OPA

WASHINGTON – President Trump today proposed a $944.5 million Fiscal Year 2021 budget for the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). The BIE’s budget request is presented separately, continuing the historical action in FY 2020 to recognize the distinct and separate responsibilities and missions of the Indian Affairs’ two bureaus. The FY2021 budget request will continue to advance BIE reform, provide autonomy and accountability, streamline services, maximize efficiency, and build capacity.

The BIE’s primary mission is to provide quality education opportunities from early childhood through life in accordance with a tribe’s need for cultural and economic well-being, in keeping with the wide diversity of American Indian and Alaska Native tribes as distinct cultural and governmental entities.

“President Trump’s 2021 budget request for the Department is about investing in our people and public lands and waters," said Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt. "He is committed to the mission of conservation and creating more public access for Americans to fully enjoy our national treasures and landscapes. This budget is a critical step in the right direction and provides a path to restore commonsense in our budgeting process.”

“The President’s request strengthens tribal communities through education reform, broadband development, and strategic investments in student success,” said Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney. “I am very pleased that the FY 2021 budget continues to support lasting changes for management efficiencies that will vastly improve the delivery of high quality education to the future of Indian Country, our children.”

The FY 2021 budget supports the Administration’s continued commitment to advance tribal self-governance and self-determination, foster strong tribal economies and economic self-sufficiency, create educational opportunities, ensure safe Indian communities, and preserve and foster cultural heritage. The BIE manages a school system of 169 elementary and secondary schools and 14 dormitories providing education services to an estimated 46,000 individual American Indian and Alaska Native students in 23 states, as well as operates two post-secondary schools and administers grants for 29 tribally controlled colleges and universities and two tribal technical colleges.

The FY 2021 budget request for the BIE is $944.5 million in current appropriations. The Bureau estimates the requested budget will support staffing of 2,894 FTE in 2021.

The request for the Operation of Indian Education Programs account is $875.7 million and prioritizes direct school operations, school improvement, and completing the Bureau’s Strategic Direction and reform efforts to improve service and technical assistance for BIE-funded schools. Funding includes:

• $728.7 million for Elementary and Secondary programs,
• $97.9 million for Post-Secondary programs, and
• $49.0 million for Education Management.

The budget continues to invest in activities that promote students’ educational self-determination by seeking $83.6 million for Tribal Grant Support Costs for tribes operating BIE-funded schools, an amount that will support 100 percent of the estimated requirement.

The FY 2021 request provides $33.7 million for Education Program Management. This will enable the Bureau to continue building much-needed capacity in order to decouple overlapping functions it has with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in critical areas such as facilities, safety and acquisitions, and support staff at BIE’s associate deputy director offices and education resource centers providing direct and customized technical assistance to schools.

The FY 2021 request includes an increase of $5.0 million to expand and upgrade broadband access at BIE-funded schools to provide a 21st-century learning environment, where educators and students in remote locations can access innovative resources, support online testing, and access knowledge and expertise worldwide.

The requested increase supports high-cost special fiber construction and increased monthly circuit costs for remaining schools without access – those in the most remote and hard-to-access-areas. Remaining funding will be used to begin upgrading all BIE schools to recommended educational standards to provide appropriate internet connectivity and keep pace with public schools. As school upgrades are completed, the BIE network also will need commensurate work to ensure appropriate response times. The Department will continue to leverage the Federal Communications Commission’s E-rate program, which helps schools and libraries obtain affordable broadband with up to a 90 percent discount of eligible costs.

Education Construction – In addition to support through the Administration’s Public Lands Infrastructure Fund legislative proposal, the FY 2021 budget requests $68.9 million in annual funding for Education Construction as follows:

• $62.8 million for Facility Improvement and Repair at existing schools to provide an environment conducive to educational achievement,
• $5.1 million for BIE employee housing repair, and
• $1.0 million in new funding for employee housing replacement.

