The first general assembly of the National Congress of American Indians executive council winter session in Washington DC is about to begin! @NCAI1944 #NCAI #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/9Tx7xPuik9

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

Learn more about NCAIs first major meeting of the new year and find the agenda here. https://t.co/NfMww6FJvL

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

Posting of the flags and colors by Native veterans as National Congress of American Indians opens executive council winter session in Washington DC. @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/NEvGyg2gdC

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“We’ve had a strong unified response”: National Congress of American Indians President Mark Macarro says tribal organizations have come together as @NCAI1944 opens winter meeting in Washington DC. #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/jUgbx6vfEv

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“We dig in our heels because tribal sovereignty is non-negotiable”: National Congress of American Indians President Mark Macarro says tribes are continuing to look for allies in Washington DC amid rapid changes in the political landscape. @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/P4tCCzqmyi

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“Minnesota is a place of Native strength and power”: Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minnesota) gives shoutout to Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (D) and American Indian Movement at National Congress of American Indians meeting in Washington DC. @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 @SenTinaSmith pic.twitter.com/NAC8EIMkdA

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“We’re going to build on the good progress we’ve made”: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Chair of Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, has been working to ensure Trump administration recognizes trust and treaty responsibilities. @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 @lisamurkowski @IndianCommittee pic.twitter.com/m7vSeY7uL6

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“There will undoubtedly be additional attempts to go after federal dollars that are rightfully ours”: National Congress of American Indians Executive Director Larry Wright Jr says @NCAI1944 stands ready to protect tribal sovereignty and nation-to-nation relationship. #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/kRTqEk0e2Y

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

Pedro Torres, from Natural Resources Conservation Service at US Department of Agriculture, is one of few federal government employees making an appearance at National Congress of American Indians executive council winter session in Washington DC. @NCAI1944 @USDA_NRCS #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/eUrjFAxHx3

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

The Natural Resources Conservation Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently adopted a National Tribal Strategy. It contains six action items. Learn more about the work of @USDA_NRCS at @USDA. @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 https://t.co/aZ0W18XyMH

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs has received assurances from Depts. of Interior, Education & Health and Human Services about exempting Indian Country programs from Trump’s executive orders, says Amber Ebarb (Tlingit), Staff Director for @IndianCommittee. @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/mUtB2wdX5F

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“The Vice Chair & the Chair stand shoulder to shoulder”: Jennifer Romero, Democratic Staff Director for Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Vice Chair of Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, on bipartisanship at National Congress of American Indians in Washington DC. #ECWS2025 @NCAI1944 pic.twitter.com/quObgQ9i0d

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“They’re still not putting out all of the funding”: Despite court orders, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey), ranking member of House Energy and Commerce Committee, says Indian Country programs remain at risk from funding freeze. @FrankPallone @EnergyCommerce @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/ku1MwHazDh

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“Some of the freezes are still in place”: Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota), member of House Committee on Appropriations, warns of ongoing impacts to Indian Country amid funding freeze imposed by President Donald Trump. @BettyMcCollum04 @AppropsDems @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/kDjfeear4N

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

Tribal leaders and tribal advocates on panel discussing Department of the Treasury, Tribal Taxation and Tribal General Welfare at National Congress of American Indians #ECWS2025. @NCAI1944 @IndianGaming85 @nafoaorg pic.twitter.com/89vQx4LQq0

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“ICWA Works”: Rosa Alvarez, Secretary of Pascua Yaqui Tribe, says Tiwahe Initiative, a funding program at Bureau of Indian Affairs, has helped protect and defend Indian Child Welfare Act.#ICWA #DefendICWA #ProtectICWA @pytribe @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/9NlMm7AvS0

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“Go back to your tribes. Ask about the funding for Tiwahe”: Crystal Keung (Maori) says tribal social service and Indian Child Welfare Act funds have increased through Tiwahe Initiative at Bureau of Indian Affairs. @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 #ICWA #DefendICWA #ProtectICWA pic.twitter.com/cItHZmc4LB

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“We’re being very conservative with our funds. We’re being extremely conservative”: Jennifer Finley, council member for Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, on impacts of federal funding freeze in Indian Country. @CSKTCouncil @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/2Dz33Dg5Jr

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“We requested those funds on Tuesday. On Wednesday we didn’t get anything. On Thursday we didn’t get anything”: Secretary/Treasurer Leonard Fineday of Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe says drawdowns promised to tribes have been slow amid funding freeze. @OfficialLLBO @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/vMD4pLyesz

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“Those funds are still frozen”: Chairman Ryman LeBeau of Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe says Department of Energy grants are still inaccessible to Indian Country due to Trump administration’s funding freeze. @Officialcrst1 @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/yyggM9ZOuK

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“I think it’s just a matter of time. One of us is going to get deported”: Jennifer Finley, council member for Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, says @CSKTCouncil has made tribal IDs free to CSKT citizens amid federal immigration raids. @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/lUW5xL3MgQ

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“At the heart of that was to create fear. That’s the playbook. That’s the intent”: Leonard Fineday, Secretary/Treasurer for Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, says tribes have to battle misinformation as they respond to immigration raids & other actions. @OfficialLLBO @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/ry06AqtCFG

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

Geoffrey Blackwell, Chief of Staff for National Congress of American Indians, reminds the crowd: the US Constitution recognizes the inherent sovereignty of tribes. State sovereignty, on the other hand, is created by the US Constitution. @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/2arGsMuuPV

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“All of their agencies have the treaty and trust responsibility”: Chairman Ryman LeBeau of Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe points out that treaties are signed on a nation-to-nation basis, so obligations fall on the entire U.S. government. @Officialcrst1 @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/rtHr9EHMdp

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“America owes us. America has trust responsibilities they need to be held accounted for”: Jennifer Finley, council member for Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, calls on Indian Country to speak out about the promises owed to tribal nations. @CSKTCouncil @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 pic.twitter.com/XQtU3WhYH1

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025