Witness list for Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing on self-determination

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A totem at home in the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in Room 628 of the Senate Dirksen Office Building in Washington, D.C. Photo by Indianz.Com (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Indianz.Com

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is observing a significant milestone in the era of self-determination and self-governance.

The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act became law 50 years ago in 1975. Since then, tribes have asserted greater control of their affairs by operating programs previously managed by federal agencies.

In observation of the 50th anniversary, the committee is holding an oversight hearing on Wednesday afternoon titled “Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act Successes and Opportunities at the Department of the Interior and the Indian Health Service.” A panel of tribal and federal witnesses are slated to testify about the law and its impacts on federal programs at the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Indian Health Service (IHS), which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The hearing takes place at 2:30pm Eastern in Room 628 of the Senate Dirksen Office Building in Washington, D.C. The witness list follows:

Mr. Kennis Bellmard [TESTIMONY]
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Economic Development
U.S. Department of the Interior
Washington, DC

Mr. Benjamin Smith [TESTIMONY]
Acting Director, Indian Health Service
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Washington, DC

The Honorable Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. [TESTIMONY]
Principal Chief
Cherokee Nation
Tahlequah, Oklahoma

Mr. Victor Joseph [TESTIMONY]
Executive Director
Tanana Tribal Council
Tanana, Alaska

Mr. Jay Spaan [TESTIMONY]
Executive Director
Self-Governance Communication and Education Tribal Consortium
Tulsa, Oklahoma

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Notice

Oversight Hearing entitled “Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act Successes and Opportunities at the Department of the Interior and the Indian Health Service” (September 17, 2025)