The United South and Eastern Tribes
and the National Congress of American Indians hosted a two-day
"Carcieri fix" summit in Washington June
21-23, to build support for the Carcieri Fix legislation, S. 676, introduced in the
Senate by Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI), and H.R. 1291 and H.R. 1234, introduced
in the House by Representatives Tom Cole (R-OK) and Representative
Dale Kildee (R-OK), that would reaffirm the Secretary of the
Interior's authority to place land into trust for all federally recognized
Indian tribes. The bills would reverse the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri
v. Secretary of the Interior, in which a majority of justices concluded
that the Secretary of the Interior does not have the authority to take land
into federal trust for Indian tribes that were not "under federal jurisdiction"
in 1934 when the Indian Reorganization Act was passed. The summit was in
advance of the June 23 Senate Committee on Indian Affairs oversight hearing on
"The Indian Reorganization Act75 Years Later: Renewing our Commitment to
Restore Tribal Homelands and Promote Self-Determination." For more information
on the Carcieri overturn situation, visit USET's Carcieri page:
http://www.usetinc.net/carcieri/pages/CNC%20Documents.aspx, or Thomas: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:s.676
(Gale Courey Toensing, "Three-Day Tribal Leaders' Summits Urges 'Clean Carcieri
Fix'," Indian Country Today, June 18,
2011,
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2011/06/three-day-tribal-leaders'-summits-urges-clean-carcieri-fix/).
Jefferson Keel, President, National Congress of American
Indians (NCAI), said in the 9th Annual State of Indian Nations Address, January 27, 2011, said, "After an exceptional year of
bipartisan achievements to strengthen Indian Country, I am pleased to report
that the state of Indian nations is strong, and driven by a new momentum. We
stand at the beginning of a new era for Indian Country, and for tribal
relations with the United States. Previous eras were defined by what the
federal government chose to do: the Indian removal period when tribes
were forcibly removed to reservations, the allotment era, the reorganization
and termination of tribes, even the recent promise of the self-determination
era. But this new era is defined by what we, as Indian nations, choose to do
for ourselves. I am honored to be joined this morning by many Indian leaders
who have worked hard to prepare our nations for this moment. We are poised to
be full partners in the American economy, and in America itself. We expect that
in years to comein seven generationsour children's children will look back
and say, "This was the moment when the future of Indian Country changed
forever." Call it the Era of Recognition. Call it the Era of
Responsibilities Met, or of Promises Kept. Whatever it is called, it
brings us closer than ever to the true Constitutional relationship between the
United States and Indian nations. It brings us closer to what the
Constitution calls a "more perfect union." Today, I issue an invitationto
tribal leaders, to Indian people, to our partners in Congress and the
Administration, and to all Americansto join together in building this new era.
"The self-determination era has brought a promising partnership between tribes
and the federal government. We have demonstrated our capacity as self-determined
governments that contribute to a stronger America. We have worked hard to reach
this point. But that alone is not enough to realize the promise of this new
era. Barriers remainand we are eager to work with our federal partners to
remove those barriers to the economic potential of our nations. There is
another reason we are just now seeing this opportunity for a new era. The state
of the economy has played a role. These difficult times have made self-reliance
into a necessity. Today the country is entering more than a time of difficult
budget choices. As the federal government contemplates fundamental changes in
the priorities of government, Indian Country offers a bold opportunity.
Investing in self-reliant Indian nations is not only the Constitutional and
morally right thing to do, Indian nations offer a great untapped source of
economic opportunity for all Americans." He noted some of the successes from
2010. "The passage and enactment of the Tribal Law and Order Act, and the
Indian Health Care Improvement Act were monumental... But this work is
not completeÉ We call for these initiatives to be fully funded and fully
implemented. We were encouraged by the recent settlements of the Cobell
litigation over the mismanagement of Indian lands, and the Keepseagle
settlement for discrimination against Indian farmers. Indian tribes have
supported these overdue settlements because they will help us turn the page on
the wrongs of the past and direct our energies toward securing a better future.
