OPA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Tara Katuk Sweeney announced today the opening of the third of seven offices established under the Operation Lady Justice Task Force to investigate cold cases involving missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump joined Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt for the launch of the first cold case office in Bloomington, Minn., on July 27 highlighting President Trump’s commitment to forgotten men and women across our country and actions taken to end the violence against American Indians and Alaska Natives.

“President Donald Trump took action and is committed to addressing the missing and murdered American Indian and Alaska Native crisis impacting communities across the nation, and this cold case office in Billings, Montana will be critical to those efforts,” said Assistant Secretary Sweeney. “As these offices are stood up, we will be better positioned to resolve these cold cases for the victims and their families.”

“In Montana and across our nation, we’re facing a devastating crisis of missing and murdered

indigenous people,” said United States Senator Steve Daines. “That’s why I’m glad to see the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services leading this charge and establishing this important new office.”

”The Blackfeet Nation is in full support of the Cold Case Murder Task Force Office opening in our region and are hopeful that this will be a path forward for providing justice to the many Indian families who have lost loved ones to either murder and or abduction,” said Blackfeet Chairman Timothy Davis.

“The Chippewa Cree Tribe is in support of the cold case murder Task Force! We need better communication at all levels in order to better address these issues in Indian country,” said Chairman Harlan Baker. “With this task force I believe the mechanism will be in place to better serve these needs and address this specific issue for our native communities.”

“For far too long have Crow Tribal members and other federally recognized Indian tribal members been victims of crimes that have gone unsolved, un-investigated and unresolved,” said Crow Tribe Chairman Alvin Not Afraid Jr. “We look forward to the success of this office with aid from the BIA-OJS and the U.S. Department of Justice to assist the Crow Tribe Police Department among all other agencies in reopening cold cases to search for our missing and murdered persons.”

“The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples’ movement has been overlooked, underestimated and ignored for decades and as the media began to open lines of communication for the families of ‘missing persons’ the response was overwhelming,” said Eastern Shoshone Business Council Vice Chairwoman Karen Snyder. “We do know statistically, there are many unsolved cases on the Wind River Indian Reservation and historically, the tribe has not been able to provide resources to bring closure in those cases and to offer the families an opportunity to begin the healing process. The Eastern Shoshone Tribe supports the endeavors of the Cold Case Task Force.”

“The new U.S. Department of Justice Cold Case Task Force Office that will be opened in Billings, Montana, will be a great assistance to help answer questions that have gone unanswered for years,” said Andrew Werk Jr., president of the Fort Belknap Indian Community. “It will be a great help in bringing comfort and settlement to the families of those who have been missing for years. The Fort Belknap Indian Community is supportive of efforts to help Indian Country assist their members in finding closure and bringing individuals to justice.”

“The Little Shell whole heartily supports the Cold Case Task Force,” said Little Shell Tribe Councilwoman Iris Kill Eagle. “With the BIA taking a lead in the missing and murdered indigenous people, hopefully some closure can be given to families who have had loved ones missing or unsolved murders for years. It also helps to bring more attention to the problems faced in these cases. With this task force and the Attorney General’s task force we are looking forward to some answers being found.”

“On behalf of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, we really appreciate the opening of the Cold Case Murder Task Force Office here in the State of Montana. Over the years, missing and murdered indigenous women and other Native American victims have been minimized and were often times invisible to the justice system,” said Northern Cheyenne President Rynalea Pena. “With the creation of this task force, we hope to see better communication and cooperation between law enforcement agencies and a resurgence of cold cases that have largely sat idle and maybe forgotten at times. More importantly, having a Cold Case Task Force brings to the forefront unsolved indigenous murder cases and creates awareness and, hopefully, a responsive and timely justice system within our law enforcement agencies.”

“Indian Country – including our Wind River Reservation in Wyoming – has suffered terribly due to the unsolved disappearances and murders of our Native brothers and sisters,” said Northern Arapaho Business Council Chairman Lee Spoonhunter. “We appreciate the BIA’s commitment to pursue justice by establishing these offices charged with fighting the crisis of Missing and Murdered Native Americans.”

