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Indian Affairs - Office of Public Affairs

WASHINGTON – Acting Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs John Tahsuda today announced the appointment of Charles Addington as deputy bureau director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) Office of Justice Services (OJS). The appointment by BIA Director Bryan Rice became effective on December 24, 2017. Addington, a member of the Cherokee Nation, had been serving as OJS’s acting deputy bureau director since October 2, 2017.

Addington has over 25 years of law enforcement experience, 20 of which are in the management of Indian Country law enforcement programs.

“I’m pleased that Charles Addington has agreed to lead the BIA’s Office of Justice Services,” said acting Assistant Secretary Tahsuda. “I have every confidence in his abilities, and that with his knowledge and years of experience working to improve public safety in Indian Country, he’ll bring a new vision to addressing the levels of crime that threaten too many tribal communities.”

“I want to welcome Charles Addington to my BIA leadership team as the Office of Justice Services’ new deputy bureau director,” said BIA Director Rice. “I’m glad to have the chance to work closely with him and acting Assistant Secretary Tahsuda to find real solutions to Indian Country’s crime issues.”

“I deeply appreciate acting Assistant Secretary Tahsuda and Director Rice for providing me this tremendous leadership opportunity,” Addington said. “I’m looking forward to working closely with tribal leaders, tribal law enforcement, and our federal, state and local partners on finding better ways of fighting violent crime and strengthening public safety throughout Indian Country.”

Prior to becoming the acting deputy bureau director, Addington had been serving since November 2013 as the deputy associate director for OJS’s drug enforcement division, where he led the BIA’s National Drug Enforcement program, which is responsible for complex drug, gang, border, and human trafficking investigations affecting Indian Country.

Before accepting the deputy associate director position, Addington had served as the associate director of field operations at OJS’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., from May 2010 to November 2013. In that capacity, he oversaw numerous national programs including federal law enforcement, corrections, drug enforcement, and Indian Highway Safety programs.

Given his extensive knowledge of the Indian Country law enforcement field, Addington has served on several of the Interior Department’s high level initiatives to improve public safety in tribal communities, including the Safe Indian Communities Presidential High Priority Goal (HPPG) and the comprehensive Protecting Indian Country projects.

In 2013, Addington was among 31 finalists, and the only Interior Department employee, for that year’s Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals. The finalists were cited for having shown a strong commitment to public service and for having made significant contributions that are innovative, high-impact and critical for the nation. Addington was recognized for developing and implementing an innovative law enforcement program that had reduced the high violent crime rate on four Indian reservations by 35 percent, which served as a model for addressing the issue in other Native American communities.

As a senior manager in OJS, Addington also has served as an instructor for numerous training programs related to Indian Country law enforcement.

He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, which he completed in 2012.

The BIA Office of Justice Services’ mission is to enhance public safety and protect property in Indian Country by funding or providing law enforcement, corrections and tribal court services to the nation’s federally recognized tribes. It also coordinates emergency preparedness support on federal Indian lands by working cooperatively with other federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies throughout Indian Country. It also operates the Indian Police Academy in Artesia, N.M., which provides training and professional development to BIA and tribal law enforcement personnel.

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For Immediate Release: December 28, 2017

Charles Addington, OJS Deputy Bureau Director

https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/opa/online-press-release/acting-assistant-secretary-tahsuda-announces-appointment-charles

Indian Affairs - Office of Public Affairs

WASHINGTON – Bureau of Indian Affairs Director Bryan Rice today announced his appointment of James Schock, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, as regional director of the BIA’s Southern Plains Regional Office in Anadarko, Okla. The appointment will become effective on January 7, 2018. The Southern Plains Regional Office oversees four agencies and one field office serving 24 federally recognized tribes in the states of Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

“I’m very pleased that Jim Schock will be joining my BIA regional leadership team,” Rice said. “His years of operating trust management programs coupled with his extensive experience in financial management administration will enhance our mission in carrying out the Interior Department’s trust responsibilities to the tribes within the Southern Plains Region.”

“Jim Schock is an excellent addition to the BIA’s cadre of regional directors,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs John Tahsuda. “I deeply appreciate his service as Indian Affairs’ chief financial officer, where he worked to ensure the BIA received clean audit findings and maintained its financial management obligations, as well as his service in administering the Bureau’s trust services programs.”

“I want to thank Director Rice and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Tahsuda for this opportunity to directly serve the tribes in the Southern Plains Region,” Schock said. “I’m looking forward to working with the regional office staff on improving how we currently deliver services to these tribal governments and their communities, as well as developing new ways to accomplish our mission.”

Prior to his current appointment, Schock had been serving as Indian Affairs’ chief financial officer, located in Reston, Va., since 2013. The chief financial officer serves as the principal financial management advisor to the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs and other senior Indian Affairs officials.

Schock began his federal career over 30 years ago as a revenue agent with the Internal Revenue Service in 1986 at the agency’s St. Paul, Minn., location, a position he held until he moved to the Department of the Interior in 1999 where he joined the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) as a management analyst. Since then, he gained broad experience in many of the financial programs that the Department is responsible for under its part of the federal trust relationship with the federally recognized tribes.

In November 2011, Schock joined the BIA at its Washington, D.C., headquarters as the associate deputy bureau director for the Office of Trust Services, which enhanced his experience in the trust responsibility through his management of the Bureau’s Realty and Title, Natural Resources, Forestry, and Water and Power programs. He served in that capacity until November 2013.

