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Sweeping recognition reform bill offered
The leaders of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee introduced a bipartisan measure this week to reform federal recognition but unlike earlier proposals, the bill doesn't strip the Bureau of Indian Affairs of its role in the controversial process....
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In The Hoop: Winners, Losers
Is it Friday already? That means it's time for the weekly list of the movers and shakers in Indian Country and beyond....
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Bush management initiative impacts IHS employees
The Bush administration is moving to consolidate certain Indian Health Service (IHS) functions in order to cut costs and employees throughout Indian Country....
Study advocates keeping nuclear waste aboveground
The National Academy of Sciences released a report on Thursday that advocates aboveground storage of radioactive nuclear waste at the Yucca Mountain site in Nevada....
Town leader objects to reservation toll booths
A town leader in southeastern Connecticut said state lawmakers first suggested putting tolls at roads leading to two reservations then decided it would be better to place them at the exits....
Minn. reservation man sentenced for fatal crash
A man from the Red Lake Ojibwe Reservation in Minnesota was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for causing a car crash that killed a 16-year-old girl....
Opponents to Shinnecock proposal get organized
Residents in the Hamptons of Long Island are mobilizing to oppose a possible casino on the Shinnecock Reservation in New York....
Mohegan Tribe accused of ignoring Indian preference
A member of the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut says tribal members are being denied jobs and employment opportunities....
'Chief' school opens Native American House
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, criticized for its "Chief Illiniwek" mascot, has a new Native American House....
Eastern Pequot Tribe finalizes new constitution
The newly recognized historic Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut has finalized a constitution that brings together two factions of the tribe....
New Blackfeet chairman appointed amid turmoil
The Blackfeet Nation council appointed a new chairman on Thursday....
Miccosukee Tribe's case up for Supreme Court review
The Supreme Court is being asked to review whether the state of Florida can pump dirty water into the Everglades....
Navajo Supreme Court debates tribal jurisdiction
The Navajo Nation Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Thursday in a case testing the limits of tribal jurisdiction....
Accused killer's trial getting 'edgier' every day
The murder trial of a man accused of raping and killing an Alaska Native woman is getting "edgier" by the day, The Anchorage Daily News reports....
Bush budget cuts funds for water project
President Bush's fiscal year 2004 budget limits funds for tribal-rural water project in South Dakota....
Tribe says critical police funds not in budget
President Bush's fiscal year 2004 budget scales back funds for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program....
Indian children in Mont. die at high rates
Montana's Indian children have the higher death rate in the state, according to state statistics....
HUD: Wash. tribe misused housing funds
The Tulalip Tribes of Washington has been ordered to pay $1.18 million in housing funds that were allegedly used to pay for night vision goggles, fleece vests whale-watching trips and other unauthorized travel....
DOJ lawyers accused of cover-up in trust case
The federal judge overseeing the trust fund blasted Department of Justice lawyers for blocking inquiries into the credibility of a key witness and their own role in the debacle....
Ariz. city's relations with Navajos are strained
A business owner in Page, Arizona, is making national headlines for telling his Navajo employees not to speak Navajo on the job....
S.D. tribe won't force members to testify
A grand jury in South Dakota is set to hear testimony in a case alleging voter fraud among American Indians....
Deal brokered to save some of Dann livestock
A last minute deal was brokered on Thursday to try and save livestock belonging to two Western Shoshone sisters in Nevada who have defied federal orders to pay millions of dollars in grazing fees....
Hundreds turn out to protest police brutality
A larger than expected crowd marched on city hall in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to protest police brutality against American Indians....
Plan to redraw Indian districts 'unconstitutional'
Montana attorney general Mike McGrath said a bill that nixes a redistricting plan with seven Indian-majority voting districts is unconstitutional....
Kaw Nation plans year of cultural events
The Kaw Nation of Oklahoma kicked off the 12th annual Kaw Councils on Thursday....