Available funding from prior years will complete school construction projects listed on the Bureau’s Replacement School Construction Priority List published in the Federal Register on March 24, 2004, and continue design and construction phases for schools on a subsequent list published on April 29, 2016.

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

The Bureau of Indian Education implements federal Indian education programs and funds 183 elementary schools, secondary schools, and dormitories (of which over two-thirds are tribally operated) located on 64 reservations in 23 States serving an estimated 46,000 individual students. The BIE also operates two post-secondary schools and administers grants for 29 tribally controlled colleges and universities and two tribal technical colleges.

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WASHINGTON – President Trump today proposed a $1.9 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 budget for Indian Affairs, which includes the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs.

“President Trump’s 2021 budget request for the Department is about investing in our people and public lands and waters," said Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt. "He is committed to the mission of conservation and creating more public access for Americans to fully enjoy our national treasures and landscapes. This budget is a critical step in the right direction and provides a path to restore commonsense in our budgeting process.”

“The President’s request strengthens tribal communities through strategic investments in public safety, energy and broadband development, while implementing management efficiencies to improve Indian Affairs’ operations and fully funding contract support costs and a new account for Payments for Tribal Leases,” said Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney. “I am thankful that the FY 2021 budget provides support for the Operation Lady Justice and BIA law enforcement to meet head-on the factors that contribute to and exacerbate the nation’s crisis of missing and murdered Native Americans.”

The FY 2021 budget supports DOI’s continuing efforts to advance tribal self-governance and self-determination, foster strong tribal economies, and support safe tribal communities through a range of activities. The BIA funds programs for tribal government, social services, law enforcement, infrastructure, and stewardship of trust lands, water and other natural resources in Indian Country.

Operation of Indian Programs: The FY 2021 budget proposal for the BIA Operation of Indian Programs account is $1.4 billion. The budget prioritizes operations and program assistance to American Indian and Alaska Native service populations.

Promoting Tribal Self-Determination – The Department supports tribal sovereignty by aiding federally recognized Tribes work to strengthen and sustain their governmental systems. The FY 2021 requests $337.4 million for Tribal Government programs:

• $178.2 million for activities conducted by self-governance Tribes.
• $81.7 million to support Consolidated Tribal Government programs, which also promote tribal self-determination by giving approximately 275 Tribes the flexibility to combine and manage contracted programs and grants that are similar or compatible to simplify contracting.
• $1.5 million for the New Tribes account, which includes $320,000 for the newly recognized Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians in Montana to support its work establishing and administering its government.

Protecting Indian Country – The BIA Office of Justice Services (OJS) funds public safety and justice programs in tribal communities. These programs safeguard life and property, enforce laws, maintain justice and order, and ensure offenders detained in OJS-operated or funded facilities are held in safe, secure and human environments. The OJS operates the Indian Police Academy for tribal law enforcement and corrections officer training for both direct-service and tribally operated programs.

The FY 2021 budget request of $423.7 million for Public Safety and Justice activities includes:

• $390.4 million to directly support 191 law enforcement programs and 96 corrections programs run either by Tribes themselves or by OJS as direct services. Within this amount:
  
  • $20.0 million for drug enforcement efforts to help strengthen the federal response to an observed increase in drug activity on Indian lands.
  • $22.3 million for Tribal Justice Support programs that include tribal courts assessments and support, technical assistance for tribal legal codes, and implementing strategies critical to the protection of women in tribal communities, including Violence Against Women Act training.
  • $3.0 million for a law enforcement special initiative to support the Operation Lady Justice Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives established by President Trump’s November 2019 Executive Order 13898. The Task Force will bring together multiple agencies and tribal representatives to develop and deploy new investigative teams focused on missing persons, domestic violence and other violent crime cold cases in Indian Country within tribal jurisdiction.

