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Indian leaders gather for 'State of Indian Nations' address
Just days after President Barack Obama gave his State of the Union speech, on Thursday the president of the National Congress of American Indians gave the “State of Indian Nations” address, calling for additional investment and opportunity in Indian County as a way to help the United States as a whole.
Jefferson Keel, president of the National Congress of American Indians and lieutenant governor of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, gave the 20-minute address Thursday morning at the Newseum in Washington, DC.
It was broadcast online and can be found in its entirety at www.ncai.org/ .
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) delivered a congressional response after Keel's speech.
Keel said that the state of Indian nations “is strong and driven by new momentum.”
He said previous eras were defined by what the federal government chose to do – from Indian removals to reservations, to reorganization and termination, to allotment, to the more recent “self-determination” era.
“This new era is defined by what we, as Indian nations, choose to do for ourselves,” he said, noting that Indian nations are poised to be full partners in the American economy.
Keel defined the new era ahead as one of recognition and responsibilities met or promises kept.
But no matter what it's called, Keel said it brings the nation closer to what the US Constitution called “a more perfect union.”
He issued an invitation to tribal leaders, Indian people, members of Congress and the Obama administration, and people across the country to join in building a new era.
“We've worked hard to reach this point,” but Keel said that alone isn't enough to reach the promise, as he said Indian people around the nation still face barriers to economic success.
He said the state of the U.S. economy “has played a significant role” in opening up the new opportunities.
“These difficult times have made self-reliance into a necessity,” said Keel.
He said Indian nations offer a great untapped source of economic opportunity for all Americans. “This is a moment when doing the right thing is also the smart thing to do.”
Keel said America's founders recognized tribes' inherent sovereignty – the same as foreign nations – a concept included in the US Constitution.
Among the successes for Indian peoples in 2010, Keel recounted federal legislation such as the Tribal Law and Order Act – which gives tribes additional resources to fight crime – and the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, which reauthorized permanently the legal authority for providing American Indians and Alaska Natives with health care. Keel called both bills “monumental.”
Other 2010 legislative milestones cited by Keel included the Cobell case, involving a $3.4 billion settlement for mismanagement of Indian lands, and the Keepseagle lawsuit, which alleged discrimination against the US Department of Agriculture. The case was settled for $680 million.
Keel said native peoples also welcomed the United Nations' Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which fundamentally affirms their human rights.
He said the resilience of spirit of native peoples have carried them to today. “Our cultures are resolute and diverse, we see every challenge as an opportunity.”
Citing the higher-than-average unemployment native peoples have faced for decades – sometimes as high as four to five times the national average – Keel emphasized economic opportunities such as energy development as an important goal. He said only a handful of tribes have been able to successfully utilize their resources.
Keel welcomed Energy Secretary Steven Chu's announcement earlier this month of $10 million for energy efficiency and renewables projects in Indian Country.
That's a positive step, but Keel said Indian Country is still impeded by barriers to economic development – including bureaucracy and lack of financing.
A goal for the future is to improve electronic communication for tribal communities. Keel said that while 60 percent of most communities across the nation have broadband access, that's true of only 10 percent of tribal communities.
He highlighted the efforts of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in Central Oregon, which is connecting communities, schools and government through a multimillion dollar broadband infrastructure expansion project.
Keel said there has never been sufficient private or government financing available for projects in Indian Country, which is seeking investment in after school and job training programs.
As well, he said many Indian schools lack the curriculum and proper tools to help them compete for scholarships. “Our children have been waiting for generations and today is always a good day to start.”
Keel criticized a web of “stifling” Bureau of Indian Affairs policies, such as current trust policy, which he said is neither effective or appropriate. He thanked Interior Secretary Ken Salazar for his efforts to make changes to trust policies, but added, “the work is not done.”
During his talk, Keel noted that native peoples are proudly serving in the US Armed Forces. A veteran himself, Keel acknowledged the 24,000 American Indians and Alaskan natives serving in the military today, and remembered the 77 natives who have died since 2001 in Iraq and Afghanistan, with another 400 wounded.
He said the bond between American and Indian nations “is not in doubt.”
The decisions before the country's leadership today, Keel said, will be felt in tribal life for seven generations and beyond.
He called on federal partners to clear the way for entrepreneurship, which would allow Indian Country to contribute more to the economy and assist with recovery, while developing energy and infrastructure, and building up native communities.
“The state of Indian nations is strong,” Keel said.
He then introduced Murkowski, an important friend and ally who Keel said played a key role in many important pieces of legislation.
Murkowski, who has served on the US Senate Committee on Indian Affairs throughout her eight years in the US Senate, said many of the legislative victories Keel spoke of were many years in the making.
Even in Washington's partisan atmosphere, “I think it is fair to characterize the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs as one of the most productive committees in the Senate,” said Murkowski.
The secret is, “we work together,” said Murkowski. “We work across those party lines all of the time to benefit native people.”
Murkowski said there is still much to do.
Deaths among American Indians from diabetes and vehicle crashes are much higher than the national average. In addition, a native person is twice as likely as any other American to be the victim of aggravated assault, Murkowski said.
Native peoples also lag behind the rest of the nation in employment and income. She said 15 percent of natives live in homes without electricity, with 12 percent lacking plumbing and one-third without any telephone service.
“We have so much work to do and we'll work hard to get it done,” she said.
At the same time, she acknowledged, “We will be undertaking this work in a period of great financial stress for our nation.”
She said Indian programs remain among the most underfunded, and competition for the government's shrinking funding will be fierce.
Murkowski urged American Indian leaders to remind legislators of the “uniquely federal responsibility” that the U.S. Government has for tribes. She cited the US Constitution's Indian commerce, treaty and property clauses as evidence.
Her priorities for the 112th Congress include addressing the high rate of suicide amongst natives – particularly youth – and development of energy resources.
Murkowski called the National Congress of American Indians “a powerful voice on Capitol Hill.”
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