September 2024: Native American Legislative Update

Welcome to FCNL's Native American Legislative Update! NALU is a monthly newsletter about FCNL's Native American policy advocacy and ways for you to engage members of Congress.

Congress just wrapped up its last D.C work period before the election, and we at FCNL have been busy engaging folks on the Hill. Legislators are now back in their districts and focused on their campaigns.

This month, we also welcomed FCNL's newest program assistants, a group of young people who work at FCNL for 11 months. Anna Aguto, who previously worked at the Quaker United Nations Office, will be supporting both our Environment and Native American Advocacy teams. We are thrilled to have Anna at FCNL and excited about the work she'll be doing during her time with us!

Orange Shirt Day

Today, September 30, is Orange Shirt Day, Canada's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. On this day, Native communities and allies honor and remember the survivors of Indian Boarding Schools, as well as the children who never returned home. Native communities in Canada have recognized this date as a day of recognition since 2013, and in 2021 Canada formally recognized it as a holiday.

The Orange Shirt Day movement was begun by Phyllis Webstad (Northern Secwépemc) whose new shirt was taken from her on her first day at a boarding school. Her story of resilience in the face of attempted assimilation speaks to the courage of so many Native children.

While the U.S. does not recognize Orange Shirt Day as a national holiday, Native activists and allies honor it as a day of advocacy for truth and healing.

Act for Orange Shirt Day!

Apache Stronghold Files Petition to Save Oak Flat

Apache Stronghold, a group of Western Apache advocates seeking to protect Oak Flat, is urging the Supreme Court to take up their lawsuit to protect a sacred spiritual site called Oak Flat. The group held a prayer vigil in front of the Court after formally filing their request earlier this month.

Apache Stronghold is urging justices to intervene to prevent an international mining company from acquiring Oak Flat. The company, Rio Tinto, plans to mine under the site until it collapses, creating a crater two miles wide and 1,000 feet deep. The Western Apache have held prayers and ceremonies at Oak Flat for generations, including the Sunrise Ceremony, the most sacred ceremony for young Apache women and girls.

Landmark Hearing on Tribal Food Aid

On September 11, members from the House appropriations and agriculture committees held a rare joint oversight hearing to discuss ongoing food shortages in Tribal communities.

Three tribal representatives spoke about delayed deliveries and expired food from the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR). The warehouse contract used for food distribution expired, leading to food shortages.

Tribal representatives recommended increasing funding for FDPIR, which has been largely flat since the 1970s, and making the pilot FDPIR Self-Determination Project permanent. This project allows tribes to have more agency over purchasing traditional and tribally procured foods.  

Bill Tracker Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act (H.R. 9076) On September 18, the House overwhelmingly passed H.R. 9076. The bill authorizes key prevention programs that help keep Native (and non-Native) children out of foster care and ensure Native children are reunited with their families safely and quickly once they leave. The bill also includes funding for tribal courts and HHS to improve implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act. Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act (H.R. 4524/S. 2695) Both the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Indian Affairs Committee have approved the Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act. The bill allows tribal law enforcement to be eligible for certain benefits and to enforce federal law without requiring a burdensome approval process. This is how state and local law enforcement are treated. It will help with law enforcement recruitment and retention, a key measure to address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis.

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