White House hosts Tribal Nations Summit

WASHINGTON, D.C.-For the first time in a half-dozen years, leaders of federally recognized tribes from across the United States gathered in Washington for The White House Tribal Nations Summit November 30-December 1, 2022.

The summit was designed to bring together tribal leaders with administration officials, Cabinet secretaries and the president. Held at the Interior Department, it included panelists discussing topics such as mental health and health equity, economic development, tribal homeland initiatives and climate and clean energy. Both President Biden and Vice-President Harris, as well as Department of Interior Secretary Haaland, spoke to the group.

"It's not too often that the president and vice president of the United States will come to a tribal event and actually address the tribal nations," Reggie Wassana, governor of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, told Gaylord News reporters. "It's a historic thing when you have both heads of the government saying they are committed to the tribe's efforts, it gives us a lot of energy."

"When you're sitting in that room, with representation of 574 tribal nations across the country. It's ... extremely powerful," added Joseph Byrd, chairman of the Quapaw Tribe in northeastern Oklahoma.

While the summit offered plenty of meetings and speeches, it also highlighted times when Tribal dances were featured. "Even in the midst of government, we still took time to remember culture. That means a lot to me," said Craig Harper, chief of the Peoria Nation of Oklahoma, to Gaylord News.

During the summit, the president advanced an economic agenda that includes historic levels of funding specifically for Tribal communities and Native people, including $32 billion in the American Rescue Plan (ARP), $13 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), and $700 million in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Officials also made announcements on new actions that will build on the already-implemented procedures, provide new opportunities for Tribal consultation and input, and produce lasting changes that will impact the lives of Tribal leaders and their citizens. We have listed a summary of announcements below. To read more about these, go to: https://rb.gy/sjsvnk. You can also access The White House Tribal Nations Summit Progress Report at shorturl.at/py268.

• Presidential Memorandum on Uniform Standards for Tribal Consultation. These standards ensure more consistency in how agencies initiate, provide notice for, conduct, record, and report on Tribal consultations.

• New Tribal Consultation Policies. To align with the new Presidential Memorandum on Uniform Standards for Tribal Consultation, and to advance the Administration's goals of improving Tribal consultation across the federal government, nine agencies will implement new or updated Tribal consultation policies.

• New Best-Practices Report for Tribal Treaty and Reserved Rights to integrate Tribal treaty and reserved rights into agency decision-making processes.

• Implementing Tribal Co-Management and Co-Stewardship of Federal Lands and Waters. In 2022, USDA Forest Service and DOI signed over 20 new co-stewardship agreements with Tribes, with 60-plus additional agreements under various stages of review.

• New Indigenous Knowledge Guidance for Federal Agencies. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and CEQ are announcing government-wide guidance for federal agencies to recognize and include Indigenous Knowledge in federal research, policy, and decision-making.

• Access to Capital in Indian Country. The Small Business Administration (SBA), in coordination with WHCNAA and with involvement from DOC, DOE, DOI, Treasury, USDA, OMB, and the White House Council of Economic Advisers, is announcing a new access to capital initiative with the goal of increasing awareness, access, and utilization of financing opportunities for Tribal Nations.

• Implementation of the Indian Energy Purchase Preference at Federal Facilities. A new initiative to increase federal agencies' use of Tribal energy through purchasing authority established by statute.

• Electric Vehicle (EV) Initiative for Tribal Nations. BIL includes funding to secure an American EV supply chain and to build out the first-ever nationwide public EV charging network of 500,000 EV chargers, as well as mapping EV infrastructure, providing (BIA)-funded and other schools on Indian lands diesel school buses, helping Tribes purchase or lease EV fleet vehicles.

• Implementation of the Buy Indian Act, which provides for special federal contracting preferences by DOI and HHS to procure supplies, services, and construction from Native-owned businesses.

• Ten-Year National Plan on Native Language Revitalization. This plan will be built upon four pillars: (1) Awareness; (2) Recognition/Affirmation; (3) Integration; and (4) Support-identifying funding, including federal and philanthropic sources for Native language revitalization.