Finally, we welcome the United States' adoption of the United Nations
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This formally affirms our
fundamental human rights. It is a great step forward in respect and recognition
of Indigenous peoples throughout the world. This very morning the UN Special
Rapporteur on Violence Against Women is visiting tribal nations to investigate
the challenges facing tribal justice systems. Together, these
achievements set the stage for a new era in Indian Country. This is a moment of
opportunity, and we must look to the future to realize its promise." "One
opportunity for tribal nations is energy developmentÉ Tribes care for
approximately ten percent of America's energy resources, including renewable
energy, worth nearly a trillion dollars in revenue. And yet, only a handful of
tribes have been able to successfully utilize these resources. In fact the 49
bureaucratic steps that deter energy development on Indian lands stifled the
ability of the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation in
North Dakota to access their considerable oil reserves, while oil rigs formed a
ring outside reservation boundaries. It took direct action by the
Interior Department to streamline this process for the Three Affiliated Tribes.
We call on the Congress to apply this kind of concerted effort to unleash the
potential of Indian energy resources throughout the nationÉ To achieve the
goals of energy independence and economic growth, the focus must turn to the
potential in Indian Country. Just last week, Energy Secretary Chu
offered a promising jump-start to such investment. He announced $10 million in
support for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in Indian Country.
Tribal energy development will mean long-term economic development, and in turn
the United States will become stronger." "On this and other issues, barriers
stand in the way of progress for Indian Country and our entire nation.
Sometimes it's bureaucracy. Sometimes it's a lack of access to financing and
federal programs. We call for tribes to receive the same treatment under the
law as state and local governments on tax and financial matters. It is time for
these barriers to be lifted. The situation is similar for electronic
communication, which is the backbone of the new information economy. Across
the nation, broadband is available to 95 percent of Americans. But in tribal
communities, it's only 10 percent. Broadband is the pipeline to progress,
and we need investment, but first we need an end to barriers that stand in the
way of that investment. As with energy, the result will be growth, jobs and
opportunitybecause our potential is already there. We've already seen what
such investment can do. The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Indian
Reservation operate a telecommunications company that is using federal funds,
plus grant and loan packages, to expand broadband. So far they are reaching
1,000 square miles of a reservation. They are connecting nearly 2000 people, 18
businesses and the tribal government, plus schools, health care facilities, and
police and fire departments. This kind of investment is the foundation for
progress throughout Indian Country. Broadband is just one aspect of our
infrastructure needs. In fact, there has never been sufficient federal or
private investment to spur growth, or fund adequate services in this area.
There is also huge potential to invest in our youth. We seek investments in
after school programs, quality education from pre-K through college, and job
training programs. We have many bright students, yet many of our Indian
schools lack the curriculum or proper tools that enable them to compete for
scholarships and other opportunities. Our Republican and Democratic partners in
Congress and the Administration share a vision for a more effective education
system in America, and we encourage them to start in Indian Country. Our
children have been waiting for generations, and today is always a good day to
begin." "Our largest assets tribal lands remain fragmented and caught in
a web of stifling BIA regulations and bureaucracy. Current trust policy is
neither effective nor appropriate, and Congress must modernize the trust to
reflect the role of tribes as decision-makers in the management of our own
lands. The Supreme Court's decision in Carcieri is threatening the
ability of many tribes to restore their lands and build economic development
and jobs. This must be fixed. With the Cobell settlement and the
pending establishment of the Indian Land Consolidation Fund, the federal
government has an opportunity to make foundational changes to the trust that
will improve administration and further self-determination." "This new era
must be characterized by equal treatment of tribal nations with other
governments the same rules, and the same opportunities for economic growth.
The federal trust responsibility does not have a political affiliation.
