WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), Vice Chairman of the Committee, led an oversight hearing to examine Native communities’ priorities for the 119th Congress.
“We are following a long tradition in this Committee – kicking off the new Congress with a hearing focusing on Native communities’ priorities,” said Chairman Murkowski. “This Committee is the only Committee in Congress that has the charge to serve the interests of Native people across the federal government. And it’s one I take seriously. The way we live up to that charge is we always listen first. By listening to you as Native leaders highlight what is important to your communities and the work you are doing, the Committee can ensure our work aligns. That way we can make progress together on your most pressing priorities. This approach works.”
“As the strongest voice for Native priorities in Congress, this Committee has a responsibility to engage with and represent your interests – not just in Congress, but across the federal government,” said Vice Chairman Schatz to the hearing’s witnesses. “We made historic, bipartisan gains over the last four years to advance federal support for Native communities. That work would not have been possible without your partnership. That’s why it’s so important to have our first order of business in the 119th Congress be to put Native communities’ priorities directly in the spotlight. As in prior Congresses, today’s priorities hearing is a real opportunity to align the Committee’s efforts with the hard work you all are doing on the ground.”
Senator Murkowski also spoke to recent actions by the new administration, including new Executive Orders and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directives, which have caused concerns among Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and American Indians.
“Some of these actions, I know, caused you to raise concerns, as tribes and Native communities rely on federal funding and on tribal programs that flow from the federal government’s trust, treaty and statutory obligations to Native peoples,” said Murkowski. “Know we are listening. I immediately raised your concerns to the new administration at every chance I got including in my meetings with the president’s nominees. I have also sent a letter to OMB urging them to acknowledge that tribes have a unique political status and to clarify across the federal government that as the administration carries out its initiatives it does so in a way that respects this unique political status and the federal government’s responsibilities to Native people.”
The opening statements delivered by Chairman Murkowski and Vice Chairman Schatz can be found here.
The following witnesses participated in the oversight hearing:
- The Honorable Mark Macarro, President, National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), Washington, D.C.
- The Honorable William Smith, Valdez Native Tribe, Chairperson and Alaska Area Representative, National Indian Health Board (NIHB), Washington, D.C.
- The Honorable Rodney Butler, Board President, Native American Financial Officers Association (NAFOA), Washington, D.C.
- Mr. Kerry Bird, Board President, National Indian Education Association (NIEA), Washington, D.C.
- Mr. Kūhiō Lewis, Chief Executive Officer, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Kapolei, HI
The Committee will continue to accept written testimony until February 26, 2025. Testimony may be submitted to [email protected].