Prior to working for the Office of Trust Services, Schock served from February 2011 to November 2011 as an OST fiduciary trust officer, and was posted at the Bureau’s Eastern Regional Office in Nashville, Tenn. Prior to that appointment, he served as deputy director for OST’s Office of Trust Review and Audit in Albuquerque, N.M., from February 2004 to February 2011. As such, he was responsible for reviewing the trust processing work of self-governance tribes.

From October 2002 to February 2004, Schock worked for the BIA’s Midwest Regional Office in Ft. Snelling, Minn. (now located in Bloomington, Minn.), where he served as regional finance officer for almost two years before going back to OST in Albuquerque.

Schock has been a certified public accountant since 1996. He received an accounting degree in 1985 from Dickinson State University in North Dakota.

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https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/opa/online-press-release/bia-director-bryan-rice-announces-appointment-james-schock-southern

Indian Affairs - Office of Public Affairs

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump today proposed a $2.4 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 budget for Indian Affairs, which includes the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) led by the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs.

The budget request includes proposed legislation to establish a Public Lands Infrastructure Fund that would take new revenue from federal energy leasing and development to provide up to $18 billion to help pay for repairs and improvements at Bureau of Indian Education funded schools, national wildlife refuges and national parks.

“President Trump is absolutely right to call for a robust infrastructure plan that rebuilds our national parks, refuges, and Indian schools, and I look forward to helping him deliver on that historic mission,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. “Our Parks and Refuges are being loved to death, but the real heart break is the condition of the schools in Indian Country. We can and must do better for these young scholars. This is not a republican or democrat issue, this is an American issue, and the President and I are ready to work with absolutely anyone in Congress who is willing to get the work done.”

“As our Indian schools are in desperate need of repair, it is reassuring that the President’s budget calls for a real way to fix them through the proposed Public Lands Infrastructure Fund,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs John Tahsuda. “This budget prioritizes improving the infrastructure that will create a stronger foundation from which we deliver our programs to tribal communities. This will allow us to continue to restore trust with them and ensure that sovereignty regains its meaning.”

Indian Affairs plays an important role in carrying out the Federal government’s trust, treaty and other responsibilities to the nation’s 573 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes, which have, in total, a service population of nearly two million American Indians and Alaska Natives in tribal communities nationwide. The FY 2019 Indian Affairs budget proposal supports continuing efforts to advance self-governance and self-determination, fosters stronger economies and self-sufficiency, and supports safe Indian communities through a wide range of activities.

Budget Overview – The 2019 President’s budget for Indian Affairs is $2.4 billion in current appropriations.

Public Lands Infrastructure Fund – The BIE manages a school system of 169 elementary and secondary schools and 14 dormitories providing educational services to 47,000 individual students in 23 States. Although many of the schools are tribally controlled and operated by the Tribes, BIE is responsible for oversight and the maintenance of the school facilities. The estimated deferred maintenance backlog for BIE schools is $634 million, which does not include the cost of replacement for the schools in the worst condition. The Administration proposes legislation in the FY 2019 budget to establish the Public Lands Infrastructure Fund to provide up to $18.0 billion to address needed repairs and improvements in the BIE schools, as well as the national parks and national wildlife refuges.

Construction – The FY 2019 budget prioritizes rehabilitation of dams, irrigation projects, and irrigation systems which deliver water to aid tribal economic development as well as protect lives, resources, and property. The Safety of Dams program is currently responsible for 138 high or significant-hazard dams located on 43 Indian reservations. The irrigation rehabilitation program addresses critical deferred maintenance and construction work on BIA-owned and operated irrigation facilities, including 17 irrigation projects.

The request also prioritizes construction related to regional and agency offices serving tribal programs and operations in Indian Country including the upgrade and repair of telecommunications infrastructure and facilities housing BIA and tribal employees providing services to Indian Communities.

In addition to support through the Public Lands Infrastructure Fund, the budget proposes funding for Education Construction focusing on facility improvement and repair at existing schools. Available funding from prior years will continue work to complete school construction on the 2004 school replacement list and proceed with design and construction for schools on the 2016 school replacement list.

Contract Support Costs – The FY 2019 budget maintains the Administration’s support for the principles of tribal self-determination and strengthening tribal communities across Indian Country. The request fully supports the estimated need for Contract Support assuming BIA program funding at the FY 2019 request. The FY 2019 budget continues to request funding for Contract Support Costs in a separate indefinite current account to ensure full funding for this priority.

Land and Water Claims Settlements – The FY 2019 budget prioritizes funding to meet Indian Settlement commitments and enables the Department to meet Federal responsibilities outlined in enacted settlements with Indian Tribes. Settlements resolve tribal land and water rights claims and ensure Tribes have access to land and water to meet domestic, economic, and cultural needs. Many of the infrastructure projects supported in these agreements improve the health and well-being of tribal members and preserve existing economies and, over the long-term, bring the potential for jobs and economic development. The FY 2019 budget includes $45.6 million, including sufficient funding to complete payments for the Navajo Trust Fund and the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, both of which have enforceability dates in 2019.

Operation of Indian Programs – The FY 2019 budget requests $2.0 billion for the Operation of Indian Programs giving priority to base program funding serving tribal communities across Indian Country. The budget reflects Department-wide efforts to identify administrative savings and identifies $8.3 million in administrative savings attained by consolidating and sharing administrative services such as procurement, information technology, human resources, and by shifting acquisition spending to less costly contracts. The budget also includes $900,000 to support the Department’s migration to common regional boundaries to improve service and efficiency. The Department will hold a robust consultation process with tribal nations before actions are taken with respect to Indian Affairs regions.

Promote Tribal Self-Determination – The BIA Tribal Government activity supports assistance to Tribes and Alaska Native entities to strengthen and sustain tribal government systems and support tribal self-governance through the Public Law 93-638 contracting and compacting process.