At this momentous juncture, when a new era is rising, it is critical for
Congress and the Administration to honor the special status of tribal nations Ð
and our citizens solemn promises made in treaties, executive orders, and acts
of congress. We urge Congress to sustain investments in tribal nations by
holding Indian programs harmless and providing much needed funding for
infrastructure, law enforcement, health care, job creation, and education."
"There's something else that unites us, too. This address would not be complete
without acknowledging the service of nearly 24,000 American Indians and Alaska
Natives in the American armed forces. In that alone, the state of Indian
nations can be summed up in one word: proud." "The bond between America and the
Indian nations is not in doubt. We remain united, and in a new era we will
build a more perfect union...together" ("State
of Indian Nations Address: 'Sovereign Indian Nations at the Dawn of a New
Era'", http://www.ncai.org/News-View.19.0.html).
At
the 2011 NCAI Mid Year Conference, June 15, 2011, NCAI President Jefferson Keel gave
a Speech with the "theme, Native Resources:
Tribal Cultures and the Economy, sets a course for us to imagine our future, with the circumstances of today as inspiration; our
Native Resources will help us chart the course forward, to build stronger
tribal economies based on the resources within our own nations, our own people,
and ourselves." Continuing the themes of his State of Indian Nations Address,
Keel noted, "I highlighted the importance of removing barriers to energy
development on Indian land; now tribal energy legislation is being drafted
in the Senate by Senator Borrasso as part of the work of the Senate Committee
on Indian Affairs. We called for our children to continue to be a priority;
just weeks ago, I stood with the First Lady, Michelle Obama, on the lawn of the
White House, with dozens of Native Youth and other tribal leaders looking on,
as we celebrated the launch of Let's Move! in Indian Country. And in
Congress, Federal legislation to establish a National Tribal Youth Corps is
being considered, offering thousands of jobs in natural resources to our
young people. We called for more action to protect Native women from the
terrible epidemic of violence. As our own First Vice President has
highlighted in Indian Country Today, the Department of Justice, is making
incredible progress, like we rarely see in Washington, DC, in offering
solutions to the alarming rates of violence against Native women. At the
beginning of the year, we called for tribes to express their economic
independence, to determine our own approaches to commerce and resource
management. That's why this past spring along with USET, we held a Tax
Summit at Miccosukee. Our work here this week on Tax Policy and
Tribal Economies will build on that momentum to remove barriers to economic
development. In the State of Indian Nations I asked us to consider this new era
in front of us as the era of Promises Kept. NCAI and forty partners have
formed an alliance that will keep a promise to the next generation. The
alliance called Our Natural Resources, is developing a National Natural
Resource Strategy that will shape a course for determining tribal natural
resource management policy for decades to come. We have set it as a goal
this year to increase the visibility of investments in Indian Country to the
highest levels of the federal government. That's why when Robert Gordon,
Executive Associate Director of the Office of Management and Budget,
attended our recent Tribal Interior Budget Committee meeting it represented a
significant moment to elevate our tribal governments' place in the federal
budget process. The tribal leaders who attend these meetings and
the HHS budget meetings have been instrumental in advancing Indian budget
priorities in this Administration. There is no doubt that we have battles still
to fight and Indian Country as whole must stay unified to overcome them. A
Carcieri fix is a top priority and we will continue to push forward this
agenda. The nomination of Arvo Mikkanen, has stalled in the Senate, and we
still await a Native person to take their rightful place serving on the Federal
bench." ("NCAI President Keel's Prepared Remarks at 2011 NCAI Mid
Year Conference, June 15, 2011," http://www.ncai.org/).
The
National
Congress of American Indians (NCAI), in an August 3 media
release, called on President Obama and Congress to make sure that the people
appointed to the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction
have "significant experience" with the federal government's constitutional
trust responsibility to tribal nations (Gale
Courey Toensing, "NCAI Seeks Committee Members 'Well Versed' in Federal Trust
Responsibility," Indian Country Today, August
4, 2011, http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2011/08/ncai-seeks-committee-members-well-versed-in-federal-trust-responsbility/).