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Trust fund judge sanctions 'repugnant behavior'
Six Department of Justice attorneys were personally sanctioned by a federal judge on Wednesday for attempting to "cover up" their role in the botched deposition of a senior trust official....
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Senate panel schedules hearing for Ross Swimmer
The Senate Indian Affairs Committee will hold a confirmation hearing on February 12 for Department of Interior nominee Ross Swimmer....
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Group sees momentum to recover Indian lands
When Cris Stainbrook makes a presentation, he likes to document the gradual loss of the Indian land base with a map of the United States....
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Indian affairs commission sought in Indiana
A group of American Indians in Indiana staged a rally on Wednesday to call for the creation of a state Indian affairs commission....
For Norton, the problems remain the same
The General Accounting Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, released a report last week outlining performance initiatives at the Department of Interior....
Senate starts floor debate on Bush judge
The Senate on Wednesday began debate on one of President Bush's controversial judicial nominees....
White House threatens veto on spending bill
The White House told lawmakers it will veto the omnibus spending bill still being considered by both chambers of Congress....
First hand of new blackjack dealt at 5:12 a.m.
Blackjack became legal at Arizona's tribal casinos on Wednesday, with reports of big crowds and heavy gambling....
Old Army site would be transferred to state
The General Services Administration is seeking public comment on plans to transfer an old Army site to the state of Kansas....
Bison stressed out by snowmobiles in park
Biologists have recorded elevated levels of stress hormones in bison in Yellowstone National Park, according to The Washington Post....
Shirley speech doesn't impress all Navajo delegates
Some Navajo Nation council delegates weren't satisfied with President Joe Shirley's recent tribal address....
Bill expands storage at nuke facility near reservation
Lawmakers in Minnesota have introduced a bill to allow more nuclear waste to be stored at a facility near the Prairie Island Dakota Reservation....
Some in Utah seek alternative to tribe's waste plan
Fearing federal approval of a nuclear waste site on the Skull Valley Goshute Reservation, some in Utah are advocating a "Plan B" to start a state-controlled repository....
Ariz. tribe settles water rights case with U.S.
The Gila River Tribe of Arizona will retain rights to more than 212 billion gallons of water under a settlement with the federal government....
Bill provides tax exemption to Eskimo whalers
The Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday approved a measure to allow Eskimo whalers in Alaska to claim tax exemptions on whale hunts....
Miccosukee Tribe seeks end to state police power
New legislation under consideration in the Florida Legislature would prevent state jurisdiction over crimes on the Miccosukee Tribe's land....
Three killed in accident with road grader
Three men were killed on Wednesday in an accident on San Felipe Pueblo....
Drama continues in accused killer's trial
A witness in the murder trial of a man accused of raping and murdering an Alaska Native woman tested the patience of the court and got into shouting matches with a defense attorney, The Anchorage Daily News reported....
Brother of ex-Crow chairman given probation
A federal judge in Montana sentenced the brother of former Crow chairman Clifford Bird in Ground to three years of probation for his role in a tribal fraud and bribery case....
Judge calls ex-BIA employee 'disgrace' to tribe
A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced a former Bureau of Indian Affairs employee to 18 months in jail for rigging government contracts....
Judge orders another round of Erwin testimony
The federal judge overseeing the Indian trust fund case on Wednesday ordered acting special trustee Donna Erwin to submit to another round of questioning....
The Vegas Guy: Tribe is not 'real Indians'
"In the ongoing battle between Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun to see who can control New England gambling, I'm rooting a little bit more for the Mohegans....
Indian lawmakers in Mont. oppose English only law
A Montana state legislative committee heard testimony on Tuesday on a bill to repeal the state's "English only" law....
DOJ lawyer in Cobell case is Bush friend
One of the Department of Justice attorneys sanctioned by a federal judge on Wednesday for his handling of the trust fund case is a personal friend of President Bush, The Washington Post reports....