The FY 2019 budget requests $291.5 million for programs that support Tribal Government activities. Within this, the budget includes:

$157.8 million for self-governance compact activities for self-governance Tribes.
$72.6 million to support Consolidated Tribal Government programs which also promote Indian self-determination, giving approximately 275 Tribes the flexibility to combine and manage contracted programs and grants.
Funding to provide initial Federal support for six Virginia Tribes federally-recognized by a 2018 Act of Congress, including the Chickahominy, the Eastern Chickahominy, the Upper Mattaponi, the Rappahannock, the Monacan, and the Nansemond. Each tribe in the request would receive $160,000 to begin establishing and carrying out the day-to-day responsibilities of a tribal government.
$28.3 million for Road Maintenance to support pavement and gravel maintenance, remedial work on improved earth roads, bridge maintenance, and snow and ice control. The BIA maintains nearly 29,000 miles of paved, gravel and earth surface roads; and more than 900 bridges.

Protect Indian Country – The BIA’s Office of Justice Services (OJS) funds law enforcement, corrections and court services to support safe tribal communities. These programs safeguard life and property, enforce laws, maintain justice and order, and ensure detained American Indian offenders are held in safe, secure, and humane environments. The 2019 budget prioritizes funding for the primary law enforcement and corrections programs, and identifies savings to minimize impacts on these critical programs.

The FY 2019 budget requests $350.1 million for Public Safety and Justice activities:

$326.7 million supports 190 law enforcement programs and 96 corrections programs run both by Tribes and as direct services.
$2.5 million targeted to address the opioid crisis which has been particularly devastating in Indian Country.
$22.1 million for Tribal Courts.

Support Indian Communities – Sustaining families is critical to fostering thriving Indian communities. The BIA Office of Indian Services supports a community-based approach to child welfare, family stability, and strengthening tribal communities as a whole.

The FY 2019 budget requests $115.4 million for Human Services programs:

$46.6 million for Social Services and Indian Child Welfare Act programs.
$65.8 million for Welfare Assistance.

Manage Trust Resources and Lands – The BIA Trust-Natural Resources Management activity supports the stewardship of trust lands in Indian Country. Natural resource programs assist Tribes in the management, development, and protection of Indian trust land and natural resources on 56 million surface acres and 59 million acres of subsurface mineral estates. These programs enable tribal trust landowners to optimize use and conservation of resources, providing benefits such as revenue, jobs, and the protection of cultural, spiritual, and traditional resources.

The FY 2019 budget requests $153.4 million for natural resource management programs which includes agriculture, forestry, water resources, and fish, wildlife and parks activities, including:

$48.9 million for BIA Forestry programs to support development, maintenance, and enhancement of forest resources in accordance with sustained yield principles included in forest management plans; and
$28.0 million for BIA’s Agriculture and Range program to continue support for multiple use and sustained yield management on over 46 million acres of Indian trust land dedicated to crop and livestock agriculture; and
$11.4 million for Fish, Wildlife and Parks and $8.6 million for Water Resources management activities.

Keep Fiduciary Trust Responsibilities – The Trust-Real Estate Services activity manages Indian trust-related information to optimize the efficacy of Indian trust assets. The 2019 budget proposes $105.5 million for real estate services programs. The budget supports the processing of Indian trust-related documents such as land title and records and geospatial data to support land and water resources use, energy development, and protection and restoration of ecosystems and important lands. The budget also funds probate services to determine ownership of Indian trust assets essential to economic development and accurate payments to beneficiaries.

Support Economic Opportunities – The FY 2019 budget requests $35.8 million for the Community and Economic Development activity, and features investments in Indian energy activities. The FY 2019 budget supports the Administration’s priority for domestic energy dominance and economic development, including development on tribal lands. Income from energy and minerals production is the largest source of revenue generated from natural resources on trust lands, with royalty income of $676.0 million in 2017 payable to tribal governments and individual mineral rights owners. The FY 2019 budget continues the commitment to the Indian Energy Service Center which coordinates Indian energy development activities across Interior’s bureaus.

Foster Tribal Student Success – The FY 2019 budget prioritizes funding for core mission programs at BIE-funded elementary and secondary school operations and Post-Secondary tribal colleges and universities. The budget focuses on direct school operations including classroom instruction, student transportation, native language development programs, cultural awareness and enrichment, and school maintenance. In some remotely located schools, funding also supports residential costs.

The FY 2019 budget requests $741.9 million for Bureau of Indian Education programs:

$625.9 million for Elementary and Secondary programs, including $74.0 million for Tribal Grant Support Costs for Tribes which choose to operate BIE-funded schools. This level will support 100 percent of the estimated requirement.
$92.7 million for Post-Secondary programs.
$23.3 million for Education Management.

Tribal Priority Allocations – The 2019 budget proposes Tribal Priority Allocation funding of $578.7 million.

Indian Guaranteed Loan Program – In order to make Indian business financing more readily available, this program offers loan guarantees and insurance covering up to 90 percent of outstanding loan principal to Indian tribes, tribal members, or for profit and not-for-profit businesses at least 51 percent Indian owned. The FY 2019 budget requests $6.7 million to guarantee or insure $108.6 million in loan principal to support Indian economic development.

Fixed Costs – Fixed costs of $9.7 million are fully funded.

The Assistant Secretary–Indian Affairs advises the Secretary of the Interior on Indian Affairs policy issues, communicates policy to and oversee the programs of the BIA and the BIE, provides leadership in consultations with tribes, and serves as the DOI official for intra- and inter- departmental coordination and liaison within the Executive Branch on Indian matters.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ mission includes developing and protecting Indian trust lands and natural and energy resources; supporting social welfare, public safety and justice in tribal communities; and promoting tribal self-determination and self-governance.

