of governmental flexibility. The FCC’s decision to designate Standing Rock Telecom as an eligible telecommunications carrier means they are the first fully tribally owned and operated broadband company that can receive universal service funds.

This designation has empowered Standing Rock to own and operate essential telecommunications infrastructure. This offers avenues for economic development, opportunities to preserve tribal languages and culture, and infrastructure for distance learning programs. That, is the kind of flexibility we need in Indian Country, when only one in ten Native people have access to broadband today.

The Reno-Sparks Indian Colony in Nevada opened a 65,000 square foot health facility in 2007 that showed the promise of tax exempt bond financing. Almost $16 million in bonds funded a full service clinic that serves 100,000 people each year. This project created permanent jobs and built the infrastructure for quality health services.

Tribes were denied full access to this source of financing until the Recovery Act created a limited bond offering. Based on that experience, the Treasury released a report in December recommending they have the same access to bond financing available to our governmental peers. This will bring huge economic benefits to tribes and surrounding regional economies.

Education is another example where flexibility can prepare our children for the global market place. The Cherokee Nation's Language Immersion School formed an innovative partnership with Apple Computers to integrate technology and the Cherokee language. They developed Cherokee language software for use on Macintosh computers, iPhones, iPods, and iPads. Students even chat online – in Cherokee – with students from the Eastern Band of Cherokee in North Carolina. This is a powerful example of tribal innovation and initiative—the type of innovation that vesting tribes with greater authority over our own programs unleashes.

Whether in economic development or education, healthcare or energy, the key to getting it right is the freedom to identify and tear down barriers to our success.

Tribal leaders carry with us a dream. It’s a dream passed down from our parents and grandparents. It doesn’t look forward to 2012 or 2016, it looks to the seventh generation. We see a future where the trust relationship actually works – works for tribal nations, and works for our federal partners.

Our ancestors knew that tribes could govern our nations like no one else. Today, we have proven it. Residents of rural Oklahoma are driving to our health facilities, because they offer the best services around. States and counties are turning to our traditional knowledge to best manage natural resources. Citizens of those states are coming to tribes for job opportunities and a good education at tribal colleges. And companies are coming to us to set up businesses on the reservation and bring American jobs home.

When we have the tools and freedom we need, we are creating businesses, delivering services, and leading the way. It’s time to build our trust on that reality.

That trust also requires consultation, legally enforceable consultation. Without the power of legislation and accountability, “free, prior, and informed consent,” are just some nice words on a page. As President Obama himself said, when he announced his support for the UN Declaration – “What matters far more than words…are actions to match those words.” We call for action to make consultation count.

Enforceable consultation means we must talk about another idea – tribal consent. There would be a public outcry if the federal government tried to impose policy on a state without its consent. But the concerns of tribal nations are routinely overlooked, even when more than a dozen tribes are larger than some northeastern states. This must not stand.

Our America is a place where all candidates know that we matter, and America sees it at the ballot box. It’s a place where each and every President honors our unique nation-to-nation relationship, where Indian Country is always at the table – not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s the smart thing to do. Our America is home to a Congress that works across party lines to free our economies. Our America is a place where governments keep their promises.

Our America is where tribal nations create economic opportunities, where people come to us for the best jobs. It’s a place where tribes are on the forefront of new technology – high-tech manufacturing, telemedicine, clean energy. Our America is where Indigenous peoples reach across borders and bring home economic opportunity for all Americans.

As the oldest governments in America, tribal nations understand what is required to overcome stark economic conditions. Perhaps more than any other time in history, our nations must stand together, empowered to make profound and permanent improvements in the lives of our people. Our nations are committed to the success of the United States of America. Let us realize that future together so that our nations thrive, today and forever.

# END #

10th Annual State of Indian Nations Address - NCAI President Keel Remarks

Updates to Stafford Act would recognize tribal sovereignty and create flexibility for tribes and states when responding to emergency and disaster events

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) hailed today’s announcement by the Obama Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) in support of a change to the Stafford Act to give federally recognized tribal governments the authority to make disaster declaration requests directly to the President of the United States. The Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act currently allows only states, through a governor, to make these requests to the president.

“Just like states, when disaster strikes, tribal nations must act swiftly to respond to protect and secure lives, infrastructure, and public health. We call on Congress to fix the Stafford Act and incorporate the sovereign status of tribal nations in this important law. These changes will also provide tribes and states critical flexibility in responding to catastrophic events when communities need it most,” said Jefferson Keel, President of NCAI, the country’s oldest and largest American Indian and Alaska Native advocacy organization. “The support of the Administration and FEMA for a legislative change recognizes not only the sovereignty of tribal nations, but also acknowledges the critical role tribes play in the network of emergency response and disaster relief at the local and national level.”

Tribal nations represent a unique and important sector of the United States homeland security and emergency management system. Nineteen tribal nations are each larger than the state of Rhode Island and twelve have a land base larger than the state of Delaware. Last year alone, tribes experienced major catastrophic events tied to blizzards, floods, fires, and manmade events resulting in multi-million dollar losses in tribal government infrastructure, and personal property.

In the event of a catastrophic natural disaster or manmade incident, the Stafford Act currently creates an unnecessary loss of valuable response time in seeking federal assistance. Tribal governments are currently required to seek a state governor’s approval for a federal disaster declaration, delaying response times, and sometimes receiving no response at all. As harsh winters descend upon North America, the US Congress is reviewing various changes to the Stafford Act and inaction will leave both tribes and states without the proper tools and mechanisms to respond to major disaster events.

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