OPA

RED VALLEY, Ariz. – On the heels of President Obama’s State of the Union address where he committed to focusing on challenges and opportunities that will impact America for generations to come – including in Indian Country – U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell today announced $45 million to build the last previously identified Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) school construction projects. The schools slated to receive funding are the final two of 14 identified in 2004 by the Bush Administration as requiring the greatest need for replacement construction but never received Congressional funding.

“While this funding is long overdue, it meets critical educational needs to build safe learning environments for Native children, fulfills a broken promise to tribal communities, and clears the way for our new 2016 replacement school construction priority list,” Secretary Jewell said. “The funding demonstrates the Obama Administration’s commitment to Native youth success, opportunity and a brighter future. This budget proposal received bipartisan support in the House and Senate, and I thank Members of Congress who supported this request and shepherded it through the legislative process.”

Jewell chairs the White House Council on Native American Affairs and has instituted a transformation of the BIE to improve the delivery of education services to Native children in both tribally operated schools and schools directly operated by BIE.

The Obama Administration requested the funds to replace the deteriorated facilities at Cove Day School (K-6) in Red Valley, Arizona, and the Little Singer Community School (PreK-8) near Winslow, Arizona. The funds were included in the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016” enacted last month.

The Secretary’s announcement came during her visit to the Cove Day School, where she was accompanied by acting Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs Lawrence S. Roberts and BIE Director Dr. Charles “Monty” Roessel. The Secretary met with students, teachers and school officials to discuss ongoing BIE educational reform initiatives, programs to advance opportunities for Native youth, and the next steps in the process of building and renovating the new campus for the Cove Day School community. The visit was part of the President’s Generation Indigenous (“Gen I”) initiative to remove barriers between Native youth and opportunities to succeed and builds on the White House Rural Council’s efforts to reduce rural child poverty.

Cove Day School, a BIE-operated school serving nearly 50 students residing in Cove and Red Valley, Arizona, was built in 1959. The existing campus has exceeded its projected life span and its mechanical, electrical and plumbing do not comply with building codes, and its insulation contains asbestos. The school is in need of a school nurse’s office, adequate housing for teachers who travel long distances to work at the remote school. Previous teacher housing was not constructed to withstand heavy snow, thunderstorms, freezing temperatures or heavy wind conditions, which causes employees to seek housing elsewhere and makes it difficult to retain staff. New improvements will also involve campus safety, such as a security system.

Little Singer Community School, a tribally-operated school located in Leupp, Coconino County, Arizona, on the Navajo Reservation serves students in Kindergarten through sixth grade and does not have the space to meet current educational program needs. The school, built more than 30 years ago, suffered water damage because of missing roof tiles that led to mold in the building. This damage led to the exposure of asbestos.

Of the $138 million acquired through the Omnibus spending package for BIE construction needs, $45 million will replace all of the campus buildings at Cove and Little Singer schools and provide roughly $8 million to start planning to replace schools identified on the 2016 replacement school construction list. The $138 million for BIE construction in 2016 is a $64 million increase from 2015 and includes $12 million to replace components of school campuses, $8 million for teacher housing, and $73 million for general facilities improvement and repairs, in addition to the $45 million for replacement school construction.

Interior’s new priority list for school replacement construction is nearing completion. Of the initial list of 78 eligible schools, 53 submitted applications for funding. A National Review Committee evaluated the applications and has identified the top 10 applicants. Eligibility factors were developed through negotiated rulemaking that included over 20 tribal representatives; and the factors developed include the age of the school buildings, the facilities’ condition index of each campus, and the percentage of children educated in portable classrooms. The top 10 schools most in need under these criteria have been invited to make a presentation to the National Review Committee panel on their ability to execute a school replacement project. The final replacement school construction priority list will include five projects to be constructed as appropriations are made available.

The Bureau of Indian Education oversees and funds 183 elementary and secondary schools on 64 reservations in 23 states, serving more than 48,000 students, or about seven percent of Native American students. Of these, 59 are operated by the BIE and 124 are tribally-operated under Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act contracts or the Tribally Controlled Schools Act grants.

ISLETA PUEBLO, N.M. – As part of President Obama’s goal of placing half a million acres of tribal homelands into trust for the benefit of tribal nations, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell today announced that the Bureau of Indian Affairs has placed 89,978 acres of land into trust status for the Pueblo of Isleta. The Administration’s single largest trust acquisition to date brings to nearly 400,000 the total acreage placed in trust on behalf of federally recognized tribes since 2009.

Secretary Jewell made the historic announcement at a formal signing ceremony in Isleta, New Mexico, with Isleta Governor E. Paul Torres, acting Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Lawrence S. Roberts and U.S. Senator Tom Udall.

“This land into trust milestone marks the culmination of years of hard work by the Pueblo of Isleta as well as important progress in the Obama Administration’s goals of empowering tribes, restoring tribal homelands to support self-determination and self-governance,” Secretary Jewell said. “I congratulate Governor Torres and the Pueblo’s leadership for their dedication to this priority, ensuring homelands for future generations.”

As part of President Obama’s pledge to work nation-to-nation with tribal leaders to strengthen their communities and build their economies, this Administration has taken a total of 397,268 acres into trust during the past seven years. That total represents almost 80 percent of the Administration’s goal of placing 500,000 acres into trust by the end of the President’s term. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to acquire land in trust for federally-recognized Native American tribes by the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) of 1934.

“Previous policies of allotment, assimilation and virtual moratoriums on restoring tribal homelands continue to have profound negative impacts on tribal communities. During this Administration, tribes have demonstrated that the restoration of tribal homelands promotes safe and prosperous communities for current and future generations,” said Acting Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Lawrence S. Roberts. “Tribal leaders across Indian Country continue to place a high priority on restoring tribal homelands. We are fully committed to placing half a million acres of land into trust during this Administration as a step in the direction of correcting misguided policies of previous administrations.”