The Bureau of Indian Education implements federal Indian education programs and funds 183 elementary and secondary day and boarding schools (of which two-thirds are tribally operated) located on 64 reservations in 23 states and peripheral dormitories serving over 47,000 individual students. The BIE also operates two post-secondary schools and administers grants for 29 tribally controlled colleges and universities and two tribal technical colleges.

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https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/opa/online-press-release/presidents-proposed-24-billion-fy19-indian-affairs-budget-includes

Indian Affairs - Office of Public Affairs

WASHINGTON - Today, just two weeks after U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced the Department was forming a new Joint Task Force (JTF) to combat the opioid crisis in Indian Country, the Secretary announced the JTF's first raid seized 49 pounds of methamphetamine with a street value of $2.5 million and more than $20,000 worth of marijuana, plus smaller amounts of heroin, and other narcotics. The raid was led by Interior's JTF with partnership from the Pueblo Tribes and New Mexico law enforcement officials. Secretary Zinke formed the JTF in response to President Donald J. Trump's commitment to end the opioid crisis.

“I am incredibly proud of the law enforcement officers on this Joint Task Force. The work they did over the weekend in New Mexico, seizing the very drugs that are poisoning tribal communities, will save lives,” said Secretary Zinke. “They successfully stopped $2.5 million worth of methamphetamine from stealing our children's futures. Their work is a perfect example of what we can do when we leverage the resources of the government to address this crisis in Indian Country. President Trump's leadership in the fight against opioids and other drugs has been tremendous. Together, we are cracking down on the dealers who are selling out our kids.”

“I am very pleased to see that the new leadership in the BIA Office of Justice Services is exceeding expectations in carrying out the Secretary and President's direction to combat opioids across Indian Country,” said Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Bryan Rice. “Deputy Bureau Director Charlie Addington is leading a results-driven effort to address this epidemic in our communities and surrounding areas.”

The JTF consisted of agents and officers from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and their K-9 unit, Office of Justice Services, Division of Drug Enforcement, BIA District-IV Indian Country - High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, New Mexico State Police (NMSP) and their K-9 unit, NMSP Investigation Bureau’s Regional Narcotic Task Force, and the Department of Homeland Security Task Force.

This operation ran from April 3 to April 7, 2018, and was conducted at the following Pueblos around Albuquerque, New Mexico: Laguna, Sandia, Cochiti, San Ildefonso, Santa Ana, Santa Clara, Picuris, Santo Domingo, Pojoaque, Nambe, San Felipe, Tesuque, and Ohkay Owingeh. The JTF conducted 304 traffic stops and 93 vehicle searches, issued 129 traffic citations, and arrested 11 subjects for drug possession.

Last month, Secretary Zinke championed President Trump’s commitment to end the opioid epidemic in a series of tribal community visits during the week of the President’s Opioid initiative. The Secretary personally visited several tribal communities around the country — Tohono O’odham, Gila River, Salt River, and AK-Chin in Arizona; Oneida in Wisconsin; Spokane, Colville, and Lummi Nations in Washington State — to listen and learn about how the opioid crisis is impacting tribes and to show the Department’s commitment to addressing the resonating effects of this addiction. Tribes welcomed these visits and the President’s commitment to eliminating the opioid epidemic with the greatest appreciation.

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https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/opa/online-press-release/first-raid-new-opioid-task-force-seizes-25-million-worth-meth-and

Indian Affairs - Office of Public Affairs

On behalf of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Indian Education, I extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the late-Senator John McCain’s family. We appreciate their selfless willingness to share his short time on this earth with us to make our Nation better. We will miss his voice, but his spirit will live with us forever.

Over the entirety of Senator McCain’s career, he undoubtedly earned a great legacy built upon asking the tough questions and making tough decisions. As a member of the Senate Committee of Indian Affairs since 1987, which is one of our oversight committees, he often asked DOI Indian Affairs the tough questions involving the welfare of tribal communities. His mentor, the late-Congressman “Mo” Udall famously told Senator McCain, “Don’t forget the Indians,” and during his tenure he held true to that promise.

Senator McCain’s legacy has shaped the world in which we at Indian Affairs operate today. He was influential in development of the Indian Self-Determination Contract Reform Amendments, Trust Reform, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and Indian Education. He was critical, yet thoughtful, of whether and how diligently the federal government carried out the trust responsibility, especially when it came to the future of our Native youth. The Senator commented in 2016, “I have been a member of this Committee for many, many years. We have not seen a significant improvement. It is not because of dedicated men and women who work in these BIE schools but it is a system, I think, that deserves some new approaches.” Although many competing recommendations exist for improving federal services provided to the American people, including our tribal communities, we hold a common end goal to create an improved system of delivery that upholds our trust responsibilities.

Senator McCain touched our lives. This week, DOI Indian Affairs staffers in the many stages of their careers shared stories about the late-Senator. Stories that I had personally heard ranged from his willingness to launch the careers of aspiring young Native students by offering internships in his Senate office and stories of how our program directors and staff contributed information to answer his tough questions. These stories have been a great tribute to his memory.

As the Chairman of the Senate Committee, he shared some heartfelt words that I hope we as federal public servants can find inspiration from, “While remembering our past wrongs is important, it is also important that we answer those wrongs with vigorous actions and policies that actively promote the well-being of Native Americans today.”

In closing, I want to thank the late-Senator for not only remembering the Indians, but for working hard to support and strengthen tribal sovereignty and tribal self-determination.