To further OJS’s ability to collaborate with its federal, state and tribal counterparts when developing and implementing strategies to increase public safety in Indian Country, the FY 2021 budget proposes to realign management oversight of certain OJS activities – Criminal Investigations and Police Services, Detentions and Corrections, the Law Enforcement Special Initiatives Program, and the Indian Policy Academy – from the BIA to the Office of the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs. The change will not affect the current budget structure. The OJS activities to remain with the BIA are Emergency Management, the Office of Tribal Justice Support, Tribal Courts and the Fire Protection Program.

Supporting Indian Communities – Because sustaining American Indian and Alaska Native families is critical to thriving tribal communities, BIA Indian Services (OIS) supports a community-based approach to child welfare, family stability and strengthening tribal communities. The FY 2021 budget request $87.5 million for Human Services activities which support programs providing social services and Indian Child Welfare Act protections.

Managing Trust Resources and Lands – The BIA Trust Services (OTS) activity supports DOI’s stewardship and development of energy resources on Indian trust lands and assists tribal governments in managing, developing and protecting 56 million surface acres of trust lands and 59 million acres of subsurface trust mineral estates. These programs enable tribal landowners to optimize the conservation or use of their trust resources to produce revenues and jobs and to protect those with cultural, spiritual and traditional significance.

The FY 2021 budget includes $209.7 million for natural resource management programs:

• $54.1 million for Forestry programs supporting active forest management on Indian forest lands managed by 300 Tribes across 18.7 million acres.
• $14.4 million for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks for tribal activities in fisheries operations and maintenance, outdoor recreation, public access, and conservation enforcement.
• $10.7 million for Water Resources management activities.
• $14.1 million for the Irrigation Operation and Maintenance program for operation and maintenance of Indian irrigation project infrastructure, that includes payments required by legal directives, reimbursement to the Bureau of Reclamation for water storage, and costs for continued delivery of water by and to irrigation systems.

Minerals and Mining Activities – Energy and mineral production proved to be the largest source of revenue from natural resources on trust lands with over $1.1 billion in revenues paid to tribal governments and individual mineral rights owners in 2019. In Secretarial Order 3377, Secretary Bernhardt demonstrated the commitment to tribal self-determination by improving the energy development process on Indian lands.

The FY 2021 request funds Minerals and Mining activities at $25.7 million to support the Administration’s priority for domestic energy abundance and economic development. The budget supports the management and development of energy resources on tribal lands, through programs such as the Indian Energy Service Center (IESC), a one-stop-shop that facilitates coordinating Indian energy development activities across Interior’s bureaus and provides a full suite of energy development-related services to tribal governments throughout Indian Country. The FY 2021 budget proposes to realign the Division of Energy and Mineral Development from Indian Affairs’ Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development, where it is currently, to the Office of Trust Services. This will improve communication and coordination, reduce redundancies, streamline processes, offer cross-staffing opportunities, and lead to increased performance and delivery of energy-related services to Tribes.

Maintaining Fiduciary Trust Responsibilities – The Trust-Real Estate Services activity advances Indian trust ownership and improves Indian trust-related information. The FY 2021 budget proposes $124.2 million for BIA Real Estate Services program activities, which include processing Indian trust-related documents, such as land titles and records and geospatial data, supporting land and water resources use, energy development, and protecting and restoring ecosystems and important lands. The request includes $13.0 for probate services to determine ownership of trust assets essential to economic development and accurate payments to beneficiaries.

Supporting Economic Opportunities – The FY 2021 budget funds the Community and Economic Development activity at $27.5 million. This includes $10.3 million for Economic Development, which contains $8.5 million to promote broadband deployment in Indian Country with most of it in the form of direct funding opportunities for Tribes and technical assistance for broadband development, and $12.5 million for Job Placement and Training to assist individuals in securing jobs at livable wages.

Tribal Priority Allocations – The FY 2021 budget request is $625.3 million for this activity.

