A month after he became the first U.S. president to apologize to Native people for the horrors of the federal Indian boarding school system, President Joe Biden designated a new National Monument on the site of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. Learn more about the significance of this announcement and the next steps that Congress must take.
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Happy Holidays from everyone at FCNL! We hope that the rest of your year will be full of peace and light. This month, we’re looking back at this year’s policy wins for Indian Country.
Truth and Healing Commission Bill Gains Momentum
A bill that would empower a congressional investigation into the Indian Boarding School era (H.R. 7227, S.1723) gained bipartisan support in the House. It passed out of the House Education and Workforce Committee on a 34-4 vote. Its companion bill in the Senate was not brought to the floor.
A growing coalition of Native advocates, faith groups, tribal leaders, and elected leaders has been tirelessly working to increase public awareness of the importance of this work. While the bill did not pass the 118th Congress, it will remain a priority for Native communities and for us in the 119th Congress.
Supreme Court Sides with Tribes on Healthcare Costs
This summer, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to require that the federal government reimburse tribes when they provide healthcare services to tribal members (Becerra v. San Carlos Apache Tribe). Many treaties between the United States and Native tribes require that tribal members receive healthcare at the expense of the federal government.
In recent decades, tribes have asserted their right to control the programs that serve tribal members in spite of opposition from the US government. In this case, the Supreme Court required that tribes who operate their own healthcare programs must be fully refunded by the federal government.
Appropriators Focus on Supporting Tribes
This year, the House Appropriations Committee emphasized federal investment in tribal communities. Under the leadership of Rep. Tom Cole (a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, and the first Native American to chair the House Appropriations Committee), the committee signaled its intention to maintain or increase funding for tribal programs.
Because Congress’ budget negotiations will continue into 2025, they will pass a continuing resolution (CR), a funding extension, by December 20 to prevent a government shutdown.
A CR is a useful legislative tool, but it can also hamstring the ability of tribal communities to plan for the long-term. For example, tribal services operating under a federal grant may be unable to hire additional staff if they do not know when positions will be funded.
Congress must reaffirm its commitment to its treaty and trust responsibility by ensuring that tribes can maintain tribal services. When it does pass the final 2025 budget, we expect that programs that support tribal law enforcement and healthcare will receive more money.
Preserving the History of Indian Boarding Schools
In July, the Department of the Interior released the second volume of its investigative report on the federal government’s role in the boarding school era. The DOI was able to identify by name almost 1,000 children who died while attending federal boarding schools.
The true number of murdered children is undoubtedly higher, as many deaths were not properly reported or were even covered up. In some places, like the Crow Creek reservation in South Dakota, entire graveyards are still being uncovered. In my blog post on the report, I discussed why it is so important and why it does not go far enough.
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At FCNL, we’re proud of our work to advocate with and for Native communities in Congress. The Native American Legislative Update is our effort to inform you on the most important issues facing Indian Country. If you’re interested in our work supporting peace and justice across our nine focus areas consider signing up to receive This Week in the World, our brief weekly newsletter that covers breaking news across the Hill. |
The Work Ahead
Your commitment to standing for your values is what drives the change we create together. In 2024, your support made it possible to achieve bipartisan progress on the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding Schools Policy. Yet, as we look ahead to 2025, we have more work to do.
Please, consider donating today to support FCNL’s work. Thank you — your support means everything to our shared vision of the future.
What We’re Reading
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Secretary Haaland opens White House Tribal Nations Summit (Indianz.com)
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34 Members of Congress Urge President Biden to Pardon Leonard Peltier (NativeNewsOnline)
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As Disasters Multiply, FEMA makes it Easier for Tribes to Get Aid (Washington Post)
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Older Americans Act and Murkowski’s Native ELDER Act Pass Senate (Sen Murkowski)