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https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/opa/online-press-release/ia-tara-mac-lean-sweeney-statement-remembering-senator-john-mccain

Indian Affairs - Office of Public Affairs

WASHINGTON – Earlier this month, Tara Mac Lean Sweeney, a prominent Alaskan leader and acclaimed businesswoman with the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, was sworn in as the Department’s Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. Sweeney was nominated by President Donald J. Trump in October 2017. Sweeney, a member of the Native Village of Barrow and the Iñupiat Community of the Arctic Slope, is the first Alaska Native and only the second woman in history to hold the position.

The Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs oversees Interior’s manifold responsibilities to enhance the quality of life, promote economic opportunity, and provide quality educational opportunities for American Indians, Indian tribes, and Alaska Natives, while protecting and improving their trust assets.

“Tara is a results-driven team leader and coalition builder who has an impressive combination of business acumen and service to her community,” Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke said. “Her lifelong active engagement in Native American policy development and her outreach, advocacy, and organization skills are the combination we need to carry out the President’s reform initiative for Indian Country. She will be a great asset to the Department."

“I am honored to be able to serve Indian Country in this capacity,” Tara Sweeney said. “My goal is to develop strong relationships with Tribes, Alaska Native corporations, and Native Hawaiian Organizations to work on innovative solutions for lifting up our communities. I am motivated to work with Indian Country to find efficiencies inside the Bureau of Indian Affairs, improve service delivery and culturally relevant curriculum in the Bureau of Indian Education, and create a more effective voice for Tribes throughout the Federal Government. I am humbled by the confidence President Trump and Secretary Zinke have shown in me and ready to serve.”

Sweeney grew up in rural Alaska and has spent a lifetime actively engaged in state and national policy arenas focused on advocating for responsible Indian energy policy, rural broadband connectivity, Arctic growth and Native American self-determination. She has served her Arctic Slope Regional Corporation and its subsidiaries in a variety of capacities for nearly two decades. The $2.6 billion corporation is the largest locally owned and operated business in Alaska, with about 13,000 Iñupiat Eskimo members and 12,000 employees worldwide. In her role as the Executive Vice President of External Affairs, she was responsible for all facets of government affairs and corporate communications. Her primary responsibilities include strategic policy and position development, implementation and execution; engagement with federal and state executive and legislative branches on improving policies affecting Indian energy, taxation, resource development, government contracting, broadband development and access to capital; as well as all facets of corporate communication as official company spokesperson, including stakeholder engagement and coalition building.

Sweeney also has served in leadership positions on numerous business and nonprofit boards at both the state and national level, including chair of the Arctic Economic Council from 2015 to 2017; co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives (2013); Coast Guard Foundation Board of Trustees; the University of Alaska Foundation Board of Trustees; FCC Advisory Committee on Diversity for Communications in a Digital Age; Analytical Services, Inc.; Kohanic Broadcast Corporation (parent to the first Native American-owned, publicly supported FM radio station); Cherokee Nation New Market Tax Credit Advisory Board (CNB Economic Development Company, LLC, beneficiary); Breast Cancer Focus, Inc.; and Arctic Power.

Among her honors, Sweeney -- a lifetime member of the National Congress of American Indians -- was crowned Miss NCAI in 1993 and traveled the country as an ambassador for the organization. In 2003, Governor Frank Murkowski recognized Sweeney’s passion for rural Alaska, appointing her to his cabinet as Special Assistant for Rural Affairs and Education. In 2008 she was honored as a “Top Forty Under 40″ business leader by the Alaska Journal of Commerce. In 2014 & 2017 her team won two Emmy® Awards from the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, for its IAM IÑUPIAQ commercial campaign 2014 and its 2017 long-format documentary titled, “True North, the Story of ASRC”. She also served as co-chair for Senator Dan Sullivan’s (R-AK) successful Senate campaign. In 2017 she was inducted into the Anchorage ATHENA Society, a program of the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce that encourages the potential of women as valued members and leaders of the business community.

Born to Dr. Bryan Mac Lean and the Late Representative Eileen Panigeo Mac Lean, Sweeney is the granddaughter of the Late May Ahmaogak Panigeo and the Late Henry Panigeo of Barrow. She is the great granddaughter of the Late Bert and Nellie Panigeo and Isabel and Dr. Roy Ahmaogak. She was raised, attended schools and lived most of her life in rural Alaska in villages from Noorvik to Wainwright, Barrow, Bethel, and Unalakleet. She graduated from Barrow High School in 1991. A 1998 graduate of Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations with a Bachelor of Science Degree, Sweeney is married to Kevin, and together they have two children, Caitlin and Ahmaogak.

Through its Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), Interior provides services (directly or through contracts, grants or compacts) to 1.9 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. There are 573 federally recognized American Indian tribes and Alaska Native corporations in the United States. The BIE provides education services to about 42,000 Indian students. The Indian trust, co-managed by BIA and the Office of the Special Trustee, consists of 55 million surface acres and 57 million acres of subsurface mineral estate. More than 11 million acres belong to individual Indians and nearly 44 million acres are held in trust for Indian tribes. On these lands, the Department manages more than 122,817 revenue-producing leases. In conjunction with the Department of the Treasury, Interior also manages about $4.9 billion in Indian trust funds. In Fiscal Year 2016, $1.2 billion was received into and disbursed from tribal and individual Indian beneficiaries’ accounts.