Additional Announcements Made During the Tribal Nations Summit:

Strengthening and Standardizing Tribal Consultation

New Tribal Advisory Committees and Positions. USDA and HUD will establish their first-ever Tribal Advisory Committees to ensure that Tribal leaders have direct and consistent contact with federal agency decisionmakers.

DOD is establishing a permanent position to serve as the Senior Advisor and Liaison for Native American Affairs within the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

NOAA will add two new Tribal Coordinators to its ranks in Alaska and the North Atlantic region. The Alaska Tribal Coordinator will focus on commercial fisheries and establish strong cross-cultural relationships with Tribes in Alaska. The North Atlantic Region Tribal Coordinator will engage with North Atlantic Tribes and affiliated Tribal organizations on ocean policy issues.

AmeriCorps-the federal agency for national service and volunteerism-will create a new senior political appointee position for a Strategic Advisor for Native American Affairs.

New Consultation Trainings and Guidebooks. The Economic Development Administration (EDA) at DOC will launch a new staff training series on working with Tribal communities.

Tribal Homelands

New Regulations and Process for Fee to Trust Land Acquisitions.

New Regulations to Protect Tribal Reserved Rights. EPA will propose revisions to the federal water quality standards (WQS) rule, requiring states developing new and revised WQS to evaluate Tribal reserved rights to an aquatic and/or aquatic-dependent resource in the area or downstream of the area.

New Baseline Water Quality Standards Rule for Indian reservation waters that do not have Clean Water Act WQS in place.

Appendix C Rulemaking Effort. Rescind the U.S. Army USACE Appendix C for actions affecting historic properties under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and start a rulemaking effort that will rely on ACHP's regulations and joint USACE/ACHP guidance for implementation of Section 106.

New Regulations to Consider Tribal Benefits in Water Resources Development Projects. USACE will establish new agency procedures to consider a wider range of Tribal and public benefits of water resource development projects.

Domestic Mining Law Reform–Improving Tribal Engagement. Soon a report will be released showing results of the DOI's work to reform hardrock mining laws and policies to ensure that mining activities are conducted using strong environmental, sustainability, safety, Tribal consultation, and community engagement standards.

Agency Implementation of Indigenous Knowledge (IK). In support of the Administration's IK initiative, DOI and ACHP are publishing new IK guidance

USDA to Fund IK Research Track at AISES. In further support of the Administration's IK Initiative, USDA will partner with the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) to fund an IK research track at the annual AISES conference for students who conduct science and engineering research at the intersection of western science and IK.

Climate Change

Tribal Climate Resilience and Community-Driven Relocation. DOI, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Denali Commission, and partnering federal agencies, will coordinate with these Tribes to support their relocation efforts. BIL funding will also increase funding for Tribes facing climate-related risks to $115 million for 11 Tribes.

Additional Support for Community-Driven Relocation.

New Director of Alaska Native Climate Change Initiatives.

Economic Development, Energy, and Infrastructure

Tribal Clean Energy Transition Initiative.

Renewable Energy Accelerated Deployment Initiative for Indian Country (READI).

New Gaming Regulations. Proposed Rulemaking on proposed amendments to regulations governing the review and approval of Tribal-state gaming compacts.

Enhancing Tribal Participation in the 477 Program. PL477 allows Tribal governments to consolidate important federal funding for job training, workforce development, and other economic development purposes into a single plan, with a single reporting requirement, administered by DOI.

SBA Funding for Native American Serving Organizations and for Native American small businesses.

Consultation on Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee's Dual Taxation Report (i.e., taxes levied by both state and Tribal governments on the same persons, properties, or transactions).

Tribal Transit Symposium. First Tribal Transit Symposium will be held in 2023 allowing Tribes to: meet with Federal Transit Administration leadership; receive technical assistance; learn about funding opportunities under BIL.

Tribal Aviation Symposium. DOT and the Federal Aviation Administration will co-host a Tribal Aviation Symposium in 2023 open to all 574 Tribes.

Improving Highway Safety in Indian Country.

Tribal Maritime Roundtable. Maritime Administration (MARAD) will host its first-ever Tribal Maritime Roundtable in 2023.

Tribal Broadband and Spectrum

DOI-FCC-DOC Electromagnetic Spectrum MOU. A new MOU to advance consistent interagency coordination to promote electromagnetic spectrum access and deployment of broadband and other wireless services on Tribal lands.