Litefoot encourages youth through spirituality
Cherokee actor and hip-hop mogul Litefoot spoke to members of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, encouraging youth to keep their faith and spirit alive....
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Tribes seek positive portrayal of Indian gaming
Still reeling from media reports critical of the $12 billion Indian gaming industry, tribes are planning a national public relations campaign to tell the "true story" of their success....
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Tribes told to explore health funding options
Citing a limited budget, the head of the Indian Health Service (IHS) urged tribes on Tuesday to bolster their health care systems with a broader range of federal funds....
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Pressure on recognition not reflected in budget
President Bush's new budget doesn't include funds to help newly recognized tribes join the family of tribal nations, Bureau of Indian Affairs officials confirmed this week....
Campbell proposals seek reform at BIA and IHS
Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colorado) has introduced four bills to reform parts of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Indian Health Service (IHS)....
House considers omnibus appropriations bill
President Bush has released his spending plans for fiscal year 2004 but Congress has yet to pass this year's budget....
Ariz. tribes get final approval for compacts
Final approval of new tribal gaming compacts in Arizona will be published in the Federal Register today....
Denied Conn. tribe considers new round of suits
The Golden Hill Paugussett Tribe might revive its claim to more than 700,000 acres of land in Connecticut and file a lawsuit alleging state mismanagement of its trust lands....
Editorial: Consider reservation toll booth
A proposal to put toll booths on roads leading to two Connecticut reservations "deserves further exploration," The Norwich Bulletin says in an editorial today....
Navajo chapter governments to receive sales receipts
A change in Navajo Nation policy will allow chapter governments to receive their share of a tribal-wide sales tax....
Rich in revenue, tribes preach restraint
Leaders of two Connecticut tribes, whose casinos have made them among the most successful in the world, are urging restraint in spending, The New London Day reports....
Budget funds tribal-regional water project
The fiscal year 2004 budget includes $58 million for the Animas-La Plata Project....
S.D. group envisions pow-wow support network
A group called Cante Waste Kawita Aun Kte Wacipi, "Getting together in a good-hearted way to dance," is bringing a monthly pow-wow to Rapid City, South Dakota....
License exemption for Native healers sought
A North Dakota lawmaker has introduced a bill to allow traditional Native healers to practice massage without a license....
Forum addresses community-police relations
American Indians in Minneapolis, Minnesota, attended a forum on Tuesday to air complaints with the local police....
Seminole Tribe seeks out of gaming deal
The Seminole Tribe of Florida is asking a federal court to vacate an agreement made with a gaming company for a casino that is bringing in more money than anyone expected....
Eskimo village man missing since last week
Rescue teams have been searching for a man from an Eskimo village in northwest Alaska who hasn't been seen since Thursday....
Library seeks to preserve Alaska Native recordings
The Noel Wien Public Library in Fairbanks has embarked on a $12,000 project to preserve two collections of recordings of Alaska Natives....
Northern Cheyenne president suspended by council
Geri Small, the first woman president of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Montana, was suspended without pay by the tribal council on Tuesday....
Discussions sought to resolve tribal tax issue
The Navajo Nation's new attorney general says the tribe is hoping to resolve a tax dispute with the state of New Mexico....
BIA schools set to be replaced under Bush budget
At least seven Bureau of Indian Affairs schools will receive replacement construction funds in fiscal year 2004....
Column: On environment, Norton shows her fangs
"The Bush administration picked a sunny day, with the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge as a bracing photo backdrop, to put a smiling face on its controversial environmental policies.
The face belonged to Interior Secretary Gale Norton, who at her appearance yesterday linked President Bush with the Republicans' greatest conservationist, Theodore Roosevelt, and peppered her remarks with references to "communication," "consultation" and "cooperation."
Norton did, however, flash the drill-bit teeth of Bush energy policies....