The Pueblo of Isleta, a federally recognized tribe located south of Albuquerque, New Mexico, purchased the property known as the Comanche Ranch and asked the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to accept the property in trust. The Ranch, which was used by the U. S. military as a practice bombing range during World War II, consists of 88,000 acres of land. The Pueblo also acquired another parcel, the Corridor Property, of approximately 1,900 acres adjacent to the Pueblo. The Pueblo plans to continue current use of the properties.

“The Pueblo of Isleta is very thankful to the foresight of tribal leadership who in 1997 made the purchase of land known as the Comanche Ranch,” said Governor E. Paul Torres. “Through the persistence of tribal leadership and the support of the BIA Southern Pueblos Agency, Albuquerque Area Office, and more importantly, the Office of the Secretary of the Interior, the Pueblo of Isleta will celebrate a historic event as this land base is placed into Trust for the Pueblo of Isleta.”

Under federal law, lands held in trust for Native Americans and Alaska Natives cannot be sold or transferred to non-Native Americans and can benefit from federal programs for business development, housing, environmental and cultural protection. Typical uses of trust land include governmental operations, cultural activities, agricultural/forestry activities, housing, economic development, social and community services, health care and educational facilities.

FY 2017 Budget Reflects Commitment to Conserve Natural, Cultural Resources, Responsibly Develop Domestic Energy, Support Sound Science and Meet Trust Responsibilities for Native Americans

WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Obama’s fiscal year (FY) 2017 budget request of $13.4 billion for the Department of the Interior reflects the Administration’s commitment to investing in communities, building partnerships and using science and innovation to create economic opportunities and sustain our natural, cultural and historic resources for future generations.

The Department’s budget request supports meeting Federal trust and treaty responsibilities to Native Americans, conserves important landscapes across the Nation, invests in the next century of the National Park Service, and allows for responsibly managing energy development on public lands and offshore areas. The Administration’s proposal also calls for legislative reforms that would generate $4.5 billion in savings over 10 years.

The Budget in Brief and fact sheet on the Interior Department’s FY17 budget are available HERE.

“This is a smart, innovative and forward-looking budget that invests in Interior’s key missions – now and in the future – so we can continue to serve the American people,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell. “The President’s budget provides targeted investments to create economic opportunities by growing our domestic energy portfolio, building climate-resilient communities, and revitalizing America’s national parks as we mark their 100th anniversary. Consistent with the President’s abiding commitment to Indian Country, this budget provides critical support for Tribal self-determination and economic advancement, including a historic transformation of the Bureau of Indian Education school system to help improve education for Indian children.”

The Interior Department’s activities contributed an estimated $360 billion in economic output nationally in 2014, supporting an estimated 2 million jobs. Energy and mineral development on Interior-managed lands and offshore areas generated more than $233 billion of this economic activity and supported nearly 1.1 million jobs. An estimated 423 million recreational visits to Interior lands contributed $42 billion and supported about 375,000 jobs nationwide. Water supply, grazing and timber activities, primarily on public lands in the West, contributed about $53.2 billion and supported nearly 400,000 jobs.

The President’s proposed $13.4 billion in current discretionary funding for FY 2017 is an increase of $61 million over the FY 2016 enacted level. It includes $12.3 billion for Interior programs funded by the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriation, and $1.1 billion for Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation and Central Utah Project Completion Act, funded in the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act.

The President’s FY2017 budget includes:

• Continuing historic efforts to revitalize the Nation’s parks and public lands for the next century in recognition of the National Park Service Centennial;
• Proposing $900 million a year for programs funded from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to bolster land conservation and access for hunters, anglers and recreationists, with full dedicated funding beginning in FY 2018.
• Backing tribal priorities in Indian Country, including an investment of over $1 billion to transform Indian schools and education, as well as full and permanent funding for contract support costs to support tribal self-determination;
• Implementing the President’s Climate Action Plan by developing renewable energy on public lands and waters; preparing communities for the impacts of climate change; and investing in science to support decision-making in natural resource management;
• Investing in the safety, reliability and efficiency of America’s water infrastructure and in innovative technologies to address droughts, especially in the arid West;
• Supporting safe and responsible development of our nation’s oil, gas, coal and mineral resources;
• Strengthening sound science to provide impartial data to resource managers, planners and other decision-makers;
• Engaging the next generation to play, learn, serve and work outdoors with approximately $100 million in investments toward youth programs and jobs, including the President’s Every Kid in a Park program; and
• Supporting Insular Areas through climate resilient communities, fostering renewable energy development and eradicating invasive species.
• Stabilizes funding for wildfire suppression, allowing for proactive fuels management and restoration, with flexibility to protect communities and ecosystems from the most catastrophic fires;
• Helps communities prepare for a changing climate through a new 10-year, $2 billion mandatory Coastal Climate Resilience program, fully paid for by redirecting about half of the savings that result from the repeal of offshore oil and gas revenue sharing payments set to be paid to only four States under current law; and
• Proposes changes to the Abandoned Mine Lands program and health and pension coverage for mineworkers, to help revitalize communities impacted by the continuing legacy of abandoned mine lands and strengthen the health and retirement security of coal miners and their families whose employers no longer contribute to their plans, as part of the President’s POWER+ Plan.

The Budget in Brief is online: www.doi.gov/budget and www.doi.gov/budget/2017/Hilites/toc.html.

Request builds on commitment to Indian Country to promote tribal self-determination and self-governance through investments in education for Native youth, support to Indian families, public safety in tribal communities, full payment of contract support costs, tribal governance of land and natural resources, tribal resilience to climate change, and promotion of tribal culture

WASHINGTON – President Obama’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 budget request for Indian Affairs, which includes the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), reflects the Administration’s all-of-government approach to meeting the federal government’s responsibilities to the nation’s 567 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and building on the commitment to promote strong, resilient nations for today and for future generations.