Contract Support Costs: The FY 2021 budget request maintains the Administration’s support for tribal self-determination and strengthening tribal communities. CSCs enable tribal governments to administer federal programs themselves by covering their associated operating costs. The request funds the CSC account at $285.5 million, which fully supports estimated needs assuming BIA program funding at the FY 2021 request level. The CSC funding request is in a separate indefinite current account to ensure full funding for this priority.

Payments for Tribal Leases: The budget proposes $21.6 million in a new indefinite discretionary appropriation account for Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act section 105(l) facility lease agreements in support of tribal self-determination. The budget also proposes legislative language to improve the management of these leases through the establishment of standardized procedures for receiving and processing lease requests from Tribes and tribal organizations.

Funding from the Payments for Tribal Leases account could be used for either Bureau of Indian Affairs or Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) 105(l) facility lease costs. The indefinite appropriation addresses the difficulty of predicting actual costs for these leases far enough in advance to meet budget formulation schedules.

Construction: The FY 2021 budget request of $59.8 million for Construction activities includes:

• $36.2 million for the rehabilitation of dams, irrigation projects and irrigation systems that deliver and store water to aid tribal economic development, including $19.9 million for the Safety of Dams program, which is currently responsible for 139 high- or significant-hazard dams on 41 Indian reservations, and $13.1 million for Irrigation Project Construction, which addresses critical deferred maintenance and construction work on BIA-owned-and-operated irrigation facilities, including 17 irrigation projects, with a focus on health and safety concerns;
• $13.1 million for other construction-related programs, including $2.9 million for facilities improvement and repair at regional and agency offices, $1.1 million for telecommunications projects, and $5.6 million for construction program management; and $3.3 million for operations and maintenance of completed sections of the Fort Peck Water System in Montana, as required by law; and
• $10.4 million for public safety and justice construction, including $4.1 million for facilities improvement and repair and $3.1 million for employee housing.

Land and Water Claims Settlements: The FY 2021 request includes $43.9 million for Federal commitments to Settlements, which resolve tribal land and water rights claims and ensure Tribes have access to land and water for their domestic, economic and cultural needs. The infrastructure projects supported by these agreements improve the health and well-being of tribal members, preserve communities, and bring potential for economic development.

The BIE budget request of $944.5 million is presented separately.

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’ 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.

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WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney is proud to announce that the Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED) awarded business development grants totaling $727,229 to 21 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes. Over half of the awards are for proposed or existing projects located in Opportunity Zones.

The awards from IEED’s Native American Business Development Institute (NABDI) Feasibility Study Program will enable tribal leaders to better evaluate and identify viable economic opportunities for their communities.

“Native American Business Development Institute grants are a cost-effective means that tribal governments can utilize to investigate whether or not potential economic activities are viable for them and their communities,” Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney said. “They must consider all ways, including Opportunity Zones, that will help them build sustainable tribal economies that generate revenue, meet community needs and create jobs. The 2019 NABDI awardees are a reflection of how seriously tribal leaders view their goals for creating economic self-determination. These grants are just one of the ways we assist them in achieving their goals.”

NABDI awards fund feasibility studies that weigh the viability and risks of an economic development project, opportunity, enterprise, or business or the practicality of a technology a tribe may choose to pursue. The studies may be used to determine the likelihood of success for businesses in specific American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

When performed by a reputable third party, an economic development feasibility study also can be used to help persuade lenders and investors to provide financial backing. A study that concludes a project is worthwhile and financially sustainable can often fulfill many of the lender’s or investor’s due diligence requirements by answering questions about a project’s chances of success, resulting in a more rapid loan approval or better loan terms. Feasibility studies can also be used to examine the credibility of a project promoter and claims made regarding a specific project.

Grants are awarded on the basis of a proposal’s potential to create jobs for tribal members and stimulate economies in Native American communities.