“The newly created Cold Case Task Force fits well with the Montana Missing Indigenous Persons mission,” said Melissa Schlichting, deputy attorney general and legal services division administrator with the Montana Department of Justice. “We look forward to working with the Cold Case Task Force and addressing missing Indigenous person cases in Montana.”

In addition to the cold case office in Minnesota and a second that opened in Rapid City, S.D., on August 4, more are being established in Albuquerque, N.M.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Anchorage, Alaska; and Nashville, Tenn.

President Trump's Executive Order established the Operation Lady Justice Task Force, a multi-agency effort co-chaired by Secretary Bernhardt and U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr. Its purpose is to enhance the operation of the criminal justice system and address the staggering number of missing and murdered American Indian and Alaska Natives in tribal communities.

The cold case teams have been established in accordance with Executive Order 13898 which President Trump signed on November 26, 2019, to address this crisis. They will be staffed with law enforcement personnel and newly appointed special agents from the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS).

A way for top federal officials to engage, coordinate and work with tribal governments on developing strategies to address the crisis, the Operation Lady Justice Task Force is working to collect and manage data across jurisdictions; establish protocols for new and unsolved cases; establish multi-jurisdictional cold case teams; improve the response to investigative challenges; and provide clarity on the roles, authorities and jurisdiction for those involved. It is also charged with providing a report to the President of its work and accomplishments in meeting the executive order’s mandate.

Since 2019, the Department of the Interior and the BIA have undertaken a number of efforts to address the crisis, conducting criminal investigations, stopping illicit drug activity and solving missing and murdered cases.

The BIA-OJS and its partners have opened 200 percent more drug cases across Indian Country than in the last year of the Obama Administration, and their tribal law enforcement officers have seized approximately 6,000 pounds of narcotics worth $30 million in the past two years. Preventing further violence against American Indians and Alaska Natives is largely predicated on ending illicit drug activities and sex trafficking.

The BIA-OJS's partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, known as NamUs, has led to the development and implementation of new tribal-affiliation data fields to assist law enforcement with capturing information to track missing and murdered persons in Indian Country. Since the addition of these new data fields last year, there has been a 60 percent increase in Native-person entries into the system.

The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs advises the Secretary of the Interior on Indian Affairs policy issues, communicates policy to and oversees 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.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, officials from the U.S. Departments of the Interior and Health and Human Services announced the opening of the second of seven cold case offices established through an initiative of Operation Lady Justice to investigate cold cases involving missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump joined Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt for the launch of the first cold case office in Bloomington, Minnesota, last week highlighting President Trump’s commitment to forgotten men and women across our country and actions taken to end the violence against American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Economic Development – Indian Affairs Mark Cruz, a member of the Klamath Tribes in Oregon, and Administration for Native Americans Commissioner and member of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, Jeannie Hovland, were joined by representatives of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for South Dakota and tribal government and law enforcement officials at the opening.

“Under the Trump Administration, tribal governments are not alone in fighting the epidemic of pervasive violence against American Indian and Alaska Native people,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary Cruz. “I want to thank the tribal leaders and tribal advocates whose voices helped shape the conversation around this difficult subject. They are the driving force behind the signing of President Donald Trump’s executive order establishing the Operation Lady Justice Task Force that led, in turn, to the creation of these cold case offices.”

“Today, our shared presence, especially during these difficult times, is a demonstration of our commitment to keeping the national crisis of missing and murdered Native Americans a top priority,” said Commissioner Hovland. “We must move upstream to improve prevention, intervene for those in crisis, and support individuals, families, and communities in need of healing.”

The first office opening was on July 27, 2020, in Bloomington, Minnesota. Other offices will be located in Billings, Montana; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Phoenix, Arizona; Anchorage, Alaska; and Nashville, Tennessee.

President Trump's Executive Order established the Operation Lady Justice Task Force, a multi-agency effort co-chaired by Secretary Bernhardt and U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr. Its purpose is to enhance the operation of the criminal justice system and address the staggering number of missing and murdered American Indian and Alaska Natives in tribal communities.