For Immediate Release: August 16, 2018

Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke with Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Tara Mac Lean Sweeney

https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/opa/online-press-release/history-made-alaskan-leader-tara-mac-lean-sweeney-becomes-first

Indian Affairs - Office of Public Affairs

WASHINGTON— U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and Blackfeet Nation Chairman Harry Barnes today signed documents implementing the Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement of 2016 and the accompanying Blackfeet Water Compact, which resolve a decades-long battle by the Blackfeet Tribe of Montana to protect its water rights while also accommodating state and federal water requirements. Secretary Zinke has worked on the issue as a State Senator in the Montana State Legislature, as the U.S. Representative from Montana, and now as Secretary of the Interior.

The parties signed the Blackfeet Tribe-Montana-United States Compact as required by the Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement Act. The Secretary and the Chairman also executed certain Waivers and Releases of Claims, an Execution Statement, and a Process Agreement. After the Compact is executed, the parties will file the Compact with the Montana Water Court, beginning the process for issuing a final decree of the Tribe’s water rights as part of Montana’s state-wide adjudication. Issuance of the final decree is one of several events that must occur for the Settlement to become final and enforceable.

“The Blackfeet are one of Montana's great warrior Nations, and like true warriors, they fought every step of the way for their people to get this settlement over the finish line. I was proud to stand by them as a State Senator, Congressman and now Secretary of the Interior,” said Secretary Zinke. “The Blackfeet have given up so much during this long process. Water is more than a drinking source to the Blackfeet, it’s their life source and we must respect and honor their culture and rights. I’m grateful for the work of many tireless officials and public servants over the years from the Tribe, State, Congress, and Federal government who have made this day a reality."

“This journey for justice and empowerment for the Blackfeet people with respect to one of our most vital resources has taken well over a century and a half,” said Blackfeet Tribe Chairman Harry Barnes. “Now, we start on a new path to realizing what our ancestors had always valued: the preservation of our culture, our people, and our opportunities to make real the treaty promise of a homeland for the Blackfeet people and our right to control our destiny.”

“It is my pleasure to extend my congratulations to Chairman Barnes and members of the Blackfeet Tribe on this important milestone for their community,” said Governor Steve Bullock of Montana. “Today’s agreement reflects many years of dedication and hard work on behalf of state, federal and tribal partners and our congressional delegation. I’m pleased that together we are able to celebrate and affirm the sovereign rights of the Blackfeet Nation to their water resources.”

“The Blackfeet Tribe has been waiting a long time for this day,” said Senator Steve Daines. “Today’s ceremony marks an important step toward the Blackfeet Tribe and surrounding communities having access to reliable water and seeing improvements to water infrastructure projects critical to farmers, ranchers and the local economy.”

“The Blackfeet Water Compact reaffirms water rights, saves taxpayers from costly litigation, and invests in critical water infrastructure in northwest Montana,” Senator Jon Tester said. “I was proud to have introduced and fought for this bill in Congress and will continue to hold Congress accountable to the Blackfeet Nation to secure the funding needed to carry out this historic agreement. I want to congratulate Chairman Barnes and the Blackfeet people on the culmination of years of hard work.”

“Today is a great day for Chairman Barnes and the Blackfeet Tribe, who have waited far too long for this agreement,” said Congressman Greg Gianforte. “The settlement is the direct result of the hard work and dedication of the Tribe, the Department of Interior, and other key stakeholders. I will continue working with the Tribe and my colleagues to implement the full settlement in a timely manner.” The Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement is found at Title III, Subsection G of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation, or WIIN, Act. That legislation was signed on December 16, 2016. The Settlement:

Recognizes the Blackfeet Tribe’s religious and cultural uses of water.
Resolves all outstanding Blackfeet water claims, quantifies a tribal water right to more than 750,000 acre-feet of surface water and nearly all groundwater on the Reservation, and funds the construction and rehabilitation of water related infrastructure on the Reservation for the benefit of the tribal community.
Includes an allocation of 45,000 acre-feet of water from Lake Elwell located behind Tiber Dam, a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) facility.
Confirms tribal instream flow water rights on ceded lands that now are a part of the Lewis and Clark National Forest and Glacier National Park.
Grants the Tribe the exclusive right to develop hydropower within the St. Mary Unit of the Milk River Project, a BOR project.
Funds not only water-related construction projects, but fisheries, recreation, and energy programs as well. Such programs are designed to promote economic development and develop long term employment opportunities for Blackfeet tribal members.
Resolves age-old disputes among the Tribe and its neighbors, as well as with the state and the federal government, and encourages long-term harmony and cooperation among all parties

The Blackfeet Tribe’s water rights were reserved by treaty with the United States in 1855. Starting in the 1970s, the Tribe more vigorously worked to defend and define its rights in the face of demands by other users to the water resources covered by the treaty agreement.

On April 20, 2017, Blackfeet Tribe members voted in a referendum to accept the Blackfeet Water Compact and Settlement Act, which had been negotiated between the Tribe and the state and approved by the Montana legislature in 2009.

The tribal members’ approval of the compact confirmed the Blackfeet Tribe’s waters rights and jurisdiction over its water, and provided more than $470 million - $422 million from the federal government and $49 million from the state – for water-related projects.

Congress included initial funding for the Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement Act at the level of $800,000 in its enacted spending bill for Interior for Fiscal Year 2017.

While serving as a Montana state senator, Secretary Zinke began working to resolve the Tribe’s water rights issue. He continued to do so when he was elected to Congress as the state’s single House member and then to his current post.

On March 9, 2018, Secretary Zinke signed the first authorization of funds for the Blackfeet Tribe under its expenditure plan. The authorization transfers the $800,000 to the Blackfeet Settlement Trust Fund set up under the act.

