Past News Items

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Interior Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Neal A. McCaleb today announced his appointment of Aurene Martin as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs. Martin, a member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, came to the Interior Department in October 2001 as Counselor to Assistant Secretary McCaleb. Her appointment was effective on May 28, 2002.

A change in Bureau of Indian Affairs regulations which will make more American Indians in the 18-35 age bracket eligible to receive vocational training with Government financial assistance was announced today by Secretary of the Interior Stewart L. Udall.

Under the former rules, only Indians living on trust or restricted land under jurisdiction of the Bureau of Indian Affairs were eligible for such training.

(Washington, D.C.) – Bilateral talks between agencies from the United States and Canada that administer programs to help their Indigenous populations yielded a commitment to continue sharing information and working on common issues of concern. A one-day meeting took place on May 2, 2002, in Ottawa, Canada with delegations headed by the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Neal McCaleb and Marc Lafreniere, Deputy Minister of the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC).

Secretary of the Interior Stewart L. Udall reported. today that an agreement has been reached between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Harry Winston, Inc." of New York City, for the establishment early next year of a diamond processing plant at Chandler, Arizona, which will provide new job opportunities for the State's Indian population.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Neal A. McCaleb today announced he has issued a Notice of Proposed Finding whereby he proposes to decline to acknowledge that the Webster/Dudley Band of Chaubunagungamaug Nipmuck Indians of Dudley, Mass., (petition #68B) exists as an Indian tribe within the meaning of Federal law.

Award of a $685,435 contract for construction and conversion of educational facilities at Santa Fe, New Mexico, into an Indian arts school was announced today by the Department of the Interior.

The contract calls for the construction of a new academic building, an administrative building and a student center building. The present academic building will be remodeled into art studios and classrooms. In addition to the building construction, outside utilities will be improved, paved streets with curbs and gutters will be provided, and a chain link perimeter fence will be installed.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Interior Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Neal A. McCaleb today announced his approval of the United Auburn Indian Community of California’s application to acquire 49.21 acres of land into trust in Placer County, Calif., for the purpose of constructing and operating a Class III gaming facility. The Tribe has agreed to financial and other conditions that support state and county operations affected by the proposed casino, including the preservation of natural and scenic qualities of county lands.

The Assistant Secretary— Indian Affairs has made a final determination to acquire 10.36 acres, more or less, into trust for the Indians of the Tejon Indian Tribe. The Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs made the final determination on September 1, 2020.

Award of a $2,988,988 contract for construction of a complete new Navajo Indian boarding school for 672 pupils at Crownpoint, New Mexico, was announced today by the Department of the Interior.

The contract calls for the construction of a 23-clsssroom school with library and multipurpose room, four 168-pupil dormitories, a 672-pupil kitchen and dining room; 68 employees’ quarters, a storage and maintenance shop, a fire station, and the development of a complete utility system.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Neal A. McCaleb, a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma and President Bush’s nominee for Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior, was sworn into office July 4, 2001, on the occasion of America’s 225th birthday. “I’m ready, willing and enthusiastic about starting in my new role,” McCaleb said.