With the 111th Congress winding down, tribes are focusing on their priorities for the next session.

Republicans will be in charge of the House while Democrats retain control of the Senate. But tribal issues are bipartisan, National Congress of American Indians executive director Jackie Johnson Pata said.

"We have a lot of candidates on both sides of the aisle that work for Indian Country, and we know that our issues never get passed in Congress without support of one side or another," Johnson Pata said at NCAI's 67th annual convention, The Albuquerque Journal reported. "There are some issues that we have a tougher time with when Democrats are in leadership, and there are other issues we'll have a tougher time with when Republicans are in leadership."

In the next Congress, tribes will focus on health care, infrastructure, education and energy, Johnson Pata said.

Get the Story:
Indian Leaders: Our Support's Bipartisan (The Albuquerque Journal 11/16)

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