The cold case teams have been established in accordance with Executive Order 13898 which President Trump signed on November 26, 2019, to address this crisis. They will be staffed with law enforcement personnel and newly appointed special agents from the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS).

A way for top federal officials to engage, coordinate and work with tribal governments on developing strategies to address the crisis, the Operation Lady Justice Task Force is working to collect and manage data across jurisdictions; establish protocols for new and unsolved cases; establish multi-jurisdictional cold case teams; improve the response to investigative challenges; and provide clarity on the roles, authorities and jurisdiction for those involved. It is also charged with providing a report to the President of its work and accomplishments in meeting the executive order’s mandate.

Since 2019, the Department of the Interior and the BIA have undertaken a number of efforts to address the crisis, conducting criminal investigations, stopping illicit drug activity and solving missing and murdered cases.

The BIA-OJS and its partners have opened 200 percent more drug cases across Indian Country than in the last year of the Obama Administration, and their tribal law enforcement officers have seized approximately 6,000 pounds of narcotics worth $30 million in the past two years. Preventing further violence against American Indians and Alaska Natives is largely predicated on ending illicit drug activities and sex trafficking.

The BIA-OJS's partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, known as NamUs, has led to the development and implementation of new tribal-affiliation data fields to assist law enforcement with capturing information to track missing and murdered persons in Indian Country. Since the addition of these new data fields last year, there has been a 60 percent increase in Native-person entries into the system.

The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs advises the Secretary of the Interior on Indian Affairs policy issues, communicates policy to and oversees 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.

Established in 1974 through the Native American Programs Act (NAPA), the Administration for Native Americans (ANA) serves all Native Americans, including state and federally recognized tribes, American Indian and Alaska Native organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations and Native populations throughout the Pacific Basin (including American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). ANA promotes self-sufficiency for Native Americans by providing discretionary grant funding for community based projects, and training and technical assistance to eligible tribes and native organizations.

WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney announced today a new internal policy governing how the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) processes tribal applications under the “Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership Act of 2012” (HEARTH Act).

The new policy, which is codified in the Indian Affairs Manual, details the process for BIA review and approval of tribes’ HEARTH regulations. The policy covers steps BIA will take from the moment of receipt in Central Office — when the 120-day statutory timeframe for review begins — to final approval and publication in the Federal Register. Under the policy, tribes will receive written acknowledgment of BIA’s receipt of the application within three (3) calendar days. The written acknowledgment will also state the due date of the 120-day review period and next steps. Tribes can then expect to hear directly from the HEARTH Act Coordinator to discuss any issues or recommendations.

The policy makes the review process as transparent as possible while institutionalizing the roles of each reviewer. Of particular importance is the description of the HEARTH Act Coordinator, who is assigned responsibility for shepherding tribal applications through the review process and ensuring that timeframes are met. By centralizing the review of HEARTH applications, the policy also ensures that tribes will receive consistent, predictable review regardless of their BIA region or agency.

Once a tribe receives BIA approval for their HEARTH application, the tribe is authorized to negotiate and enter into leases without further approvals by the Secretary. Tribes may submit HEARTH applications for agricultural and business leases of tribal trust lands for a primary term of 25 years and up to two renewal terms of 25 years each. Leases of tribal trust lands for residential, recreational, religious or educational purposes may be executed for a primary term of up to 75 years. Interested tribes may submit their regulations by mail to:

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs
Office of Trust Services, Deputy Bureau Director–Trust Services
Attention: Division of Real Estate Services
1849 C Street, N.W., MS-4620-MIB
Washington, D.C. 20240

The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs advises the Secretary of the Interior on Indian Affairs policy issues, communicates policy to and oversees 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 directly administers and funds tribally operated infrastructure, law enforcement and justice, social services (including child welfare), tribal governance, and trust land and natural and energy resources management programs for the nation’s federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes through four offices: Indian Services, Justice Services, Trust Services, and Field Operations. The Office of Trust Services’ Division of Real Estate Services (DRES) administers the HEARTH Act review process for tribal leasing regulations applications.