The Alaska office of the
Native American Rights Fund (NARF) participated in the National Days of Prayer to Protect
Native Sacred Places, June 21, 2011. NARF has been supporting
the Sealaska Lands Bill,
introduced in Congress by Senator Lisa Murkowski, (R-AK) that points to about
200 sacred sites on a map that shows blue dots representing the sites across
the islands and inlets of southeast Alaska. The bill would set aside
151,000 acres of the Tongass for conservation, and other bills aim to return 85,000 of the 23 million acres taken
by the U.S. in 1907. National Prayer Days is an annual event in
support of protection of Sacred Native Sites, nationwide, organized by The
Morning Star Institute. This year Observances and
ceremonies again were held across the country from June 17 through June 21,
with the observance in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, June 21 at 7:30 a.m. on the
United States Capitol Grounds, West Front Grassy Area. Among the many sacred
sites in need of protection are: Antelope Hills. Apache Leap. Badger Two
Medicine. Badlands. Bear Butte. Bear Medicine Lodge. Black Hills. Black Mesa.
Boboquivari Mountain. Cape Wind. Cave Rock. Chief Cliff. Coastal Chumash sacred
lands in the Gaviota Coast. Coldwater Springs. Colorado River. Columbia River.
Eagle Rock, the Pinale–o Mountains or Mount Graham, the San Francisco Peaks,
California: Medicine Lake Highlands and Hatchet and Bunchgrass Mountains,
California: Needles Ft. Mojave Indian Tribe Topock Maze area, California:
Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, Luise–o Ancestral Origin Landscape,
California: Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians' Burial & Ceremonial Grounds,
Lawrence, KS - Wakarusa Wetlands, Haskell Medicine Wheel, Michigan: Upper
Peninsula - Migi zii wa sin, Eagle Rock, Everglades. Fajada Butte. Gulf of
Mexico. Haleakala Crater. Hickory Ground. Hualapai Nation landforms in Truxton
and Crozier Canyons. Indian Pass. Kaho'olawe. Katuktu. Kituwah. Klamath River.
Lake Superior. Mauna Kea. Medicine Bluff. Medicine Hole. Medicine Wheels.
Mokuhinia. Moku'ula. Mount Shasta. Mount Taylor. Mount Tenabo. Nine Mile
Canyon, Ocmulgee Old Fields and National Monument. Palo Duro Canyon.
Petroglyphs National Monument. Pipestone National Monument. Puget Sound.
Puvungna. Rainbow Bridge. Rattlesnake Island. Rio Grande River. Sweetgrass
Hills. Sutter Buttes. Tse Whit Zen Village. Tsi-litch Semiahmah Village. Valley
of Chiefs. Walking Woman Place. Woodruff Butte. Wolf River. Yucca Mountain.
Zuni Salt Lake. Sacred places of all removed Native Nations. All Waters and
Wetlands. For more information visit: http://www.facebook.com/notes/native-america-calling/the-morning-star-institute-june-17-21-set-for-2011-national-sacred-places-prayer/208883609148354,
or contact Natalie Landreth, NARF staff attorney, at (907) 276-0680 or Landreth@NARF.org ("National Day of Prayer for Alaska Sacred Sites," Indian Country Today, June
20, 2011, http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2011/06/national-day-of-prayer-for-alaska-sacred-sites/;
and Morning Star Institute: http://www.facebook.com/notes/native-america-calling/the-morning-star-institute-june-17-21-set-for-2011-national-sacred-places-prayer/208883609148354).
