WASHINGTON—On July 16, the House passed its seventh fiscal 2015 spending measure, backing a financial services spending bill that the White House has threatened to veto due to deep cuts in the funding for the Internal Revenue Service, other reductions in financial regulatory oversight and provisions aimed at the District of Columbia.

On the Senate side, appropriators approved their version of the financial services spending bill in subcommittee last month, but have not made it clear when and how they intend to bring the bill to the floor.

Work on the Senate side appears to be stalled until after the elections due to contentious GOP amendments that could force tough votes for some Democrats seeking re-election. As a result, it is becoming more likely that a continuing resolution will be utilized to keep the government doors open, which would then be followed by a year-end omnibus, which the financial services measure would be a part of.

On the Senate calendar, lawmakers have 28 workdays remaining in this fiscal year, with the House having only 18. Today, House lawmakers are expected to move quickly through today’s votes and depart for the weekend. This leaves the two chambers with four workdays until lawmakers return to their districts for the August recess. Following the recess, both chambers will resume work on Sept. 8.

WASHINGTON—On July 16, the Bureau of Indian Affairs launched a new $10 million Federal-Tribal Climate Resilience Partnership and Technical Assistance Program that will help tribes prepare for climate change by developing and delivering adaptation training. This is a result of recommendations that came out of the State, Local and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience established by the president last November.

Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy will establish an interagency group to provide tribes with data and information, improve Federal collaboration, and assist with climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts.

WASHINGTON—On July 16, the Udall Foundation and lawmakers honored the 2014 Native American Congressional Interns at a reception on Capitol Hill. Representing five tribal communities and nine universities, the 12 congressional interns have completed eight of the 10-week internship program working in congressional and federal agency offices. Seven of this year’s 12 interns are from the Navajo Nation.

Navajo Nation Washington Office executive director Clara Pratte and alumna of the Udall Foundation Native American Congressional Internship served as the Mistress of Ceremonies. Pratte thanked the congressional interns for their commitment and dedication to public service. 

Sens. Tom Udall, Mark Udall, D-Colo., Heidi Heidkamp, D-N.D., Deputy Interior Secretary Michael Conner, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn and White House Initiative on Indian and Alaska Native Education executive director William Mendoza were among the notable dignitaries present to congratulate the congressional interns.

“I appreciate the energy you bring to the offices you work in. I thank you for that and congratulate you on this ceremony,” said Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M.

From 1996 through 2014, 221 American Indian and Alaska Native students from 110 tribes will have participated in the program.

This highly regarded and selective internship program’s goal is to provide American Indians and Alaska Natives with firsthand view of the federal government.

“You’re much more than interns. You’re the future. You honor our family by being part of this tradition,” added Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo.

For more information, contact Destiny Khalil at 520-901-8561 or khalil@udall.gov.

WASHINGTON—On July 15, the House passed the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014, HR 5021 by a vote of 367-55, which would provide an extension to the Federal-aid highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund.  The bill would provide a temporary extension for funding of transportation programs from the Highway Trust Fund.

The surface transportation law currently in effect is entitled the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) which is set to expire at the end of September 2014. However, the U.S. Department of Transportation has indicated that there will be a shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund prior to that expiration, which further adds to the expediency for Congressional action.

Due to the pending elections, Congress has been hesitant to work on long-term reauthorization of transportation programs, but opting on legislation that would provide a temporary extension of infrastructure funding.

The House version under HR 5021, now pending in the Senate, will extend funding to May 30, 2015. The U.S. Senate Finance Committee has been working on their version of a temporary extension, which would extend funding to the end of December 2014.

Due to the upcoming August recess of Congress, Congress is moving to pass a bill before Aug. 1.

For more information contact Perry Riggs, government and legislative affairs associate at priggs@nnwo.org

WASHINGTON—On July 10, Navajo Nation Vice President Rex Jim and Navajo Division of Health Director Larry Curley were recognized for their innovative leadership at the 11th Annual National Meeting of the Indian Health Service Direct Service Tribes in Albuquerque, N.M.