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WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney announced today that she has approved two long-standing land-into-trust applications from The Osage Nation in Oklahoma for its casino projects in the cities of Bartlesville and Pawhuska. The applications were first submitted to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in 2014 and 2016, respectively.

The Nation lost more than 90 percent of its land base in 1907 when Oklahoma became a state and incorporated the Osage reservation as Osage County. The Nation relies on its own economic activities to fund its governmental programs and services. Approval of the two applications will provide the Nation with significant economic development opportunities.

“With this action, The Osage Nation can now move forward on its economic development plans and enjoy the benefits of its lands,” said Assistant Secretary Sweeney. “I congratulate Principal Chief Standing Bear and the Osage people on this achievement. Your success is a testament to your determination to bring greater prosperity to The Osage Nation now and for generations to come.”

“Land is central to the Osage way of life. We are celebrating today because the approval of our Pawhuska and Bartlesville trust applications returns some of our land to us with full tribal authority,” said Osage Nation Principal Chief Geoffrey M. Standing Bear. “Interior Assistant Secretary Tara Sweeney, her deputy, Mark Cruz, [Office of Indian Gaming] Director Paula Hart and Deputy Director Maria Wiseman each deserve high praise for their diligent and prompt action to approve our applications after they languished for nearly a decade in the dust bins of the federal bureaucracy. Now the Osage Nation will begin at once to turn dirt and construct new amenities on these parcels that will help boost our region’s economic recovery from this COVID-19 pandemic.”

In January 2014, the Nation submitted to the BIA an application to transfer into trust for gaming and other purposes approximately 125 acres of land, known as the Bartlesville Property and located within the Nation’s former reservation, on U.S. Highway 60 approximately two miles west of the city of Bartlesville. The Nation proposes to construct a casino of approximately 57,400 square feet and a hotel with 150 rooms and approximately 11,800 square feet of meeting space. The Department is taking the property into trust pursuant to Section 5 of the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) and under a determination that the trust parcel is eligible for gaming pursuant to Section 20 of Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). The Department also determined that the parcel is eligible for gaming pursuant to the “Oklahoma Exception” of Section 20 of IGRA, which authorizes gaming on lands acquired by the Secretary in trust for the benefit of an Indian tribe after October 17, 1988.

In 2016, the Nation submitted an application to transfer into trust approximately 63.1 acres of land known as the Pawhuska Property, also located in Osage County, for gaming and other purposes. The Nation will move its existing Pawhuska Osage Casino to 17 acres on the site and eventually replace it with a proposed casino and hotel project that will be located approximately 300 feet directly across Highway 99/60.

The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs advises the Secretary of the Interior on Indian Affairs policy issues, communicates policy to and oversees 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 Office of Indian Gaming acts as the primary advisor to the Secretary and Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs on Indian gaming and the requirements of Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), P.L. 100-497, and other federal laws. Its duties and responsibilities include the administrative review and analysis of IGRA’s statutory and regulatory requirements and related statutes as well as policy development and technical assistance to tribal and state stakeholders. OIG implements the Secretary’s responsibilities under IGRA and, as such, has a significant impact on economic development resulting from Indian gaming.

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WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney announced today that she has signed reservation proclamations for two land parcels totaling approximately 222.63 acres for the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, a federally recognized tribe in Minnesota located southwest of the city of Minneapolis. The parcels will be added to the tribe’s existing reservation under the authority of the Indian Reorganization Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984; 25 U.S.C. 5110).

“I am pleased to exercise the authority delegated to me by the Secretary of the Interior and issue these reservation proclamations for the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community,” said Assistant Secretary Sweeney. “The rebuilding of tribal homelands is one of our most important goals and is consistent with our mission of supporting tribal self-determination and strengthening tribal sovereignty.”

“Making our trust land part of our tribe’s reservation territory helps us ensure that the land will be available for our tribe’s future generations,” said Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Chairman Keith Anderson. “We are glad that the U.S. Department of the Interior is taking this step and recognizing our tribal government authority over this land.”