“President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget request for Indian Affairs embodies his belief that a federal budget that addresses trust and treaty responsibilities with comprehensive, coordinated federal resources promotes strong, resilient tribal nations,” said acting Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Lawrence S. Roberts. “I’m very pleased this budget continues the President’s long-standing commitment to our Nation-to-Nation relationship and to our mission of promoting tribal sovereignty for the prosperity of future generations.”

The budget request of $2.9 billion, a $137.6 million increase above the FY 2016 enacted level, provides funding to foster tribal self-determination and self-governance through investments in education for Native youth, support of Indian families, additional public safety resources in tribal communities, restoration and governance of tribal lands and resources, and by fostering tribal resilience to climate change, and promoting tribal cultures.

Creating Opportunities for Native Youth

The FY 2017 budget request for Indian Affairs makes key investments to support Generation Indigenous (“Gen-I”), an initiative launched in 2014 to address barriers to success for Native American youth. The request supports President Obama’s vision for a 21st century Indian education system that recognizes high quality education as a prerequisite to success in today’s global economy, and tribal government’s role in building an educated and skilled tribal workforce by delivering world-class and culturally appropriate education to Indian Country’s children, youth and adults.

The requested $1.1 billion investment in Indian education supports the BIE’s multi-year transformation into a capacity builder and service provider and includes increased program investments totaling $49.4 million to:

• Improve opportunities and outcomes in the classroom;
• Expand multi-generational programs to advance early childhood development;
• Provide improved educational instructional services and teacher quality;
• Promote enhanced language and culture programs;
• Enhance broadband and digital access; and
• Support tribal control of student education.

The investment continues the FY 2016 commitment with $138.3 million in FY 2017 for education construction programs to replace, repair, and address deferred maintenance needs at the BIE’s 183 elementary and secondary schools. This funding will support the next BIE replacement school construction list expected early this year.

In continuing to recognize the important role tribal post-secondary institutions play, the request includes an increase of $2 million for the BIE-operated Haskell Indian Nations University and the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, and an additional $500,000 for the two tribal technical colleges funded by BIE: United Tribes Technical College and Navajo Technical University. It also includes $6.8 million in program increases for tribally controlled, post-secondary education scholarships with a focus on recipients seeking degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

To foster public-private partnerships to improve student experiences at BIE-funded schools, the request proposes appropriations language enabling the Secretary of the Interior to activate the National Foundation for American Indian Education. The foundation’s mission will be to raise funds for creating opportunities for Indian students in and out of the classroom. The request also includes an increase of $3.6 million for Johnson-O’Malley grants, which is funding primarily distributed by tribes to non-BIE schools to support the education of their Indian students.

The FY 2017 budget request includes an additional $2 million to support tribal youth participation in BIA programs that focus on management of tribal natural resources through science, education and cultural learning. These programs provide job opportunities, instill respect for resources and engender an appreciation of the important role that natural resources play in tribal cultures and economics. The request will support approximately 60 new tribal youth projects and training programs throughout Indian Country, and supplement existing training programs within the BIA’s forestry, water and agricultural programs.

In addition, the President’s budget includes other federal agencies through Generation Indigenous that support educational outcomes and provide wrap-around services to help address barriers and provide opportunities for Native youth. These new investments will build on current efforts to better coordinate services for Native youth and demonstrate results across the federal government.

Supporting Indian Families and Protecting Indian Country

Tribal communities often experience disproportionate rates of poverty and a lack of access to services. Tribal leaders have expressed concern about the need to preserve tribal communities by supporting Indian family cohesiveness and stability while also promoting safe tribal communities.

As part of his commitment to protecting and promoting Indian families and communities, the President’s FY 2017 budget request for the BIA supports tribal communities by investing $21 million in program increases to support continued expansion of the Tiwahe initiative. Tiwahe, which means family in the Lakota language, promotes a comprehensive, integrated and community-based approach to support child welfare, family stability, and strengthening tribal communities as a whole. The initiative requests increases across human services, public safety, courts and job training programs. The initiative directly supports the Generation Indigenous objective of leveraging BIA programs in concert with other federal programs to support family and community stability and cultural awareness.

The budget request includes $17.4 million over FY 2016 for BIA Human Services programs, with increases of:

• $12.3 million for Social Services to provide additional resources to tribes and tribal organizations to build and enhance capacity within their Social Services program;
• $3.4 million for Indian Child Welfare Act programs that work with social services programs and courts to maintain the placement of children within their tribal community, where possible, to avoid the trauma of removal; and
• $1.7 million to improve access to suitable housing for Indian families with children.

To support family stability and to promote public safety, the BIA’s Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS) works with tribal courts to address the underlying causes of repeat offenses by making mental health services, alternatives to incarceration and other support services more widely available. In 2017, BIA-OJS will continue pilot programs aimed at reducing recidivism at five sites by three percent by September 30, 2017. The FY 2017 budget request invests an additional $2.6 million for tribal courts. This funding will be used to ensure the judicial branch of targeted tribal public safety systems can function effectively to meet family and community needs under the Tiwahe Initiative.

BIA-OJS also provides technical assistance to tribal governments seeking to update their legal codes to better reflect the Violence Against Women Act’s provisions. These provisions provide stronger protections and safety for vulnerable populations and expand the jurisdiction of tribal law enforcement and justice systems to address domestic violence in tribal communities. The BIA is also implementing training for direct service law enforcement program staff in the areas of law enforcement, social services, victim services, and courts, as well as making it available to tribes operating these programs via self-determination contracts and self-governance compacts.

