Indianz.Com > News > Tribal consultation bill finally set for movement on Capitol Hill
Tribal consultation bill finally set for movement on Capitol Hill
Monday, March 28, 2022
Indianz.Com
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tribal leaders and tribal organizations are rallying in support of a bill that mandates — for the first time — consultation with Indian nations on actions that affect their interests.
In 2000, then-president Bill Clinton issued an executive order that requires federal agencies to consult with tribal governments.
Despite the requirement, which was reaffirmed by President Joe Biden shortly after he took office in January 2021, Indian Country has frequently complained of lapses in consultation, as well as an inability to hold the United States accountable for its trust and treaty responsibilities.
H.R.3587, the Requirements, Expectations, and Standard Procedures for Effective Consultation with Tribes Act, seeks to solidify the consultation requirement. The bill, also known as the RESPECT Act, would ensure that changes in presidential administrations don’t affect the U.S. government’s legal obligations to tribes and their citizens.
“Tribal consultation is not a ‘Dear Tribal Leader’ letter or a voicemail, it is the bedrock of the federal Indian trust responsibility,” said
Gay Kingman, the the long-serving executive director of the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Association, one of the many organizations supporting H.R.3587.
“The RESPECT Act embodies that and will bring the United States government closer than it has ever been to adhering to the values it has long espoused but so often ignored,” said Kingman, a citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.
The Honorable Amber Torres
Chairman
Walker River Paiute Tribe Matthew Fletcher
Director & Professor of Law
Indigenous Law and Policy Center
Michigan State University College of Law Drew McConville
Senior Managing Director for Government Relations
The Wilderness Society Richard “Rico” Frias
Executive Director
NAFOA Raquel Dominguez
Policy Associate
Earthworks Chris Topoleski
Legislative Director
National Indian Education Association
The press conference takes place at 11am Eastern in Room 1334 of the Longworth House Office Building, marking a return to in-person events for the House Committee on Natural Resources following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago. A livestream is expected to be available on Facebook.
The event also comes after a major loss in the U.S. Congress. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), a long-time champion for Indian Country, passed away on March 18, only a day after what turned out to be his final appearance at the committee. He was 88 years old.
In the 117th Congress, Young was the highest-ranking Republican on the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States. Previously, he was chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, where he frequently advocated for American Indians and Alaska Natives, including their right to be be consulted on decisions affecting their interests.
Chairman
Walker River Paiute Tribe Matthew Fletcher
Director & Professor of Law
Indigenous Law and Policy Center
Michigan State University College of Law Drew McConville
Senior Managing Director for Government Relations
The Wilderness Society Richard “Rico” Frias
Executive Director
NAFOA Raquel Dominguez
Policy Associate
Earthworks Chris Topoleski
Legislative Director
National Indian Education Association
Related Stories
POSTPONED: House Committee on Natural Resources Markup (March 16, 2022)House Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States Legislative Hearing (May 21, 2021)
House Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States Legislative Hearing (May 21, 2021)
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