William "Pila" H. Wilson, the head of
the academic-programs division for the University of Hawaii's College of
Hawaiian Language, in Hilo a founder of a Native Hawaiian language-immersion
school, at a summit in Washington, for revitalizing indigenous languages, in
April, asked Charles Rose, the general counsel of the U.S. Department of
Education, to "please look at" the Native American Languages Act of
1990, joining the educator several other founders of language-immersion schools
in arguing that provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act are in conflict with
the Native American Languages Act and a hindrance to running language-immersion
schools. They noted that the Languages Act states that it is the policy
of the United States to "encourage and support the use of Native American
languages as a medium of instruction," meaning that the federal government
supports students to take actual core academic subjects in a Native American
language. The statute goes on to say that it's the policy of the United States
to "recognize the right of Indian tribes and other Native American
governing bodies to use the Native American languages as a medium of
instruction in all schools funded by the Secretary of the Interior (run by
the Bureau of Indian Education). While
Native American students may have the right to receive core instruction in the
language of their communities at BIE schools, in fact, that most often does not
happen. A recent federal study found
that at BIE schools, only 23% percent of American Indian or Alaska Native 8th
graders who participated in a survey reported that people in their schools talk
to each other in a Native American language "every day or almost every
day." 41% of the 8th graders at the BIE schools said people at their
school talk to each other in a Native American language "never or hardly
ever," while 13% said "once or twice a month" and 23% said
"once or twice a week." The study did not report if any of these BIE
schools use a Native American language as the medium of instruction. At regular
public schools, American Indian or Alaska Native students reported even less exposure to
Native American languages. than students at the BIE schools ("Revisiting the
Native American Languages Act of 1990," Education Week, April 16, 2011, http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/2010/07/revisiting_the_native_american.html).
Esther Attean and Jill Williams, "Homemade Justice." Cultural Survival Quarterly, Spring 2011,
http://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly, Noting, that foster care is hard on children anywhere,
but especially on Native children who are placed with non-Native families
a process that strips them of their identity and heritage, report that a
group of Wabanaki women in Maine have launched their own truth commission to
explore the effects and implications of the state's child welfare system,
hoping to heal some of the damage, promote cultural decolonization, and change
the way Native children are cared for.
Americans
for Indian Opportunity (AIO), using its Indigenous Leaders Interactive
System a participatory process for solving complex issues hosted
leaders from around Indian country, AIO staff, board members and alumni of its
Ambassadors leadership development program, to develop solutions for major
problems facing Native America. AIO was part of a meeting at the
White House with the National Indian Family Coalition (that AIO helped
found). AIO, at the request of Bolivian President Evo Marales and in
partnership with its sister organization, Advancement for Maori Opportunity
of New Zealand (AMO) participated in the World Indigenous Conference on Climate
Change in Cochabamba, and both organizations participated in the
Indigenous People's Summit 2010, hosted by WIN-Ainu in Japan.
AIO worked with Southwestern Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) to insure its
educational accreditation, and created the Friends of SIPI Committee to
advocate for the needs of SIPI students. AIO staff provided Teach For
America with an "Indian 101" on Native American history and politics for 80
New Mexico teachers, while AIO provided "Indian 101" education for over 300
students and faculty at the California University of Pennsylvania, as well
a for several international guests to its Albuquerque, NM headquarters,
including diplomats from China, Indonesia and Thailand. Ainu from Japan
participated in two AIO Ambassadors program sessions in order to see how they
could adopt the leadership nurturing program, while AIO collaborated on ways to
expand the program to Native youth around the United States. The current
Ambassadors class participated in the biannual meeting of the World Indigenous
People's Conference on Education in Peru. In the summer of 2011, AIO hosted
group of Mayan spiritual leaders from Guatemala who came to New Mexico for a
ceremony to heal Mother Earth, as part o the preparation for the renewal of the
Mayan Calendar at the end of 2012. For more information contact AIO, 1001
Marquette, NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 (505)842-8677, www.aio.org.
Many
Native people have objected that the U.S. government's code name of "Geronimo"
for Osama Ben Laden in the operation that lead to his death in Pakistan was
insensitive (Rob Capriccioso, "Bin Laden Ain't No Geronimo," Indian Country Today, May 11, 2011, http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2011/05/bin-laden-aint-no-geronimo/).
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