Tribal Nation-Building

The FY 2017 budget request supports tribal nation-building and self-determination providing funding increases for contract support costs and investing in data for tribal governments and federal agencies to guide future funding.

The request continues the Administration’s commitment to fully fund contract support costs with an increase of $1 million above the FY 2016 enacted level to fully address requirements for 2017. The budget also includes a legislative proposal to fully fund BIA and Indian Health Service contract support costs as mandatory funding, beginning in 2018.

The FY 2017 budget request includes an increase of $12 million for work with tribal governments and the U.S. Bureau the Census to address federal data quality and availability issues. The request recognizes the long-standing concerns of tribal governments to improve access to and quality of federal data and information about Indian Country to inform their decision-making and the delivery of services to tribal communities.

In addition, the request proposes an increase of $4 million to continue development of NativeOneStop.gov, an information portal where tribes can find and access hundreds of federal programs and services available to them. The funding also supports regional and local assistance to tribes to access services and information

Sustainable Stewardship of Trust Resources

The BIA Office of Trust Services (OTS) assists tribes in managing, protecting and developing their trust lands and natural resources, which total 56 million surface acres and 60 million acres of subsurface mineral estates. OTS programs help tribal landowners steward these resources to protect their cultural, spiritual and traditional uses and enable tribal governments to manage their resources to generate revenue, create jobs, and protect the environment.

The FY 2017 budget request builds upon the BIA’s efforts to support tribal management of trust resources that support tribal cultures and communities’ economic stability. The request includes an increase of $8.7 million for Trust Real Estate Services to expand the capacity to address the backlog of probate cases, as well as for land title and records processing, geospatial support needs, and database management.

The request also includes $2 million to promote subsistence cooperative management in Alaska, where Native communities are among the most under-resourced in the nation and whose cultures are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The funding will promote tribal cooperative management of fish and wildlife, while improving access to subsistence resources on federal lands and waters. The request also includes $2 million to promote fishery hatching, rearing, and stocking programs across the country.

Increasing Resilience of Natural Resources in Indian Country

Tribal lands, by their geography and location, are on the front lines of climate change and vulnerable to its effects. From coast-to-coast, particularly in the West and Alaska, tribes continue to experience the damaging, sometimes devastating, impacts of climate change – longterm drought, intensifying wildland fires, changes to flora and fauna that are integral to their subsistence needs and cultures, coastal erosion, rising sea levels – on their environment and people, as well as to their treaty and trust lands and resources.

Tribal governments face immense challenges in planning for and responding to the far-reaching impacts that climate change is having or will have on their populations, infrastructure, economic development, food security, natural and cultural resources, and local cultures.

The FY 2017 budget request provides a $15.1 million increase over the 2016 enacted level across eight BIA trust natural resource programs to support tribal communities in sustainable resource management to prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change. Funds will provide support for tribes to:

• Develop and access science, tools, training, and planning; and
• Implement actions that build resilience into their resource management, infrastructure and community development activities.

It also will support Alaska Native villages in the Arctic and other critically vulnerable communities in evaluating options to improve the long-term resilience of their communities.

Indian Settlements

The President’s FY 2017 budget request for Indian water rights settlements continues this Administration’s strong commitment to resolving tribal water rights claims to ensure tribes have access to use and manage water to meet their domestic, economic, cultural and ecological needs.

The Indian Affairs’ budget request for Indian Land and Water Claim Settlements is $55.2 million, a $5.7 million increase over the 2016 enacted level. In 2016, Indian Affairs will complete the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and in 2017, will complete the funding requirements for the BIA portion of the Aamodt Settlement, enacted as part of the Claims Resolution Act of 2010.

The request also includes $10 million to provide the Yurok Tribe in Northern California with funds to acquire lands as authorized by the Hoopa-Yurok Settlement Act. This one-time funding satisfies the federal contribution for land acquisition efforts by the Yurok Tribe and its partners to conserve 47,097 acres of the Klamath-Siskiyou ecoregion to be managed as a salmon sanctuary and sustainable community forest.

Indian Affairs’ responsibility to the federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes is rooted in Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution and subsequently defined in treaties, acts of Congress, executive orders and actions, federal court decisions, and federal policies and regulations.

The President’s FY 2017 budget request of $13.4 billion for the Department of the Interior reflects his commitment to meeting Federal trust responsibilities to Native Americans, conserving vital national landscapes across the nation, supporting the next century of our public lands, and responsible management of energy development on public lands and offshore areas. The Department of the Interior’s Budget in Brief is available online at www.doi.gov/budget and www.doi.gov/budget/2017/Hilites/toc.html.

The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs supports the Secretary of the Interior in carrying out the Department’s responsibilities to the tribes through BIA and BIE programs and services. The BIA’s 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. For more information, visit www.indianaffairs.gov. The BIE 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 40,000 students. BIE also operates two post-secondary schools, and administers grants for 28 tribally controlled colleges and universities and two tribal technical colleges, and provides higher education scholarships to Native youth. For more information, visit www.bie.edu.

WASHINGTON – As part of President Obama’s Generation Indigenous (“Gen-I”) initiative to remove barriers to success for Native Youth, Acting Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Lawrence S. Roberts today announced the launch of the 2016 Indian Affairs Student Leadership Summer Institute, a paid 10-week summer internship program with the agency that begins in early June. The Institute will provide American Indian and Alaska Native post-secondary students with a unique opportunity to learn about federal policymaking and develop management and leadership skills within high-profile offices throughout the Indian Affairs organization. Roberts made the announcement at the National Congress of American Indians’ “Tribal Nations Legislative Summit 114th Congress Executive Council” meeting.