The grant recipients and award amounts are:

• Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana: $29,500 for a feasibility study on developing and operating a hotel and conference center on a 69-acre parcel of property located adjacent to the Poplar Airport and U.S. Highway 2, an east-west route across the reservation.
• Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation, Montana: $30,000 for a feasibility study on building and operating an on-reservation, combined fuel station, convenience store and oil change facility.
• Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, Washington: $35,000 for a feasibility study to determine the best use for its Bigler parcel and to examine what types of tenants could further the Tribes’ goals for its light industrial/warehouse/distribution center project.
• Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, Nevada and Utah: $36,000 to examine a 16-acre proposed commercial site on the Tribes’ reservation land parcel in Nevada for tourism, including a recreational vehicle (RV) park.
• Delaware Nation, Oklahoma: $20,000 for a feasibility study to quantify and describe the public sector market opportunity, identify target customers and go-to-market sales and marketing strategies, contracting details, and assess labor and other operational aspects of opening a proposed second Channel Blend call center in the state.
• Elk Valley Rancheria, California: $30,000 to study the development of a destination resort comprised of a hotel, conference center, casino and parking facility on its 203.5-acre land parcel situated along U.S. Highway 101 that is more accessible to customers than its currently located gaming business.
• Elko Band (Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada): $39,700 for a feasibility study to determine the financial viability of constructing a tribally owned-and-operated 20-bed, for-profit hospital and elective surgery center on a 10-acre commercial site within the Elko Band Colony.
• Fond du Lac Band (Minnesota Chippewa Tribe): $33,400 to investigate the feasibility of starting a commercial wood boiler manufacturing business on the Band’s reservation in Carton County, Minn.
• Gila River Indian Community, Arizona: $35,000 to take advantage of investments in digital communications access, training and small business support.
• Hoopa Valley Tribe, California: $39,750 for a feasibility study to determine the size, scope and viability of a travel center to be located on the Tribe’s reservation.
• Hualapai Indian Tribe, Arizona: $40,000 to study utilizing the Tribe’s location on Route 66, its close proximity to and having the only road access to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, for a major tourist attraction that includes an RV park.
• Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of the Stewarts Point Rancheria, Nevada: $34,807 for a feasibility study to determine the viability of a for-profit abalone farm and serve as a third-party due diligence document for raising capital for the project.
• Leech Lake Band (Minnesota Chippewa Tribe): $35,000 for retaining outside consultants to assist the Band with determining the feasibility of developing on-reservation affordable housing and with structuring tax- and business-related incentives to secure outside investment to support these efforts, and doing this on a scale that meets the demand for on-reservation housing for the next 20 years.
• Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, South Dakota: $38,000 for a feasibility study to explore the costs and benefits of having the Tribe’s business and economic development arm pursue expansion and evolution of its existing propane program into the more formal and official Lower Brule Propane Company.
• Nulato Village, Alaska: $40,000 for a feasibility study to identify which parts of a house, if made of wood, can be standardized using locally sourced lumber and standardized procedures.
• Organized Village of Kake, Alaska: $34,300 for a feasibility study for a mariculture business developing seaweed in the waters around the village that will be part of a sustainable, diversified local economy providing permanent jobs with living wages.
• Passamaquoddy Tribe - Pleasant Point, Maine: $35,000 for a proposed on-reservation project that would re-direct and re-invest monies the Tribe spends off-reservation on fuels for its tribal government-owned land and water transportation and road maintenance fleets.
• Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, Michigan: $30,938 for a comprehensive market analysis on the development of a proposed on-reservation Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) complex for tribal members and their families, whose members are in recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs).
• Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, New York: $40,000 for a feasibility study, and for business and capitalization planning, to assist the Tribe with its plans to renovate and re-purpose a historic 92-year old former hydroelectric power dam building as an art park/art gallery.
• Sitka Tribe of Alaska: $35,834 for a feasibility study to determine if a proposed project to create value-added products and ensure a safe, educational tannery experience for tourists visiting Sitka is a good economic opportunity for the Tribe.
• South Fork Band (Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada): $35,000 for a financial feasibility study on its RV park project to provide assurances that the master site development’s third phase has a reasonable chance of financial success, and help ensure the enterprise’s options are economically sustainable over an extended period of time without long-term external subsidies and reconfiguration or delays in the construction and opening of the development.

