Happy Native American Heritage Month (NAHM)! While FCNL works year-round in solidarity with Native people across the country, this is a time of year when the necessity of our work is especially clear. We are reflecting on FCNL’s longstanding commitment to right relationship with Native people and look forward to continuing that commitment.
Congress is back in D.C. next week, beginning the busiest time of the legislative session. Last month, we highlighted legislation and executive actions that we are watching closely during the lame duck period. This month, we are focusing on what the upcoming administration and new Congress will bring.
This week, the U.S. will observe Thanksgiving. The holiday and its origins remain a complicated topic for many in Indian Country. While many Native people celebrate Thanksgiving with their families and communities, many use the time to remember the horrific consequences of colonization.
There will be mourning gatherings held across the U.S. In Plymouth, Massachusetts, Native people will gather to observe a National Day of Mourning. On Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, a site once occupied by the American Indian Movement, people will gather to observe a Sunrise Ceremony. This Thanksgiving, we encourage our readers to hold those impacted by colonization in the light, and to learn more about Native perspectives on the holiday.
Doug Burgum Nominated as Secretary of Interior
President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Doug Burgum, governor of North Dakota, for Secretary of the Interior.
If confirmed, Burgum would oversee the Department of the Interior, which manages federal and trust lands, hosts the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and handles most of the government-to-government communication with tribal nations.
He is expected to focus on expanding energy projects, including oil and gas leasing on public lands. This may include expanding drilling and mining leases on tribal and trust lands.
Burgum has worked closely with the five federally recognized tribal nations in North Dakota. He began his tenure as governor in 2016, entering at a low point in state-tribal relations. His administration has pursued better tribal relationships by increasing collaboration on state-tribal ventures. Burgum aggressively sought to create tax partnerships with Native tribes in the state, which allows tribal nations to share portions of taxes collected on tribal land.
The Nov. 15 nomination reflects Trump’s focus on bolstering domestic energy production, a key part of his policy agenda. In his announcement, Trump emphasized Burgum’s role in reducing regulatory barriers and promoting energy independence.
Congressional Leaders Tackle the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s Crisis
Members of the House Appropriations Committee’s Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee heard testimony on Nov. 20 from tribal leaders and federal officials on the current efforts to address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis
Tribal leaders emphasized the need for increased funding for tribal police, as well as better communication between federal entities, states, and tribal communities.
During the hearing, the committee left one witness seat vacant to represent the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women whose stories remain unheard. A recent study by the National Institute of Justice found that 84% of Indigenous women will experience violence during their lifetime.
Senate Considers Major Tribal Water and Land Management Changes
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee met on November 19 to consider and approve a record-breaking 74 pieces of legislation. The bills will make up a “public lands package,” a collection of legislation that the committee hopes to pass by the end of the year.
This package deals with the oversight of federal and tribal lands and natural resources. Most bills were passed unanimously by the committee, signaling strong bipartisan support.
One notable bill in that package is the WaterSMART Access for Tribes Act (S. 2927) which would increase tribal access to grants for water conservation. The bill would allow the federal government to make it cheaper for tribes to pay for some water management projects if they are too expensive. It hopes to encourage small or poor tribal communities to improve their water treatment, storage, and use.