Establishment of a DOI Office of Indigenous Communications & Technology (OICT).

Public Safety and Justice

New Memorandum of Understanding to Improve Law Enforcement Coordination in Indian Country.

Improving Case Intake for MMIP Cases.

New National Native American Outreach Services Liaison. The Liaison will build on and enhance existing protocols for effective communication with families of MMIP victims and work to ensure that victims of crime have a voice during every step of the criminal justice process where the federal government has jurisdiction.

Updated U.S. Attorney's Offices Operational Plans. Attorney's Offices within Indian country will finalize plans to better promote public safety in Tribal communities.

2023 Environmental Justice Convening. Federal officials and Tribal leaders will develop strategies to prevent and address harms caused by environmental crimes, pollution, and climate change in Indian country.

Expansion of the National Human Trafficking Hotline to address MMIP.

Education and Native Languages

Expanding and Implementing the Native Languages MOA.

New Resources Guide for Native Languages.

New Research on Native Language Retention and Revitalization.

National, Comprehensive Study of Native American Education. In 2023, ED will launch a national, comprehensive study of Native American education in both public and BIE settings.

National Native American Language Resource Center will be launched, along with targeted listening sessions with Tribal Nations and language communities.

Native Language Grant Requirements. ED and DOI will review federal grant requirements and award additional grant points for applications that promote Native language revitalization.

Federal Indian Boarding School Oral History Project. National Endowment for the Humanities is giving additional funding for the DOI to begin the oral history project for survivors in 2023.

Native Language Voting Rights Reports.

New Tribal Early Learning Initiative. HHS will launch a new Tribal Early Learning Initiative (TELI). Forty-nine Tribes will participate in a network to coordinate their programs (the TELI Network) and eight Tribes will participate in a more intensive peer learning community (the TELI Collaborative).

Education Partnerships. BIE will partner with the Trust for Public Lands' Community Schoolyards Project to create outdoor educational spaces for six to nine "Community Schoolyard" projects designed in collaboration with students and community members to reflect the values and culture of each community.

National Fund for Excellence in American Indian Education. This congressionally chartered, but long unused, non-profit organization to support educational opportunities for American Indian students attending BIE schools was renewed.

Health

New Strategy for Tribes to Access the Strategic National Stockpile.

New Policy Clarifying Data Sharing with Tribal Epidemiology Centers for HHS Agencies, which will include guidance and a streamlined process for Tribal Epidemiology Centers to request and access critical health data at HHS components.

Bison Initiative to Further Food Sovereignty. New efforts to help restore bison populations and promote species conservation.

Nutrition and Agriculture. DOI announced Indigenous Food Hubs for BIE-operated schools and BIA-operated detention centers in September 2022. To further this work, DOI is adopting Indigenous-based land and agricultural management practices and metrics for BIA-managed lands with Tribal feedback.

Hall of Tribal Nations at HHS. A new Hall of Tribal Nations at HHS headquarters in Washington, D.C. is being built to increase visibility of Tribal Nations as Nation-to-Nation partners in providing health and human services in their communities.

Housing

New Section 184 Regulations to Increase Home Ownership. A new Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee Program rule will modernize the program and provide more homeownership.

New Housing for Skilled Workers.

Native American Veteran Homelessness Initiative. VA, HHS, and HUD will have an interagency initiative to increase access to care and services for American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

International and Border Issues

Reciprocal Indigenous Mobility. Identify and remove barriers that impede the access of Tribal Nations and Alaska Native Villages to border-crossing and immigration rights and benefits.

Indigenous Peoples' Conservation Advisory Network. A new interagency, the Indigenous Peoples' Conservation Advisory Network (IPCAN), will support the leadership of Indigenous peoples and their knowledge in conservation, restoration, and sustainable management efforts in terrestrial, coastal, and ocean ecosystems.

Public-Private Partnership Initiatives

Establishment of an Office of Strategic Partnerships at Interior. The office will build partnerships, leverage resources, and promote innovative solutions for Indian country, as well as bringing awareness of the needs and unique status of Indian Tribes to develop and build long-term sustainable public-private partnerships and further conservation, education, and economic development in Indian country.