“Indian Affairs is excited to offer the Indian Affairs Student Leadership Summer Institute, which will provide opportunities for Native students to gain experience and leadership skills to help serve Indian Country,” Acting Assistant Secretary Roberts said. “Under the President’s Gen-I initiative we are privileged to provide learning opportunities for the next generation of Native leaders, and believe that this program is a chance to help our young people gain valuable experience that will serve them well throughout the rest of their careers.”

The Indian Affairs Student Leadership Summer Institute’s mission is to engage and support the next generation of Native students interested in rising to leadership levels within federal government. The program will provide participants with:

• An introduction to the government-to-government relationship between the United States and the 567 federally recognized tribal nations;
• An understanding of how the federal government carries out its trust responsibilities to tribal and individual Indian trust beneficiaries;
• How the tribal consultation process guides the development and implementation of federal Indian policies and regulations;
• Real-world exposure to the Indian Affairs organization and its component bureaus, offices and programs that carry out its part of the Secretary of the Interior’s overall responsibilities to Indian Country

The Institute is open to American Indian and Alaska Native students currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate degree programs. Between 15-to-20 students will be selected to work at either Indian Affairs’ headquarters offices in Washington, D.C., or at the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) 12 regional offices. Internships will begin in early June and end mid- August.

Application and Eligibility Requirements

I. To be eligible for the 2016 Indian Affairs Student Leadership Summer Institute, an applicant must: 

• Be a member of a federally recognized tribe.
• Be currently enrolled and in good standing in an undergraduate or graduate degree program.
• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Have completed at least two years of an undergraduate degree program.

II. Applications must include the following requirements:

• Personal Statement (700-word limit): The statement should discuss the applicant’s interest in the Indian Affairs Student Leadership Summer Institute and how it fits into his or her future goals of serving Indian Country. It should also describe the applicant’s personal qualities or previous leadership experiences that will enhance the experience of other American Indian and Alaska Native program participants and an area of her or his education, experience in a certain field of policy, cultural background/familiarity (close ties to region) or any other information that would help determine the applicant’s proper placement or secure a placement preference within a specific Indian Affairs office.
• Resume: A one-page resume is preferred, but must be no more than two pages in length. It must list the following: education, honors and awards, work experience (including other internships), school activities (e.g., clubs, research, presentations), and/or any community activities (e.g., volunteer activities, leadership roles).
• Indian Preference Verification Form BIA-4432: Because preference in filling vacancies within Indian Affairs offices is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Preference Act of 1934 (Title 25, USC, Section 472), an applicant must include Verification Form BIA-4432 with their application package prior to the closing date of the announcement, but only if claiming Indian Preference on the application. Applicants selected under Indian Preference will be appointed under Excepted Service, Schedule A 213.3112 (a) (7) appointing authority. View the form. 
• Transcripts: A full set of unofficial transcripts must be submitted at the time of application. They will be used to evaluate the level for which an applicant qualifies, which then will determine the grade level and salary offered.

While applications will begin to be accepted on Monday, February 29, 2016, through the federal employment opportunities website www.USAJobs.gov, they are due by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, March 11, 2016. Questions about the Indian Affairs Student Leadership Summer Institute program, eligibility, how to apply, and application requirements may be sent to IA_Institute@bia.gov.

Indian Affairs’ responsibility to the federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes is rooted in Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution and subsequently defined in treaties, acts of Congress, executive orders and actions, federal court decisions, and federal policies and regulations.

The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs supports the Secretary of the Interior in carrying out the Department’s responsibilities to the federally recognized tribes through BIA and BIE programs and services. The BIA’s 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. For more information, visit www.indianaffairs.gov.

The BIE 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 40,000 students. BIE also operates two postsecondary schools, and administers grants for 28 tribally controlled colleges and universities and two tribal technical colleges, and provides higher education scholarships to Native youth. For more information, visit www.bie.edu.

 

WASHINGTON – Furthering President Obama’s efforts to support American Indian and Alaska Native families and protect tribal communities, Acting Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Lawrence S. Roberts; U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Administrator Robert L. Listenbee; and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Acting Administrator Kana Enomoto today announced a draft revised BIA Model Indian Juvenile Code. The Departments are seeking public comment on the draft, which will be the subject of listening and consultation sessions scheduled for March and April of 2016.

“The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Model Indian Juvenile Code provides federal guidance for tribal governments to help protect the rights of Indian juveniles and their parents, guardians or custodians while also respecting tribal governments’ need to modify juvenile codes to fit each unique tribal community,” Roberts said. “The 2016 Model Indian Juvenile Code improves decades-old guidance to aid tribes in developing their own codes that will serve and protect those who end up in the juvenile justice system. I want to thank our federal partners, tribal leaders and the Indian child welfare community for working with us to produce this much-needed update.”

“OJJDP and the Bureau of Indian Affairs share a commitment to work with tribal communities as they reform their juvenile justice systems,” said OJJDP Administrator Robert L. Listenbee. “We support a developmental and trauma-informed approach to reform that better meets the needs of tribal youth at risk or involved in the juvenile justice system. The updated Code reflects such an approach.”

“The updated Model Indian Juvenile Code is an important step forward in the partnership among tribes, BIA, DOJ, and HHS as we work to address the Indian alcohol and substance abuse provisions of the Tribal Law and Order Act,” Enomoto said. “The updates recognize the need for trauma-informed practices in juvenile courts and diverting juveniles with behavioral health problems to treatment services.”

The Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services require updates to the BIA’s 1988 Model Indian Juvenile Code, which was designed to assist federally recognized tribes in creating individual codes focused on juvenile justice, specifically addressing Indian youth arrested for alcohol and/or drug-related offenses in Indian Country.

The proposed 2016 Model Indian Juvenile Code is the result of an extensive information gathering effort conducted by the Interior Department and the Justice Department starting in December 2014 and continued through 2015 – that included listening sessions, webinars and workshops.