The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs oversees the Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development, which implements the Indian Energy Resource Development Program under Title V of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. IEED’s mission is to foster stronger American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities by helping federally recognized tribes develop their renewable and nonrenewable energy and mineral resources; increasing access to capital for tribal and individual American Indian- and Alaska Native-owned businesses; assisting tribes in building the legal infrastructure necessary for their economic progress; and enabling tribally and individual AI/AN-owned businesses to take advantage of government and private sector procurement opportunities.

Visit the Indian Affairs website for more information about IEED programs and services.

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WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Tara Katuk Sweeney today hosted the fourth in a series of Reclaiming Our Native Communities roundtables in Rapid City, S.D. The purpose of the roundtables is to hear from tribal leaders, public safety and domestic violence prevention advocates, law enforcement, and health care providers on what the federal government in general and Indian Affairs, in particular, need to do to seriously address the issue of missing and murdered American Indian and Alaska Native women, children and men. Indian Affairs is looking at approaches that seek the reduction of violent crime, tackling the opioid crisis, human trafficking, solving cold cases, and resolving jurisdictional issues across Indian Country.

“Our public safety problems are complex and vary by community, which is why this collaboration is critical to our ability to successfully aid tribes in reclaiming their communities from the scourge of violent crime and domestic violence that threaten Native people and families,” Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney said. “We need to continue to refine our strategies and maximize partnerships to deliver services with limited resources. That is why these roundtables are such valuable opportunities for us to hear directly from tribal leaders, and community professionals and advocates on these matters.”

Joining the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs in speaking to the attendees will be Charles Addington, Deputy Bureau Director - Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, in Washington, D.C., and Timothy LaPointe, Regional Director of the BIA Great Plains Regional Office in Aberdeen, S.D. Other speakers include officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Justice officials, the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Association, the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission, the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs, and the Great Plains Tribal Epidemiology Center.
The challenges that perpetuate the pattern of structural violence are a defining characteristic of life in many tribal communities, such as jurisdictional conflicts, a lack of emergency services, and limited law enforcement resources. The statistics are a stark reminder of the extent of the problem:

• Sixty-one percent of American Indian and Alaska Native women (or three out of five) have been assaulted in their lifetimes, 34 percent of Native women are raped in their lifetimes, and 39 percent are victims of domestic violence. (NCAI Policy Research Center)
• American Indians and Alaska Natives are two-and-a-half times as likely to experience violent crimes – and at least two times more likely to experience rape or sexual assault crimes – compared to all other races. (NCAI Policy Research Center)
• According to a 2010 Government Accountability Office study, United States Attorneys declined to prosecute nearly 52 percent of violent crimes that occur in Indian Country. They also declined to prosecute 67 percent of sexual abuse and related matters that occur in Indian Country. (Report: U.S. Department of Justice Declinations of Indian Country Criminal Matters)
• According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice, nearly 83 percent of Native Americans have experienced some form of violence in their lifetime. That is nearly 3 million people who have experienced aggressive physical or sexual violence.
• Native American female victims are more likely to need services, but are less likely to have access to those services. More than one-third of Native women were unable to receive necessary services at all. (Report: U.S. Department of Justice Declinations of Indian Country Criminal Matters)

Since June of this year, Assistant Secretary Sweeney has been involved with three listening sessions within Indian Country, including Alaska. The first was hosted by the Gila River Indian Community in Sacaton, Ariz., where Trump Administration officials met face-to-face with tribal leaders from across the U.S. to discuss improving public safety in Indian Country and highlight Interior’s commitment to that goal. That engagement, which was well-received, was followed by two more roundtables held in Bethel and Nome, Alaska, in August.

