News & Updates Archive

December 2018

November 2018

October 2018

October 30, 2018

OFFICIAL STATEMENT: Joint Statement on the Federal District Court of Northern Texas denying to stay the court’s ruling on constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act

(Washington, D.C., October 30, 2018)—The National Indian Child Welfare Association, the National Congress of American Indians, the Association on American Indian Affairs, and the Native American Rights Fund are disappointed that the Federal District Court of Northern Texas has denied a motion to stay their decision in Brackeen v. Zinke pending appeal by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. This will likely cause great uncertainty and disruption for hundreds of vulnerable Indian children and their families who are currently in state child welfare systems within the states of Texas, Louisiana, and Indiana, especially as we enter the holiday season and the Fifth Circuit moves forward with what may be months of proceedings. Indian children and families deserve better, and we hope that the Fifth Circuit will move quickly to consider a motion to stay this lower federal court decision.

October 16, 2018

National Congress of American Indians and Native American Rights Fund Oppose the Nomination of Eric Miller to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Today, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Executive Committee adopted an emergency resolution opposing the nomination of Eric Miller to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. NCAI and the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) had previously sent a joint letter to the Chair and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee expressing their grave concerns about Mr. Miller’s nomination.

October 8, 2018

Celebrating the Second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. | Though many continue to call it Columbus Day, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) again proudly joins the growing number of tribal nations, states, counties, cities, and school districts that are instead celebrating the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples Day. In so doing, we honor the enduring social, cultural, and political survivance of tribal nations that authored the original story of America.

September 2018

August 2018

August 26, 2018

The Former Chairman of Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Senator John McCain of Arizona Passes On

WASHINGTON, D.C. | U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona passed away, Saturday August 25, 2018, at the age of 81, with his family by his side at his ranch in Arizona. A Vietnam combat veteran and POW, McCain served in the U.S. Senate and was the GOP Presidential Candidate in 2008. McCain was a prominent member of the Senate serving on a number of committees including the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. He passed after his yearlong battle with brain cancer.

August 25, 2018

NCAI President Jefferson Keel Honors Senator John McCain

“The National Congress of American Indians gives honor to the life of Senator John McCain and celebrates the time we had with him as a tireless champion for Indian Country and tribal sovereignty. The Senator dedicated many years to Indian Country," said Keel. "Serving as longtime member and former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, he met frequently with tribal leaders on the Hill, in their community, and at our gatherings. In his last speech at NCAI Senator McCain said, 'We must listen more to you, and get out of the way of tribal authority.' As we close out the day, we extend our sincere condolences with the family of Senator John McCain.”

July 2018

July 10, 2018

NCAI Urges Senate to Consider Judge Kavanaugh’s Views on Federal Indian Law and the Governmental Status of Tribal Nations During Upcoming Confirmation Process

The United States Senate faces a momentous decision in the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to fill the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy. Jefferson Keel, President of the National Congress of American Indians, urges the Senate to consider Judge Kavanaugh’s views on the law as it pertains to tribal nations.

June 2018

June 19, 2018

Official Statement of NCAI President Jefferson Keel on the Forced Separation of Immigrant Families

“The forced separation of immigrant children from their families is simply immoral and harkens back to a dark period for many Native American families. For decades, the U.S. government stole Native children from their parents and forced them into boarding schools hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles away. Our communities know too well the intergenerational psychological trauma that will flow from the actions that the United States is taking today. Congress and the President should take heed of such abhorrent mistakes from the past and actually live the moral values this country proclaims to embody by immediately ending this policy and reuniting the affected children with their parents. Families belong together.”

May 2018

April 2018

April 17, 2018

NCAI President Jefferson Keel Responds to Senate Vote on Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. | Yesterday, the Senate failed to come up with the necessary votes to proceed with a full vote on the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act, an amendment to the National Labor Relations Act that would include tribes in the same exempt category as all other government employers in the United States. The Senate voted 55-41 in favor of moving forward with the legislation, but this tally fell short of the 60 votes needed to prevent a filibuster.

April 16, 2018

Editorial: Support Tribal Sovereignty and Pass the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act

In life, timing is everything as they say. And the time is now for the United States Senate to take up and pass the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act, a bi-partisan bill that has been pending for years that would uphold the inherent rights of Indian tribes to self-governance. TLSA would provide parity for tribal governments by ensuring they have the same ability as all other governments to regulate labor relations for our government employees.

Subscribe to our News RSS