{"id":4797,"date":"2020-11-18T14:22:46","date_gmt":"2020-11-18T20:22:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=4797"},"modified":"2020-11-18T14:28:17","modified_gmt":"2020-11-18T20:28:17","slug":"tribes-await-action-on-priorities-as-congress-returns-to-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2020\/11\/18\/tribes-await-action-on-priorities-as-congress-returns-to-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Tribes await action on priorities as Congress returns to work"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The U.S. House of Representatives debates H.R.1964, the Lumbee Recognition Act, on November 16, 2020.H.R.1964 extends federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe…<\/p>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t

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Indianz.Com Video: H.R.1964, Lumbee Recognition Act<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n
Tribes await action on priorities as Congress returns to work<\/div>\r\n
Wednesday, November 18, 2020<\/div>\r\n
By Acee Agoyo<\/div>\r\n
Indianz.Com<\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nLawmakers are getting back to work after a long recess and a divisive election as time runs out to advance Indian Country’s legislative agenda.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nFollowing an absence of nearly two months, the Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives<\/a> reconvened on Monday and quickly passed H.R.1964<\/a>, the Lumbee Recognition Act. The bipartisan bill extends federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe<\/a>, the largest Indian nation east of the Mississippi.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cMy people have been praying patiently for a long time, and with today\u2019s vote, the House of Representatives took a giant step toward our goal,\u201d Chairman Harvey Godwin, Jr. said after the chamber passed H.R.1964 under a suspension of the rules<\/a>, meaning no objections.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n \u201cI am pleased beyond words,\u201d added Godwin, whose tribe has seen seeking federal recognition<\/a> for more than a century\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe ball kept rolling on Tuesday<\/a>. As COVID-19 continues to impact Indian Country<\/a> at disproportionate rates, the House passed the FEMA Assistance Relief Act, a measure that requires the federal government to pay for 100 percent of emergency costs incurred by tribes during the crisis.\r\n

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Tribal communities, including the Navajo Nation, have been among the hardest hit by COVID. After months of inaction by this Administration, today the House passed a bill to significantly help tribal nations with the financial burden of fighting this virus. https:\/\/t.co\/bmgdXpA8BT<\/p>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t

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<\/p>\r\n\u201cTribal communities, including the Navajo Nation, have been among the hardest hit by COVID-19,” said Rep. Greg Stanton<\/a> (D-Arizona), a co-sponsor of H.R.8266<\/a>. \u201cAs cases surge to record levels across the country, the federal government has a duty to leverage the full weight of its resources to help tribal communities battle this pandemic.\u201d\r\n

<\/p>\r\nAlso securing passage on Tuesday was H.R.2610<\/a>, the Fraud and Scam Reduction Act. The bill includes provisions to ensure tribes can protect their citizens from fraudulent activities, reports of which have risen dramatically during the health crisis.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cAs Congress tackles the threat of scams that have sharply risen since the onset of the pandemic, I\u2019m proud to have worked across the aisle to secure legislation to identify scams targeting Indian Country and to provide a roadmap for Congress to take additional action to end these fraudulent schemes,\u201d said Rep. Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n<\/a> (D-New Mexico), whose Protecting Indian Tribes from Scams Act, introduced as H.R.8127<\/a>, was inserted into the larger bill.\r\n

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NEWS: The House just passed bipartisan legislation to tackle the surge of scams during this pandemic. This package will protect Americans\u2019 hard-earned savings and personal information from unscrupulous individuals and companies.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t

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<\/P>\r\nElsewhere on Capitol Hill, members of the U.S. Senate<\/a>, which is in Republican hands, have returned to work too. The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs<\/a> convened on Wednesday afternoon for the first time in nearly two months.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nAt a business meeting<\/a>, lawmakers advanced four measures, bringing them on step closer to passage on the Senate floor. Committee members also touted the introduction of a symbolic resolution to recognize November as National Native American Heritage Month<\/a>.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cFrom their distinguished service in the Armed forces, to their contributions as teachers, doctors, lawyers, artists, and entrepreneurs, Native Americans continue to play a crucial role in the growth and success of the United States,\u201d said Sen. John Hoeven<\/a> (R-North Dakota), the chairman of the legislative panel. \r\n

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TODAY: Senate Committee on Indian Affairs meets at 2:30pm Eastern. Bills on agenda: * S.790, Catawba Nation land * S.3264, Bridging the Tribal Digital Divide Act \u2022 S.4079, Seminole Tribe land \u2022 S.4556, Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center @IndianCommittee https:\/\/t.co\/5yYdC3Qsjg<\/p>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t

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<\/p>\r\n\u201cDuring Native American Heritage Month, we celebrate the resilience, history and contributions of Native Americans in New Mexico and around the country,\u201d added Sen. Tom Udall<\/a> (D-New Mexico), the vice chairman of the committee. \u201cThis month is a call to reflect on the ways American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians have shaped our society, and to recommit to upholding our trust and treaty obligations.\u201d\r\n

<\/p>\r\nBut with November quickly coming to a close, time is running out for tribal nations to see progress on other bills of interest. The 116th Congress will be winding down next month, following yet another legislative cycle in which Indian Country’s priorities have fallen behind<\/a>.\r\n

<\/P>\r\nHistorically, about 20 Indian Country bills are passed and signed into law during any particular session of Congress. That has been the case, no matter which parties are in control of the House and the Senate, and regardless of the political persuasion of the president<\/a>.\r\n

<\/P>\r\nThe Donald Trump era has been different. During the 115th Congress, when Republicans controlled both chambers of Congress and the White House for two years, only about a dozen stand-alone tribal bills became law.\r\n

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