Native American Legislative Update

For the first time in history, the president’s budget process included direct consultations with tribal nations. As a result, President Joe Biden’s FY 2023 budget proposal includes increased funding for tribal nations and programs.

On March 15, President Joe Biden signed the FY2022 omnibus spending bill into law (P.L. 117-103). Notably, the spending bill included the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

On Feb. 14, National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) President Fawn Sharp delivered the annual State of Indian Nations Address at the NCAI 2022 Executive Council Winter Session.

On Jan. 21, the Supreme Court agreed to hear Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta, to clarify whether a state has authority to prosecute non-Indians who commit crimes against Native Americans on tribal land.

On Nov. 15-16, for the first time since 2016, the White House hosted the Tribal Nations Summit. Top Biden administration officials spoke with tribal leaders to discuss the progress of administration efforts with tribal nations.

On Oct. 13, the House Committee on Natural Resources advanced the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony (STOP) Act of 2021 (H.R. 2930) by unanimous consent.

On Sept. 30, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (MA), Rep. Sharice Davids (KS-3), and Rep. Tom Cole (OK-4) introduced a bipartisan bill to establish the first formal commission in United States history on Indian boarding schools.

On August 10, the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684) passed the Senate. It allocates $11 billion to be invested in Indian Country.

The Bureau of Land Management has given final approval to the Southern Bighorn Solar Project on tribal lands in Nevada, and construction for the Arrow Canyon Solar Project has begun. These two Moapa Band of Paiutes projects will support local jobs and power 192,000 homes.

On June 22, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced the creation of the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative to investigate the deaths and the lasting consequences of residential Indian boarding schools.