The intent of the proposed Code is to assist federally recognized tribal governments in creating or revising their juvenile codes. The Code focuses on three areas: Juvenile Delinquency, Truancy, and At-Risk Youth Code, as well as several principles which include, but are not limited to:

• The ability to divert out of formal process at each decision point;
• Embedding the right to counsel for juveniles in delinquency/truancy;
• Restricting the use of detention;
• Commentary on choices made in the Code and discussion of options for implementation, including diversion examples;
• Distinguishing between delinquent acts and need for services (for delinquent acts, focus on supervision, treatment and rehabilitation);
• A process for ensuring the rights of parties; and
• The coordination of services.

The Department will hold one listening session and four tribal consultation sessions to take comments on the draft Code:

Listening Session

• Monday, April 4, 2016, 3:30-5:30 p.m. CDT, at the National Indian Child Welfare Association 2016 Annual Conference, St. Paul, Minn.

Consultation Sessions (by Phone)

• Wednesday, March 30, 2016, 3:30-5:30 p.m. EDT, Call-in Number: 800-857-5008, Passcode: 1291169.
• Thursday, March 31, 2016, 3:30-5:30 p.m. EDT, Call-in Number: 800-857-5008, Passcode: 1291169.
• Wednesday, April 13, 2016, 3:30-5:30 p.m. EDT, Call-in Number: 800-857-5008, Passcode: 1291169.
• Thursday, April 14, 2016, 3:30-5:30 p.m. EDT, Call-in Number: 800-857-5008, Passcode: 1291169.

The proposed 2016 Model Indian Juvenile Code can be downloaded from the Bureau of Indian Affairs website.

Written comments are due by May 27, 2016. Comments should be addressed to Natasha Anderson, Deputy Associate Director, Tribal Justice Support Directorate, Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1849 C St., N.W., MS-2603-MIB, Washington, D.C. 20240. Comments also can be submitted electronically to bia_tribal_courts@bia.gov.

Following the comment period, the BIA will publish a link to the final version of the 2016 Model Indian Juvenile Code in the Federal Register. Thereafter, the final version will be available in a Word document format that tribal governments can utilize and adapt to their needs.

The BIA’s Office of Justice Services Tribal Justice Support Directorate (TJS) has been working with OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention since 2012 to update the existing 1988 Model Indian Juvenile Code. That code was published in 1988 following passage of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5601 et seq.) and pursuant to the law (25 U.S.C. 2454) directing the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to develop a Model Indian Juvenile Code, including provisions relating to the disposition of cases involving Indian youth arrested or detained by BIA or tribal law enforcement for alcohol or drug-related offenses. The OJJDP has provided significant insight into the new draft provisions.

The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs oversees the BIA, which is headed by a director who is responsible for managing day-to-day operations through four offices – Indian Services, Justice Services, Trust Services, and Field Operations. These offices directly administer or fund tribally based infrastructure, economic development, 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 12 regional offices and 81 agencies.

The Office of Justice Services Tribal Justice Support Directorate furthers the development, operation, and enhancement of tribal justice systems by providing guidance, technical support, and advisory services to tribal courts and Courts of Indian Offenses (also known as CFR courts). For more information, visit https://www.bia.gov/bia/ojs/tjs.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs provides national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization. OJJDP supports states and communities in their efforts to develop and implement effective and coordinated prevention and intervention programs and to improve the juvenile justice system so that it protects public safety, holds justice involved youth accountable, and provides treatment and rehabilitative services tailored to the needs of juveniles and their families. For more information, visit http://www.ojjdp.gov/.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA’s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities. For more information on SAMHSA’s tribal affairs efforts, visit http://www.samhsa.gov/tribal-affairs.

WASHINGTON – Acting Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Lawrence S. Roberts today announced that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), in partnership with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, will hold a landmark training program in 2016 designed specifically for social workers and tribal court presenters in the preparation, preservation and presentation of evidence in child welfare cases.

“As we continue to promote full implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act and best practices in Indian child welfare proceedings, it is important to provide tribal courts and child welfare workers the most up-to-date knowledge and tools to help families and protect children,” Roberts said. “I’m very pleased that the Bureau of Indian Affairs and its partner, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, will offer training regarding best practices in child welfare cases. I want to thank the Pascua Yaqui Tribe for its contributions to making this landmark training possible, and encourage tribal governments and courts to take advantage of it.”

The BIA’s publication of updated the Indian Child Welfare Act guidelines for state courts and launch of the Tiwahe initiative brought national attention to child welfare and family issues in Indian Country. The Tiwahe initiative leverages BIA programs in concert with other federal programs that support family and community health and cultural awareness. Tiwahe means “family” in the Lakota language.

The training will teach social services investigators and case managers about the procedural and evidentiary requirements of each phase of proceedings. It is tailored for:

• BIA and tribal court personnel involved with ICWA and tribal child welfare proceedings;
• Tribal social services investigators, case managers, and supervisors primarily assigned to ICWA and/or tribal child welfare cases; and
• Tribal court personnel involved in presenting child welfare cases in state courts and those representing tribes.

The program has been developed with the help of Casey Family Programs, the nation’s largest operating foundation focused on safely reducing the need for foster care placements and building Communities of Hope for children and families across America. The first session will take place March 8-10 at the Tribe’s Casino Del Sol Conference Center and Resort in Tucson, Ariz. Additional training dates and locations will be announced at a later date.

The BIA’s Office of Indian Services Division of Human Services (DHS) and Office of Justice Services Tribal Justice Services Directorate (TJS) will offer child welfare evidence training that:

• Develops the skills of child protection investigators and caseworkers in the civil legal process;
• Focuses on roles and responsibilities, particularly civil rules of evidence and procedure; • Is designed for tribal court prosecutors or presenters representing the tribe’s position in child protection cases;
• Is designed around preparing, preserving and presenting by tribal social workers and presenters evidence of child abuse in both Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) context and in tribal court; and
• Provides an opportunity for non-law trained and inexperienced tribal court personnel to learn the basics of due process requirements in child abuse cases whether in state or tribal jurisdictions.