The funds will be used for the following purposes:

Budget Item 1 - $230,000: Establish Water Compact Implementation Oversight Committee
Budget Item 2 - $250,000: Hire staff
Budget Item 3 - $120,000: Hire an engineering consultant
Budget Item 4 - $200,000: Contract for legal services

The Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement is a crucial and long-awaited step towards achieving the permanent tribal homeland promised to the Blackfeet Tribe in the treaties and agreements ratified by Congress between 1855 and 1896 that serve as the foundation of the relationship between the Tribe and the United States: Treaty with the Blackfeet, 1855, Oct. 17, 1855, 11 Stat., 657, Ratified Apr. 15, 1856, Proclaimed Apr. 25, 1856, Act of April 15, 1874 (18 Stat. 28, chapter 96), Agreement of 1888, ratified by the Act approved May 1, 1888 (25 Stat. 113), Agreement of 1895, dated September 26, 1895, ratified by the Act approved June 10, 1896 (29 Stat. 321, 353).

https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/opa/online-press-release/secretary-zinke-and-blackfeet-nation-chairman-barnes-sign-documents

Indian Affairs - Office of Public Affairs

WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and the Bureau of Indian Affairs announced the selection of Eugene R. Peltola Jr. (of Yupik and Tlingit descent), from Orutsararmiut Native Council, a federally recognized tribal government, as Regional Director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in Alaska. The BIA Alaska Regional Office oversees offices in Anchorage and Fairbanks, all of which provide services to 227 federally recognized Alaska Native tribes. The selection of Mr. Peltola, fulfills a commitment Secretary Zinke made to Alaska Natives while visiting in 2017.

“During my visit with the Alaska Federation of Natives board last June, I committed to give strong consideration to filling this position with a First Alaskan and I am very pleased that the Bureau of Indian Affairs has filled the Alaska regional director’s post with an incredibly qualified senior executive from one of our sister-agencies.,” said Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. “With his experience in working for Interior in the field as a refuge manager, as well as his deep knowledge of Alaska Native subsistence and land issues, Gene is the right person for this important post. Alaska is our starting point for reorganizing the Interior Department for the next 100 years.”

“I want to welcome Gene Peltola to the Bureau of Indian Affairs as the new director of our BIA Alaska Regional Office and to the BIA regional management team,” said PDAS Tahsuda. “The Alaska regional director post is vital to our mission of carrying out our trust responsibilities to Alaska Native tribes. I am gratified that, after so many years, it is now held by someone from Alaska who knows the Alaska Native people, their history and cultures.”

Alaska Regional Director Peltola said, “Being an Alaskan born Alaska Native, I feel very honored and privileged to be selected for the position of regional director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Alaska. This will provide me the opportunity to contribute to the continued betterment of our people, and, have a voice in the manner which subsistence opportunities are presented for Alaska Natives and other rural residents of the state. I look forward to the new challenges this responsibility brings and being able to contribute to the consultation and reorganization of the Department of Interior. The decisions that we make today will carry forth and affect not only Alaska Natives, but many others for generations to come.”

“Alaska Federation of Natives is pleased with the appointment of Gene Peltola Jr. as the new Alaska BIA Area Director,” said AFN President Julie Kitka. “The BIA plays a critical role in Alaska working closely with our tribes and tribal consortiums on behalf of our people. We thank Secretary Ryan Zinke for his strong support of self-determination and efforts to strengthen the federal trust responsibility.”

In his most recent capacity at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as the Federal Subsistence Management Program lead, Regional Director Peltola was responsible for coordinating and implementing subsistence management on all federal lands in Alaska on behalf of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, the USFWS, and the U.S. Forest Service.

While he has worked in both the public and private sectors since 1984, Peltola’s 34-year federal career has been with the USFWS in Alaska, where he worked at 3 National Wildlife Refuges including as a zone supervisor for Refuge Law Enforcement and Refuge Manager for the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge.

Peltola has served in local government, on corporate boards, and owned and operated two businesses. From October 2010 to September 2012, he served as vice-mayor and council member for the city of Bethel, Alaska.

While serving the city of Bethel, he sat on the boards of three Alaska Native village corporation entities: Bethel Solutions, LLC, a holding company of an Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA)-established village corporation specializing in commercial real estate construction Bethel Services, Inc., a subsidiary of an ANCSA-established corporation specializing in government contracting and Bethel Native Corporation, the village corporation for the community of Bethel.

For Immediate Release: July 9, 2018

https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/opa/online-press-release/secretary-zinke-fulfills-promise-alaska-new-bureau-indian-affairs

Indian Affairs - Office of Public Affairs

FARGO, ND - Today, U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke recognized Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) - Turtle Mountain Agency Law Enforcement Officers Stacey Larocque and Michael Slater and BIA-Standing Rock Agency Law Enforcement Officers Wayland Bad Hand and Gary Sandland with the Secretary’s Commendation Award for their quick and heroic actions to save the lives of individuals who overdosed on deadly, synthetic opioid drugs.

"Officers Larocque, Slater, Bad Hand, and Sandland are heroes and role models for every one of the Department’s 4,000 law enforcement officers,” said Secretary Zinke. “Thanks to their quick actions and cool heads, they were able to save lives. I’m incredibly proud and honored to have them on our team.”

“Teamwork and training saved lives,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs John Tahsuda. “Our officers are dedicated to protecting Indian Country every day. I applaud these officers for utilizing their training in an exceptional manner while under pressure to save tribal members from the deathly grips of their opioid overdose. They saved members of Indian Country’s family.”

