Indianz.Com > News > ‘Bipartisanship is our strength’: Senate Committee on Indian Affairs touts achievements as new session starts
‘Bipartisanship is our strength’
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs touts achievements as new session starts
Monday, February 13, 2023
Indianz.Com
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is getting back to work after what the legislative panel’s bipartisan leadership said was an extremely productive session.
At the panel’s first meeting of the 118th Congress last week, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said 18 Indian Country bills were signed into law during the prior session. The figure means the committee has finally overcome the era of stagnation that was seen when Donald Trump was president and when Republicans controlled the legislative branch of the U.S. government.
“By any measure, the last two years were the most productive in recent decades and arguably the most productive in American history for the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs,” said Schatz, who is serving a second term as chair of the panel.
Historic achievements can be found among the 18 bills that became law during the 117th Congress, which concluded at the end of December. Advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service, as well as another landmark update for the Violence Against Women Act, both of which had been hard fought by tribes for several years, are just two of the most notable successes.
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs – 117th Congress Accomplishments
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With the start of the newest session, the membership of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is largely staying the same. Along with Schatz returning as chair, the five Democrats have previously served on the panel. They are: Sen. Maria Cantwel (D-Washington), Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana), Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minnesota) and Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico). The Republican side of the committee is changing in small yet notable ways. Including Murkowski as vice chair, only five GOP members are serving — down from six in the prior session of Congress. But Murkowski pointed out that the committee is gaining an important member in Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma). He is the first tribal citizen to serve in the Senate in nearly two decades. “For the first time since 2005, when Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell was here in the Senate, a Native American has now been elected to the Senate and is gonna be serving on this important committee,” Murkowski said of the new Republican member. “So I think that’s a welcome addition.”Today, the Committee re-elected Senators Schatz and Murkowski as chair and vice chair for the 118th Congress. Read more here: https://t.co/cwV61YxE0T
— Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (@IndianCommittee) February 9, 2023
- S.70, the Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2023. The bill accelerates the review and processing of home mortgages by Bureau of Indian Affairs, which is part of the Department of the Interior.
- S.277, a bill to place about 721 acres in California in trust for the Pala Band of Mission Indians. The land includes sacred and important places in and around Gregory Mountain. A companion version — H.R.423, the Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act — already passed the House on February 6.
- S.385, a bill to amend the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act, also known as the NATIVE Act. The NATIVE Act requires federal agencies to update their existing management plans and tourism strategies to include American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians.
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Notices
Downlink with NASA Astronaut Nicole Mann (February 7, 2023)Organizational Business Meeting (February 9, 2023)
Business Meeting to consider S. 70, S. 277 & S. 385 (February 15, 2023)
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