The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs oversees the BIA, the oldest bureau in the Department of the Interior. The BIA director is responsible for managing the bureau’s day-to-day operations through four offices – Indian Services, Justice Services, Trust Services, and Field Operations. These offices directly administer and operate, or fund tribally operated, BIA 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 573 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes through 12 regional offices and 81 agencies.

ANADARKO, Okla. – Today, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Tara Katuk Sweeney praised the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Anadarko Agency for deploying the first Tribal Access Program (TAP) biometric/biographic kiosk workstation. The TAP kiosk will help process finger and palm prints, take mugshots, and access data with the national crime information databases to better ensure the safety of children in foster care. The BIA Anadarko Agency is the first of 28 BIA Agencies to make a newly installed TAP kiosk operational.

Before a Tribe can place a child into foster care, the Native American Children’s Safety of 2016 (NACSA) requires a criminal records check, including a fingerprint-based check of national crime databases of all adults in a home, and a check of tribal and state abuse and neglect registries where the individual has lived in the past five years. The Act also applies to BIA Direct Services Agencies.

The on-site kiosk at Anadarko will enable the Agency’s BIA-Office of Indian Services (BIA-OIS) Social Service Programs and tribal social services program to vet foster parents more proficiently, as required under NACSA, and will provide the Agency’s BIA-Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS) law enforcement personnel direct access to Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Criminal Justice Information Services.

“Participation in the TAP will allow BIA-OJS law enforcement officers the ability to directly access criminal databases to keep tribal communities safe and to protect Native children in the foster care system,” said Assistant Secretary Sweeney. “The Trump Administration is proud to bring this state-of-the-art technology and instrumental resource to our law enforcement and social service agencies.”

“We are proud to partner with BIA-Office of Indian Services to deliver access to the TAP kiosk for the purposes of processing quicker background checks on prospective foster parents,” said BIA-OJS Director Charles Addington. “Ensuring the safety of children and the safety of our tribal communities are our top priorities.”

“We appreciate Assistant Secretary Sweeney and BIA-OJS for making this vital background investigation resource available for our social services programs and tribal social service programs,” said BIA-Office of Indian Services Director Spike Bighorn. “Social workers know firsthand the great importance of quickly placing children in need of our intervention into safe homes and this technology will help us accomplish that for the Native children that we serve and protect.”

The TAP kiosk at the BIA Anadarko Agency will be available for following tribes to process background checks pursuant to the provisions of the NACSA:

1. Apache Tribe of Oklahoma
2. Caddo Nation
3. Comanche Nation
4. Delaware Nation
5. Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma
6. Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma
7. Wichita and Affiliated Tribes

The two remaining BIA social services locations, Northern Cheyenne Agency in Lame Deer, Montana and Northern Pueblos Agency in Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico, will install TAP kiosks within the next year. In partnership with the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation, the BIA-OIS at the Fort Peck Agency will begin using the Tribe’s TAP kiosk in 2020.

BACKGROUND

On October 28, 2018, the DOI and DOJ jointly announced a dramatic expansion of DOJ’s TAP, which is offered in two versions, TAP-FULL (with a kiosk) and TAP-LIGHT (without a kiosk), at BIA Agencies. In addition to the three BIA Agencies identified to receive the TAP-FULL Kiosk, 28 BIA-OJS Agencies, including Detention Centers, will gain access to the TAP-LIGHT version by the end of FY 2020. At these agency sites, BIA law enforcement provides service and support to 64 tribes, and of these tribes, 53 tribes did not have any direct or local access to TAP at the time of the October announcement.

The TAP is the federal government’s key program that provides tribes with access to the national crime information databases, including the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), Next Generation Identification (NGI), National Data Exchange (N-DEx), National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal (LEEP) as well as other national systems such as the International Justice and Public Safety Network (Nlets).

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