Native Americans

March 23, 2009 -- Washington, DC—The U.S. Secretary of Transportation today announced allocation of $17 million in federal funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, 2009 for the Federal Transit Administration’s Tribal Transit Program.

“These additional funds will advance the expansion of much needed transit services on our nation’s tribal lands,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “That means more job creation and greater access to those jobs.”    » read more »

March 23, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key administration posts: David H. Stevens, Assistant Secretary for Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner, Department of Housing and Urban Development; Harold Hongju Koh, Legal Adviser, State Department; and Dr. Yvette Roubideaux, Director of Indian Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services.

President Obama also announced that he has designated Judge Emily C. Hewitt to be the Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.    » read more »

03/23/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced today the signing of a compact with the Pinoleville Pomo Nation located in Mendocino County, one mile north of the City of Ukiah. The compact follows a similar blueprint of the compacts Governor Schwarzenegger has previously negotiated in that it provides important benefits to the state, protects both employees and patrons, and provides for environmental protections.

“I am pleased we were able to reach an agreement with the Pinoleville Pomo Nation that benefits the members of the tribe as well as the local community and the state,” said Governor Schwarzenegger.    » read more »

March 19, 2009 -- SANTA FE – New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today signed Senate Bill 196, the State-Tribal Collaboration Act, at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque. The Governor was joined by Indian Affairs Secretary Alvin Warren and tribal leaders from around the state.

“The State-Tribal Collaboration Act will promote and strengthen the relationship between the State and the 22 sovereign tribes and pueblos here in New Mexico,” said Governor Richardson.

“I am pleased to sign this landmark bill, which further expands my commitment to our Native American communities, provides greater consistency across all cabinet-level agencies in working with tribes, and ensures that productive state-tribal relations remain a priority into the future."    » read more »

March 09, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced that the Indian Affairs Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED), in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), has launched a website to create a web-based clearinghouse of environmental information that will support American Indian and Alaska Native traditional and renewable energy resource development.    » read more »

March 4, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Speaking to a summit of American Indian leaders, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today highlighted more than $2 billion in President Obama’s economic recovery package to create jobs and economic opportunity in Indian Country.

“The challenges we face as a nation are not new to Indian Country,” Salazar told a Tribal Nations Legislative Summit of the National Congress of American Indians. “But President Obama’s recovery package will provide significant investments in Indian Country which can play an important role in helping to stand-up tribal economies.”    » read more »

Feb. 26, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The President’s 2010 Budget includes $12 billion for the Department of the Interior to undertake initiatives to promote energy security with a focus on clean renewable sources and strategies to address climate change, protect and preserve America’s national parks and public lands, strengthen Native American communities, enhance outdoor opportunities for young people, and conserve wetlands and wildlife habitat.

“President Obama has laid out a fiscally responsible blueprint for 2010,” Secretary Salazar said. “He has made tough choices, underscored his priorities and stressed the need for federal agencies to carry out their missions with transparency and accountability to the American taxpayer.”    » read more »

February 25th, 2009 -- The first dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are headed out the door today, as the federal government makes $15 billion available to help states shore up their Medicaid funds.

And there's more coming up.

Just a week after President Obama signed the Act into law, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today allocated 75% of its recovery funds -- $10 billion -- to create green jobs, to revive housing markets with high rates of foreclosure, and curb homelessness.    » read more »

Feb. 25, 2009 -- Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri and Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch commented on the decision by the United State Supreme Court in Carcieri v. Salazar (Secretary of the Interior). The Supreme Court found in favor of the State of Rhode Island, reversing the judgment of the US Court of Appeals.

The implication of this decision is that all laws and statutes of the State of Rhode Island will be applied equally to the Narragansett Indian Tribe as they do to all citizens of Rhode Island, including taxation, gambling, zoning, and all other civil and criminal laws.    » read more »

February 25, 2009 -- (Salem) – Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski and Attorney General John Kroger announced today that Oregon will seek to join a lawsuit against the federal government over the longstanding failure to clean up the Hanford Nuclear Reservation on the Columbia River.

“This suit is about compelling the federal government to uphold its commitment to protect fully our environment and our citizens,” Governor Kulongoski said. “Further delay is unacceptable. The federal government must make this clean up a priority and meet its obligations to address the environmental and public health risks that the Hanford site continues to pose.”

“Hanford poses a major risk to our health and environment,” Kroger added. “It is time to clean it up.”    » read more »

Feb. 12, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today pledged to restore integrity in government relations with Indian tribes, fulfill the United States’ trust responsibilities to Native Americans, and work cooperatively to build stronger economies and safer American Indian communities.    » read more »

First New Coal Mine in MT in Three Decades

(HELENA) – Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer today joined tribal leaders of the Crow Nation as well as executives from Australian-American Energy Company (AAEC) in announcing that the tribe and company have formed a partnership to move forward on a coal-to-liquid facility and a new mine to be located on the Crow Reservation.

“Montana is on the move,” said Governor Schweitzer. “This project means supplying American energy produced by American workers to the country. This is the first new coal mine in Montana in 30 years and will be a significant contributor to our nation’s energy security.”    » read more »

5/20/2008 -- Hillary Clinton unveiled her proposal to provide increased opportunity and improve the quality of services for South Dakota’s Native American community today. Her plan, grounded in the principle of tribal sovereignty, focuses on job creation, improving the quality of health care and combating crime.

Hillary Clinton: Photo by circulating (CC)    » read more »

May 12, 2008 -- DES MOINES – Today, Iowa Governor Chet Culver signed legislation that creates the Iowa Commission on Native American Affairs. Housed in the Department of Human Rights, the commission will focus on the issues facing Iowa’s Native American community. The creation of the Commission was proposed in one of the Governor’s bills filed by the Governor in January.    » read more »

04/28/2008 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced the signing of two related tribal-state gaming compacts with the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians and the Wiyot Tribe. The compacts directly unite the interests of North Fork's 1,700 citizens and the Wiyot Tribe's 600 members, benefiting one of the largest tribal populations in the history of such agreements.    » read more »