“On behalf of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, we would like to commend Sergeant Stacy Larocque and Officer Michael Slater on receiving the letters of commendation and the pinning of the Life Saving Ribbons,” said Chairman Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Jamie S. Azure. “Our community is proud of all of our law enforcement and grateful for all of our uniformed officers and emergency services who knowingly put their lives on the line to protect others in the line of duty.”

Officer Slater arrived at the home on the Turtle Mountain Reservation in New Town, ND, and found a man unconscious and with no pulse. The family at the scene alerted Officer Slater about the suspected overdose. Officer Slater administered CPR until Officer Larocque arrived to administer Naloxone, commonly referred to as Narcan. The man gained consciousness after three doses and within minutes was responsive to the first responders.

The Secretary recognized Sergeant Larocque and Officer Slater during a roundtable meeting with North Dakota’s five Tribes. The conversation focused on issues each tribe faces with the opioid crisis and included options and opportunities to help the communities.

Officer Bad Hand responded to a reported assault of a female on the Standing Rock Reservation. Upon arriving at a residence, Officer Bad Hand found the unresponsive woman exhibiting signs of an opioid overdose. Officer Gary Sandland arrived at the scene and retrieved the Narcan, a dose in the form of a nasal spray, from the Officer Bad Hand’s patrol car. The woman regained consciousness after the medication was administered by Officer Bad Hand. Officer Sandland continued to assist by holding the IV bag of Narcan that the responding Standing Rock EMS had inserted in the distressed woman’s arm.

The Secretary’s recognition of Officers Larocque, Slater, Bad Hand, and Sandland was followed by a roundtable meeting with the Tribes from North Dakota – Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, Spirit Lake, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, The Three Affiliated Tribes, and Turtle Mountain of Chippewa. The conversation focused on issues each Tribe faces with the opioid crisis and included options and opportunities to help the communities.

“President Trump has made it clear that ending the opioid crisis is a top priority, and I’m honored to have the government-to-government relationship with North Dakota’s tribal nations,” said Secretary Zinke. “For too many, opioids have torn the fabric of the community apart, leaving children orphaned or in dangerous situations. Under President Trump’s leadership, the federal government is partnering with tribes to identify and prioritize community-based recovery solutions. This would both help victims return to health and also keep our children safe and close to home.”

“This Round Table has provided another opportunity to advance the essential dialogue that includes Tribal communities in the national opioid crisis,” said Chairwoman Myra Pearson of the Spirit Lake Tribe. “The opioid epidemic is another silent threat to our families and it is one that all tribal communities should all be aware of. Proper storage and disposal of medication are effective ways to protect against potential abuse. I encourage everyone to learn to identify the signs of opioid abuse, the signs of an opioid overdose and how to respond to an overdose until trained first responders arrive. Together, we can help save lives.”

“I extend my deepest gratitude to Secretary Zinke for spotlighting this important issue and meeting with the North Dakota tribal leaders,” said Chairman Mark Fox of the Three Affiliated Tribes. “For the health and wellness of Indian Country, we must continue to work together on developing and implementing strategies to overcome the threats posed by the nationwide opioid crisis. I am committed to continuing the open dialogue started at the Round Table with the Administration to stop the encroachment of this epidemic in its tracks.”

Earlier in the year, Secretary Zinke established the first of its kind law enforcement Joint Task Force (JTF) on opioids. The JTF brings together officers from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, state and local law enforcement, and Tribal law enforcement. The JTF conducts investigations and sting operations on Reservations at the request of Tribal leadership.

At the beginning of the year, Secretary Zinke held a series of tribal community visits on the Opioid Crisis in Indian Country — Tohono O’odham, Gila River, Salt River, and AK-Chin in Arizona; Oneida in Wisconsin; Spokane, Colville, and Lummi Nations in Washington State. The Interior’s Joint Task Force was established by Secretary Zinke to help achieve President Donald Trump's mission to end the opioid epidemic. The Secretary has publicly praised operations led by the new Interior Joint Task Force that resulted in the seizure of $2.5 Million worth of Meth and $22,000 in Marijuana, Heroin and Other Narcotics near Pueblo lands in New Mexico; and a opioid bust around tribal lands in Arizona that seized 9,050 Fentanyl pills, 48.2 pounds of methamphetamine, 1.2 pounds of heroin, 863 pounds of marijuana, one-half pound of cocaine, and $30,000 in cash.

A Memorandum of Agreement between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service supports training for BIA Law Enforcement in administering Narcan, a naloxone nasal spray. Officer Jonathan Vigil was the first BIA Officer to successfully use Narcan while on duty on August 2, 2016.

For Immediate Release: July 26, 2018

North Dakota Indian Affairs Law Enforcement Officers Honored by Trump Administration

https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/opa/online-press-release/north-dakota-indian-affairs-law-enforcement-officers-honored-trump

25 CFR 170.443 Compliance Update

Read more about 25 CFR 170.443 Compliance Update

On July 26, 2019, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register, proposing a change to a provision in the Tribal Transportation Program regulations affecting proposed roads that are currently in the National Tribal Transportation Facility Inventory (NTTFI). Specifically, this proposed rule would delete the requirement for Tribes to collect and submit certain data in order to keep those proposed roads in the NTTFI. The requirement to collect and submit data to add new proposed roads to the NTTFI would remain in place.

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BIA

Budget prioritizes tribal self-determination, economic development, infrastructure projects and law enforcement across Indian Country

Secretary Zinke made the announcement at the opening of the "Prescribed to Death" traveling memorial remembering victims and survivors of the opioid crisis

Senators tester and Daines, Rep. Gianforte, Tribal and State officials join signing ceremony cementing Historic partnership

Secretary Zinke hosts tribal round table to address opioid crisis

25 CFR 170.443 Compliance Update