The training is based on a fact pattern developed by BIA regional social services directors in conjunction with tribal court judges and other tribal court personnel. Casey Family Programs helped develop the training process, and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe contributed greatly to the course materials, and will provide facilities and other support.

The curriculum is divided into two distinct sections – Pre-Adjudication and Post-Adjudication – with an important due process component in the proceedings. The fact pattern, which begins in state court under ICWA, uses the natural structure of a civil child welfare case to demonstrate the applicable rules of procedure and evidence at each phase of a judicial proceeding: first under ICWA and then upon transfer to tribal court for adjudication and disposition. Course materials include a social services case file and a legal file for each phase of judicial proceedings with terminology, applicable laws and rules also provided for each phase.

Teams comprised of tribal court and social services workers are also encouraged to attend. Applications can be obtained from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe’s website at http://www.pascuayaquinsn.gov/images/announcements/cw_evidence_training_with_registration_form.pdf.

The BIA-TJS’s mission is to provide training and technical assistance to tribal courts in both civil and criminal matters. Because tribal justice systems ensure public health and safety in tribal communities and protect the political integrity of tribal governments, they are one of the most visible aspects of a tribe’s exercise of its inherent sovereignty. For more information, visit http://www.indianaffairs.gov/WhoWeAre/BIA/OJS/ojs-services/ojs-tjs/index.htm.

The BIA Division of Human Services’ mission is to promote the safety, financial security, and social health of Indian communities and individual Indian people. For more information, visit http://www.indianaffairs.gov/WhoWeAre/BIA/OIS/HumanServices/index.htm.

WASHINGTON – In partnership with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) will hold its first tribal court training of 2016 on March 8-10. The training is designed specifically for social workers and tribal court presenters in the preparation, preservation and presentation of evidence in child welfare cases. The first session will be held at the Tribe’s Casino Del Sol Conference Center and Resort in Tucson, Ariz. Additional training dates and locations will be announced at a later date.

The program has been developed with the help of Casey Family Programs, the nation’s largest operating foundation focused on safely reducing the need for foster care placements and building Communities of Hope for children and families across America. The training is based on a fact pattern developed by BIA regional social services directors in conjunction with tribal court judges and other tribal court personnel. Casey Family Programs helped develop the training process, and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, which contributed greatly to the course materials, is providing facilities and other support.

The training will teach social services investigators and case managers about the procedural and evidentiary requirements of each phase of proceedings. It is tailored for:

• BIA and tribal court personnel involved with ICWA and tribal child welfare proceedings;
• Tribal social services investigators, case managers, and supervisors primarily assigned to ICWA and/or tribal child welfare cases; and
• Tribal court personnel involved in presenting child welfare cases in state courts and those representing tribes.

WHO: Tribal Justice Support Directorate, Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona Casey Family Programs

WHAT: The BIA Tribal Justice Support Directorate, in partnership with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona and Casey Family Programs, will conduct the first in a series of training sessions in 2016 designed specifically for social workers and tribal court presenters in the preparation, preservation and presentation of evidence in child abuse and neglect cases.

WHEN: March 8-10, 2016 Tuesday, March 8 8:15 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. (MST) Wednesday, March 9 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (MST) Thursday, March 10 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (MST)

WHERE: Casino Del Sol Conference Center and Resort, 5655 W. Valencia Rd., Tucson, Ariz. Phone: 855-765-7829.

CREDENTIALS: This invitation is extended to credentialed media representatives, who must display sanctioned media credentials for admittance to the event.

WASHINGTON — As part of the Obama Administration’s effort to prepare communities nationwide for the impacts of a changing climate, acting Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Lawrence S. Roberts today announced that Indian Affairs will provide nearly $6.5 million to fund tribal projects that promote climate change adaptation and ocean and coastal management planning.

A Notice of Funding Availability is being sent directly to the leaders of federally recognized tribes who are invited to apply online.

“Native communities from Alaska to Florida, Washington to Louisiana and in between are on the front lines of real and serious climate challenges that threaten their livelihood and heritage," said Acting Assistant Secretary Roberts. “The cultural and economic needs of tribes are tied to the land and protecting that land is a critical component of advancing tribal sovereignty and self-determination. This important funding to build on climate adaption plans and resilience measures builds on the down payment we've already issued to support tribal leadership in helping to protect their communities and resources for future generations.”

Of the $6.5 million provided by the Tribal Climate Resilience Program, $4 million will be available for Climate Adaptation Planning, $2 million for Ocean/Coastal Management Planning, and at least $500,000 for youth internships and engagement.

Tribal climate resilience funds build on nearly $20 million the Obama Administration has provided in the last two years. Since 2014, more than 140 awards have supported federally recognized tribes and tribally chartered organizations have received funding to support tribal climate preparedness and resilience activities. The full list of awardees for 2014 and 2015 is available here.

The grant program assists tribes facing climate challenges. At the February 24, 2016, climate change listening session in Washington, D.C., for example, Interior officials heard tribal leaders describe some of the challenges their communities face.

“We heard stories from tribes across the nation facing numerous climate-related challenges, including food contamination and shortages, endangered ceremonial plants and threats to the land due to severe storm surges,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Economic Development Ann Marie Bledsoe Downes. “We also received several suggestions, such as comanagement in areas where tribes have hunting and fishing rights, youth engagement, housing efficiency standards and more tribal interaction and engagement with our Climate Science Centers.”

Climate adaptation funding supports tribal climate adaptation planning, training and participation in technical workshops and forums. As an example, in 2015 the Karuk Tribe received funding to help assess vulnerabilities from increased fire intensity and severity.