Tribal college receives $20,000 NASA grant
The Sinte Gleska University on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota will receive a $20,000 grant from NASA to develop ways to educate the Native American community on climate change, Senator Tom Daschle (D-South Dakota) said....
Pot tribal chairman suppresses opponents
Citizen Potatawatomi Chairman John "Rocky" Barrett has blocked the views of his political opponents and is behind a push to charge seven tribal members with criminal violations, The Daily Oklahoman reports....
Navajo school project faces challenges
The first phase of a school construction project at a Navajo Nation is finally set to open after problems and delays but future hurdles remain....
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New Bush budget aims to improve trust fund
The Bush administration on Monday proposed historic increases to carry out its trust reform initiatives but, in a repeat of the current budget, little else in terms of Indian programs at the Department of Interior....
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Court says U.S. can protect tribe's interests
A federal appeals court on Monday rejected a South Dakota tribe's bid to become a party to a 10-year dispute that threatens its land base....
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IHS budget 'targeted' to meet specific needs
Diabetes treatment, contract health services and sanitation improvement were the highlights of the Indian Health Service (IHS) budget released on Monday....
BIA tangles said to inhibit economic development
Entrepreneurs on the Navajo Nation have to go through a lengthy bureaucratic process to get their business leases approved....
Toll booths sought at Conn. reservations
A lawmaker in Connecticut has proposed a bill to add a $10 toll to enter two of the state's reservations....
Yellow Bird: Astronauts were elite, courageous
"In isolated areas, we are sometimes insulated from national incidents....
Lakota actor ready to take on Hollywood
Fresh off two back-to-back parts, and that bit in "Thunderheart" starring Val "I'm an Indian too" Kilmer, Lakota actor Moses Brings Plenty is ready for bigger and brighter things in Hollywood....
Crow reservation man jailed again for DUI
A man from the Crow Reservation of Montana is facing his ninth DUI conviction in state court....
Mont. bill seeks Indian preference at schools
A Montana legislative committee held a hearing on Monday to address a bill that would give school districts with more than 50 percent Indian students the option to give hiring preference to Indians....
Bush budget heavy on defense and deficit
President Bush on Monday rolled out a $2.23 billion budget built on increased defense spending, tax cuts and a deficit....
Editorial: Massacre needs to be remembered
The January 28, 1863, massacre of at least 250 men, women and children of the Northwestern Shoshone Tribe needs to be "burned into our collective memory," The Salt Lake Tribune says in an editorial....
Ariz. city gives nod to water settlement
The Tucson city council has approved a water rights settlement with members of the Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona....
Canadian woman wins Hoop Dance championship
Lisa Odjig, a Odawa-Ojibwe woman from Canada, won the 13th annual World Hoop Dance Contest....
Ojibwe tribe in Minn. has many ties to Harvard
An incredible number of White Earth Ojibwe tribal members and reservation residents have gone to college at Harvard University, The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports....
A record number of Indians on governor's list
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (D) has appointed more than 30 tribal members to top positions in his administration....
S.D. Sioux tribe fights state subpoenas
The state of South Dakota has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, seeking enforcement of subpoenas on the reservation....
Alaska Native education program slashed by $10M
President Bush's 2004 budget request cuts $10 million from an Alaska Native education program....
Bush budget cuts funds at tribal college
The president of a tribal college in North Dakota blasted the Bush administration's new budget on Monday for cutting funds to his institution....
Appeals court sets hearing for contempt appeal
The DC Circuit Court of Appeals has scheduled oral arguments in the Cobell trust fund case....
Flathead council members won't be removed
An attempt to remove three Flathead Nation council members who supported a controversial blood quantum referendum has been squashed....
Accused killer's trial filled with 'minidramas'
The murder trial of a man accused of raping and killing an Alaska Native woman is filled with "minidramas," The Anchorage Daily News reports....