“I’m proud of the fact that the Shakopee Mdewakanton Tribe has leveraged its tribal government status to become the largest employer in Scott County and an economic powerhouse in the 2nd District,” said U.S. Representative Angie Craig (D-MN). “The Shakopee Tribe could do this only by recovering its trust land base, and so I welcome the Interior Department taking further action to put the Shakopee Reservation back together at this time when the Tribe’s economic recovery from the pandemic is so critical to my District.”

“This is the right step for the Bureau to take, and it’s the right step to help the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community,” said U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN). “I appreciate the Bureau moving forward with this long-standing request to restore parts of the Shakopee Mdewakanton reservation, and we must continue to uphold our commitments to Tribes in Minnesota and across the country.”

The total acreage is comprised of two separate parcels adjacent to the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux reservation in Scott County:

• The Whipps 2 parcel containing 3.98 acres, more or less, which was brought into trust status in 2016, and
• The Inyan Ceyaka Otonwe (ICO) parcel containing 218.65 acres, more or less, which was brought into trust status in 2017.

A reservation proclamation is a formal declaration issued by the Secretary of the Interior, delegated to the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, proclaiming that certain lands acquired for an Indian tribe are a new, or are being added to an existing, reservation. The request for a proclamation must originate from the tribe.

Restoring tribal homelands helps support tribal sovereignty because a tribe’s capacity to govern itself stems, in part, from exercising its sovereign powers over its reservation and increasing its economic land base to meet the needs of its citizens.

The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs advises the Secretary of the Interior on Indian Affairs policy issues, communicates policy to and oversees 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.

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WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Tara Mac Lean Sweeney today announced she has approved a business leasing ordinance submitted by the Catawba Indian Nation in South Carolina under the Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership (HEARTH) Act. The Act establishes the authority of federally recognized tribes to develop and implement their own laws governing the long-term leasing of Indian lands for residential, business, agricultural, renewable energy, and other purposes.

With the Assistant Secretary’s action and pursuant to the HEARTH Act, the Nation is now authorized to enter into business leases on its trust lands without further approval by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).

“With its business leasing regulations approved, the Catawba Indian Nation is now better positioned to pursue its economic development goals,” Assistant Secretary Sweeney said. “The HEARTH Act is making a positive difference for tribes with approved land leasing regulations by opening Indian Country for business. It is an important way for them to bring the benefits of entrepreneurship and enterprise to their communities.”

“For decades, the Catawba people have sought to become economically self-sufficient and to put behind us years of economic difficulty,” said Catawba Indian Nation Chief William Harris. “Assistant Secretary Sweeney’s approval of our business lease ordinance greatly advances us along the path of self-sufficiency, empowering us to make decisions for ourselves with regard to the best business uses for our land. We intend to establish businesses which will lift up our people and our neighbors, as well. Interior has been very supportive of the Catawba Nation’s economic initiatives, for which we are deeply appreciative.”

“We have righted a great wrong,” said U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina). “This is great news for Catawba Nation and people in these border areas who will see an increase in employment opportunities. I want to thank the Trump Administration for their work in making this happen and all of those who fought long and hard with the Catawba Nation to turn this dream into a reality. For too long the Catawba Nation was treated unfairly by the federal government. That is no longer the case.”

A tribe with land leasing regulations approved by the Secretary of the Interior, which include an environmental review process set forth in the HEARTH Act, can negotiate and enter into business leases without further Secretarial approval. By granting tribes greater autonomy to regulate leasing on their trust lands, the Act greatly expedites leasing for economic development in Indian Country.

In addition, since it authorizes tribes to negotiate and enter into agricultural and business leases of tribal trust lands with a primary term of 25 years and up to two renewal terms of 25 years each without the Secretary’s approval, the Act also facilitates long-term economic stability in tribal communities.

With today’s announcement, the number of tribes whose leasing regulations have been approved under the HEARTH Act now stands at 51.

Signed on July 30, 2012, Congress enacted the HEARTH Act, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, as an amendment to the Indian Long-Term Leasing Act of 1955 to promote tribal self-determination. For more information and a list of tribes with HEARTH Act leasing regulations approved prior to today’s announcement, visit the Indian Affairs HEARTH Act web page.

The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs advises the Secretary of the Interior on Indian Affairs policy issues, communicates policy to and oversees 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.