Ocean and coastal management funds support coastal tribes in addressing the challenges of coastal erosion and development, rising sea levels, ocean acidification and emergency management. As an example, in 2015 the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon applied for and received funding to conduct a fisheries inventory and to assist with vulnerability assessment coordination and planning.

Youth funding supports tribal program internships that specifically address climate change adaptation with the tribal program, research internships in scientific settings in cooperation with the tribe requesting the funding, and youth engagement, either funding the climate related component of a larger youth program, or as a standalone climate-focused adaptation effort.

As part of Executive Order 13653 of November 1, 2013, all federal departments and agencies are expanding efforts to help tribes, states, cities, and localities prepare for the impacts of climate change. To comply with this Executive Order, the Secretary of the Interior’s Tribal Climate Resilience Program is responding to the Recommendations and Supplemental Recommendations of the President’s State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience and helping to implement President Obama’s Climate Action Plan. A key part of the Climate Action Plan is to build more resilient communities and strengthen defenses for communities already on the front lines of a changing climate.

The President’s proposed budget for FY 2017 includes an increase of $3 million to specifically address the changing Arctic landscape and offer support to Alaska Native Villages in evaluating options for the long-term resilience of their communities.

The Notice of Funding Availability contains submission deadlines and detailed information on funding categories and review criteria. Requests for applications can be sent to climate.funding@bia.gov or to the attention of Helen Riggs, Deputy Bureau Director, Office of Trust Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1849 C St., N.W., MS-4620-MIB, Washington, D.C. 20240.

The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs oversees the BIA, whose director is responsible for managing day-to-day operations through four offices – Indian Services, Justice Services, Trust Services and Field Operations. These offices directly administer or fund tribally based infrastructure, law enforcement, social services, tribal governance, natural and energy resources, and trust lands and resources management programs for the nation’s federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and villages through 12 regional offices and 81 agencies.

ST. PAUL, MINN. – In keeping with President Obama’s commitment to supporting Indian families and fostering resilient, thriving tribal communities through his all-of-government approach, acting Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Lawrence S. Roberts today announced that the Departments of Interior (DOI), Justice (DOJ), and Health and Human Services (HHS) have entered into a collaborative agreement to ensure more robust compliance with and implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) of 1978 (Public Law 95-608). The agreement, in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), brings three federal agencies together in partnership to strengthen federal oversight of the Act. The MOU’s effective date is April 1, 2016.

“This MOU marshals the appropriate focus and resources of Interior, Justice and HHS to ensure that Congress’s intent in protecting Indian children and families is carried out,” said Roberts. “We want to assure Indian families and tribal leaders that the Obama Administration’s dedication to ICWA’s goals remains an enduring policy for Indian Country. Focused implementation and compliance of ICWA protects Indian children and families, strengthens the social fabric of tribal communities, and ensures that tribes are able to serve their citizens for generations to come.”

Roberts made the announcement while speaking at the National Indian Child Welfare Association’s 34th Annual Protecting Our Children National American Indian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect taking place April 3-6 in St. Paul. According to NICWA’s website, its annual conference is the largest national gathering dedicated to Native American tribal child welfare advocacy.

Congress enacted ICWA based on hearings which confirmed that an alarmingly high percentage of Indian families had been broken up when public and private agencies subjected Indian children to unwarranted removal, most of who were eventually placed in non-Indian homes. Congress recognized this was a tragedy not only for American Indian and Alaska Native families and their children, but for tribes, as well, because they suffered from losing generations of their future members and leaders.

ICWA set forth a federal framework for maintaining American Indian and Alaska Native children with their families, including extended families, and deferring to tribal courts on matters concerning the custody of tribal children. Through ICWA, Congress also sought to carry out the United States’ trust responsibility for protecting Indian children and for the stability and security of American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and families.

To further ICWA’s purpose and the Nation-to-Nation relationship between the United States and federally recognized Indian tribes, and to promote improved outcomes for Indian children in foster care and child welfare proceedings, the federal partners will collaborate on matters related to implementing the letter and spirit of ICWA.

The purposes of the MOU are:

• To memorialize the partners’ commitment to the continued importance of ICWA and its implementation for the health and well-being of Indian children, families, and communities;
• To formally establish the ICWA Interagency Workgroup to promote the purposes of ICWA and the partners’ mutual interests in ensuring ICWA implementation and compliance;
• To promote communication and collaborative efforts on federal activities that support ICWA implementation and compliance; and
• To establish structures and procedures to ensure that the Workgroup operates effectively and efficiently.

The principal co-chairs of the ICWA Interagency Workgroup are the DOI Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, the HHS Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families; and the DOJ Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division. Each agency will designate a senior staff member to serve as a staff co-chair of the Workgroup.

The Workgroup will meet monthly at a staff level, with principal-level meetings at least twice a year, and will identify priorities, goals and tasks, as well as establish committees to carry out its work. It also will seek input from and conduct outreach to federally recognized tribes and other stakeholders via existing federal tribal advisory groups, stakeholder groups, tribal consultations, listening sessions, and public meetings.

The acting Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), which is headed by a director who is responsible for managing day-to-day operations through four offices – Indian Services, Justice Services, Trust Services, and Field Operations. These offices directly administer or fund tribally based infrastructure, economic development, 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 12 regional offices and 81 agencies.

The Office of Indian Services Division of Human Services administers the BIA’s ICWA regulations at 25 CFR Part 23 and Guidelines for State Courts. For more information, visit http://www.indianaffairs.gov/WhoWeAre/BIA/OIS/HumanServices/IndianChildWelfareAct/index.htm.

For more information about the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, visit https://www.justice.gov/enrd.

For more information about the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families, visit http://www.acf.hhs.gov/.