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In address, Hall invokes the seven generations
The leader of the largest inter-tribal organization on Friday delivered what was billed as the first ever State of the Indian Nations address, calling on the federal government to honor its obligations to American Indians and Alaska Natives....
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Court asked to reject Bush accounting plan
The plaintiffs in the billion dollar trust fund lawsuit filed court papers on Friday challenging the Bush administration's attempt to limit an accounting owed to more than 500,000 American Indians....
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The Week in Review
Senate renews fight over President Bush's judicial nominees, Neal McCaleb criticized in court investigator's report, taxation issues vex Indian Country and police in Minneapolis accused of brutality....
Tribal members react to Columbia tragedy
Tribal members in Washington grieved with the nation as it reacted to the deaths of seven astronauts who were aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia when it disintegrated upon re-entry on Saturday....
Neb. report focuses on disparities in justice
Native Americans in Nebraska are 3.4 times more likely to be arrested than whites and are incarcerated at higher rates than whites, according to the results of a comprehensive two-year study....
Cleanup of uranium mines on reservation sought
Government scientists and Navajo community members met last week to discuss uranium mine problems on the Navajo Nation....
Conviction of Indian man for eagle feathers upheld
A federal appeals court on Friday upheld the conviction of a Native man who brought eagle feathers and parts into the United States from Canada....
Tribal member never apologizes for success
John McCoy, a member of the Tulalip Tribes of Washington and the only Native American currently serving in the state Legislature, tells young people never to apologize for being successful....
Yellow Bird: Through diversity comes unity
"Is the purpose of diversity training helpful to those exposed, or can those ideas be detrimental in uniting a nation? A recent Minnesota Public Radio survey found that 83 percent of listeners found diversity among the population a good aspect of society - that was good to hear, because I agree....
Mont. Indian district plan targeted by GOPs
Montana Republicans moved forward a bill to kill a redistricting plan that creates seven Indian-majority voting districts....
Film examines taking of Aboriginal children
Australia's painful treatment of its Aboriginal population is examined in a movie that is playing in the United States....
Mescalero president tries to remove foes
The president of the Mescalero Apache Nation of New Mexico is seeking to remove two political opponents from the tribal council....
Senate budget bill funds Lummi cultural center
The Senate's version of the 2003 budget bill includes $100,000 to fund a cultural center for the Lummi Tribe of Washington....
Dine coalition seeks to be included in efforts
Water rights, land use, mining and government reform are the top priorities of the Dine Bidzill Coalition, which represents 23 grassroot organizations throughout the Navajo Nation....
Basket collection returned to Chehalis Tribes
A collection of 70 baskets and other items dating to the late 1800s is being returned to the Confederated Chehalis Tribes of Washington....
Tlingit woman to receive honor from Queen
The Canadian government is bestowing a royal honor upon Bessie Cooley for her efforts to promote the Tlingit language....
Seminole Nation in court to keep casino open
The Seminole Nation is in federal court today to prevent federal prosecutors from shutting down its casinos....
Kiowa Tribe told to shape up . . . by BIA
The Bureau of Indian Affairs has given the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma to clean up its affairs within 45 days or lose control of three federally funded programs....
Bush rolls out $2.25 trillion federal budget
President Bush today will release a $2.25 trillion budget to fund the federal agencies....
Norton again refuses to pay court official
Attorneys for Secretary of Interior Gale Norton are refusing to compensate a court official for work he has done on the Indian trust fund lawsuit....
ANWR opponents challenge Senate maneuvers
Six Republicans in the Senate said they oppose GOP efforts to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas development....
Land group seeking input from Indian Country
The Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF) has issued its first Request for Proposals (RFP) and is conducting a survey seeking the opinion of Indian people throughout Indian Country....
Prospect of casino sets off buying flurry
A small Indian allotment in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was recently leased for $72,000 a year by the Seminole Nation....
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2 'At this rate the entire tribe will be extinct': Zuni Pueblo sees COVID-19 cases double as first death is confirmed
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