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WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Tara Mac Lean Sweeney today announced she has approved the Fort Belknap Indian Community of the Fort Belknap Reservation in Montana’s regulations under the Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership (HEARTH) Act. The Act establishes the authority of federally recognized tribes to develop and implement their own laws governing the long-term leasing of Indian lands for residential, business, renewable energy, and other purposes.

Today’s announcement means the Community now has the ability to lease its tribal trust property or tribally restricted lands using its own leasing regulations, and can begin moving forward on addressing the acute lack of housing on its reservation.

“I’m pleased to announce that the Fort Belknap Indian Community has received approval of its HEARTH Act residential leasing regulations, which eliminates a barrier to building up its housing stock and raising its level of economic self-reliance,” said Assistant Secretary Sweeney. “Housing is an elemental need for families and an anchor for communities that is painfully lacking throughout Indian Country. Given its critical housing shortage, I’m pleased that the Fort Belknap Indian Community can now move forward on meeting its members’ housing needs.”

“The Fort Belknap Indian Community is heartened by the Department’s approval of our Residential Leasing Act because it is an important first step in letting us help ourselves by providing the option to take charge of our own residential leases, reduce bureaucratic burdens and thereby foster a reservation environment better suited to mortgage lending and private investment to offer our Tribal members a real chance at the American dream of home ownership,” said Fort Belknap Indian Community Council President Andrew Werk, Jr. “The Department’s approval today clears the way for us to streamline processes and enjoy the access to the private market long absent from our reservation, with private lenders deterred by the length and complexity of federal leasing and loan guarantee processes. Assistant Secretary Sweeney’s approval offers us a fresh start to address persistent, difficult issues.”

“Today’s announcement is great news for the Fort Belknap Indian Community in Montana,” said U.S. Senator Steve Daines. “Implementation of the HEARTH Act is about cutting red tape and getting the folks of Fort Belknap the resources needed to address homelessness and the housing needs of the tribal community.”

Upon one-time approval of their regulations by the Department, tribes gain the authority to process land leases without Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) approval, thereby greatly expediting leasing approval for homes and small businesses in Indian Country. With today’s announcement, the number of tribes whose land leasing regulations have been approved now stands at 50.

The Fort Belknap Indian Community requested the Department’s approval last September of its Residential Leasing Act which it submitted for review and approval under the HEARTH Act to meet its housing needs.

“We have suffered in a housing crisis for many years, with overcrowded conditions where often 13-18 people live in a two-bedroom house, with our housing waitlist hundreds of families and years long, with no housing inventory and no new construction since 1995, and virtually no access to the private mortgage market – just like many of our sister tribes in the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains,” President Werk continued. “That we are first among those tribes, and the first large land base tribe to have a HEARTH ordinance approved is an honor. I hope we can be an example for our sister tribes as to how the HEARTH Act puts us in control of our residential/housing destiny and truly supports our self-determination.”

Councilman Warren Morin, Chair of the Fort Belknap Indian Community Council Land Committee and Mountain Gros Ventre Representative, also praised Assistant Secretary Sweeney’s leadership on supporting Fort Belknap’s self-determination and housing efforts: “I was privileged to attend Assistant Secretary Sweeney’s confirmation hearing and I told her then that housing was one of the most critical issues facing our people and that numerous federal hurdles added to those burdens. She pledged to work with us and she did, with her team participating with our Council, Tribal staff, Senator Daines’ office, and Housing and Urban Development leadership and staff to work together on a vision that opens the door for us to restore the dignity of housing for our people, so that every Fort Belknap child can feel safe and secure in their own home, with their own bed and knowing that their Tribal community is able to be nimble and responsive to meet the needs our people because we are in the driver’s seat to make our own residential leasing and housing choices.”

The Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership, or HEARTH, Act, which Congress passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, was signed on July 30, 2012. For more information and a list of tribes with HEARTH Act leasing regulations approved prior to today’s announcement, visit the Indian Affairs HEARTH Act web page.

The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs advises the Secretary of the Interior on Indian Affairs policy issues, communicates policy to and oversees 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.

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