NCAI President Cladoosby gives first State of Indian Nations

Thursday, January 30, 2014  

Brian Cladoosby, the new president of the National Congress of American Indians, delivered his first State of Indian Nations address today.

The speech was Cladoosby's first major address since being elected president last October. He discussed some of the challenges facing tribal nations, including the exclusion of Alaska from the Violence Against Women Act, the devastating impacts of sequestration in Indian Country, the negative effects of racist mascots on Indian children and two cases that hinder the land-into-trust process -- the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Big Lagoon Rancheria v. California.

Cladoosby also discussed some of the successes. He noted that tribes are major economic engines in rural areas of the country and that they have taken the lead on issues like climate change.

Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana), who is slated to chair the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, gave a Congressional response immediately following Cladoosby's remarks. He highlighted S.1570, a bill that would provide forward funding to the Indian Health Service.

The entire ceremony lasted about one hour and 12 minutes. Audio can be found on the Indianz.Com SoundCloud.