FCNL is aware of reports that Native Americans have been subject to or targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in immigration raids. We remain committed to a just and safe immigration process. If you are concerned about your risk, please reach out to your tribal leadership.
Halito F/friends,
Happy New Year! With January came a flurry of activity in D.C., including a new Congress, a new administration, and wintery weather. At FCNL, our prophetic vision for Native American Advocacy remains constant, no matter who we are lobbying. The 119th Congress promises many surprises, but we will continue to inform and advocate on our legislative issues on Capitol Hill.
Truth and Healing Commission Bill Passes Senate in 118th Congress
An amended version of the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act (S.1723) passed the Senate last year. It was a last-minute effort led by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee’s Chair Brian Schatz (HI) and Vice Chair Lisa Murkowski (AK).
While the bill did not pass the House in time to be signed into law, this is an encouraging step that reinforces bipartisan support for a Truth and Healing Commission. Establishing a Truth and Healing Commission will remain FCNL’s lead priority for Native American affairs in the 119th Congress.
Leonard Peltier Granted Clemency
American Indian Movement (AIM) activist Leonard Peltier (Turtle Mountain Chippewa) was granted clemency by former President Joe Biden. This last-minute order allows Peltier to leave prison and serve his sentence under house arrest. However, it does not overturn Peltier’s convictions. His convictions have long been contested on allegations of a flawed investigation and prosecutorial misconduct in the aftermath of the AIM occupation of Wounded Knee, South Dakota.
FCNL appreciates the Biden administration for listening to Native advocates who have long asked for Peltier’s release. FCNL has lobbied on this issue, including by asking President Biden to use executive powers to address this miscarriage of justice.
Wounded Knee Sacred Site Bill Passes House
H.R. 165 passed the House of Representatives on January 22. This bill takes Wounded Knee, the site of one of the deadliest massacres of Native people, into trust. It would put the 40 acres of where the Wounded Knee Massacre occurred into restricted fee status. This will prevent it from from being sold, leased, or transferred without the permission of the secretary of interior.
H.R. 165 was introduced by Rep. Dusty Johnson (SD-At-Large) while the Senate bill was introduced by Sen. Mike Rounds (SD).
The Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe – whose ancestors were massacred at Wounded Knee – currently have an agreement to share ownership of the land. H.R165/S.105 would ensure that the land will remain under their shared control.
“I’m hopeful the bill passes this Congress to provides greater tribal sovereignty to this sacred land. Memorializing the Lakota lives lost will ensure this site remains sacred for generations to come,” Rep. Johnson said.
In the 118th Congress, the bill passed out of the House and Senate Committees on Indian Affairs, but did not pass on the Senate floor.
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“The Wounded Knee Massacre not only represents a low point in U.S.- Lakota relations, but it also serves as one of the darkest moments in our nation’s history. To date, the Wounded Knee Massacre grounds remain a symbolic site, with tribal members regularly visiting the area to honor the deceased. This legislation would keep this land in possession of the Oglala Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes to be protected and honored for generations to come.” - Sen. Rounds (SD) in a quote provided to FCNL |
President Trump Signs Order to Rename Mount Denali
Hours after taking office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming Mt. Denali, the highest mountain in North America, to Mt. McKinley. While Koyukon Athabascan people have always referred to it as Denali, the U.S. government called it Mt. McKinley from 1917-2015. In 2015, President Barack Obama changed the name after a decades-long effort by Alaskan Natives and allies to restore the name of the mountain. Members of Alaska’s congressional delegation expressed disagreement with the name change.
Moran Proposes Changes to Haskell Oversight
Sen. Jerry Moran (KS) announced that he will be returning to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs after leaving in 2023. This comes amid efforts by Sen. Moran and Rep. Tracy Mann (KS-1) to remove Haskell Indian Nations University from Bureau of Indian Education control.
There are renewed allegations of mismanagement and nepotism at Haskell. Last summer, the House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing where they discussed issues at the school. You can read a draft of the legislation and give public comment until February 1, 2025.