Vice President Jim received the Carole Anne Heart Spirit Award for his leadership and advocacy, and commitment to improve Indian health and education for all Native people. He was nominated for helping advance the Arizona Medicaid program’s 1115 Waiver policy change, for his personal commitment to the success of the annual “Running across the Navajo Nation for a Healthy Lifestyle”, and for employing his sense of humor and wit to promote accident and illness prevention and healthy living.

Navajo Division of Health Director Curley received the Chief Executive Officer Award for developing best practices and innovative ways to provide health care which result in improved performance and effectiveness to IHS Direct Service communities. Curley was nominated for launching several initiatives within the Navajo Division of Health such as a 10-year Health and Wellness Policy, Veteran’s Health, Youth Wellness, Food Policy, Health Innovation Center, and for his work to help protect the inherent tribal sovereignty and to improve the health status of Navajo people.

The 11th Annual Direct Service Tribes National Meeting was held in Albuquerque, N.M. for two days to discuss successes, challenges, and the future of health care for Direct Service Tribes. The DST Advisory Committee’s motto “As long as the grass grows and river flows” signifies its commitment for improved quality health care for Native people.

For more information contact Carolyn Drouin, government and legislative affairs associate at cdrouin@nnwo.org

WASHINGTON—On July 9, Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Ariz., introduced HR 5039, a bill to amend Public Law 93-531. This Navajo Technical Amendments Act of 2014 amends the Navajo-Hopi Land Settlement Act to make some changes that would foster development and efficiency on the part of the relocation program and roll the rehabilitation of the Former Bennett Freeze Lands.

HR 5039 makes six technical changes to the existing law:

1. Clarifies the boundary of the Navajo Nation for land selection purposes. The Navajo-Hopi Land Settlement Act authorizes the secretary to transfer up to 250,000 acres of lands under Bureau of Land Management jurisdiction to the Navajo Nation so long as these lands are within 18 miles of the Nation’s present reservation. The bill clarifies that the Navajo Nation’s trust lands are included within the definition of the reservation for this purpose. 
2. Allows for the deselection and reselection of lands to correct a BBM surveying error. The BLM committed a surveying error, resulting in the Navajo Nation selecting 757 more acres of land than it believed it had selected under the Navajo-Hopi Land Settlement Act. This bill corrects this error, allowing the Nation to deselect and reselect 757 acres subject to the restrictions in the Act.
3. Provides for a study to ensure the fair and timely determination of fair rental value payments. The Navajo Nation pays rental income for Navajo families living on certain lands. Due to lengthy delays in receiving rental determinations much of these payments are the interest costs.  This bill requires the secretary to evaluate this process and create a plan for bringing rental determinations current.
4. Create a Navajo Tribal Sovereignty Empowerment Demonstration Project. The Navajo Nation seeks to exercise more sovereignty over its lands and spur economic development in the areas impacted by the Act and by a 40-year development freeze in what is known as the Former Bennett Freeze Area. This bill encourages development and streamlines the regulatory process by waiving certain federal laws, while keeping in place their Navajo equivalents, for the limited purposes of renewable energy, housing, public and community facilities, and infrastructure development (limited to 150,000 acres in identified zones).
5. Allow for Navajo families living on Hope partitioned land to relinquish their accommodation agreements and restore their eligibility for relocation benefits.  A small number of Navajo families who signed agreements allowing them to remain on Hopi-partitioned land now wish to relinquish those agreements and relocate pursuant to the Navajo-Hopi Land Settlement Act. This bill would allow such relinquishment.
6. Forgives existing loan payments to the Navajo Nation in the Navajo Rehabilitation Trust Fund. The Act established the Navajo Rehabilitation Trust Fund to provide monies to the Navajo Nation to address the adverse impacts of Federal relocation of Navajo families.  Approximately $16 million was appropriated to this fund, to be paid back out of revenues from certain lands the Nation acquired pursuant to the Act.  However, those lands have never been developed. This bill releases the Navajo Nation from the obligation to repay these monies and reauthorizes the Trust Fund, allowing Congress to appropriate development dollars in future years should it so choose.

The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. A hearing on the legislation has not yet been announced.

For more information contact Simon Boyce, deputy director at sboyce@nnwo.org

WASHINGTON— The Navajo Nation Washington Office is pleased to announce the addition of Kim Barber to the NNWO team. Kim will serve as the administrative service officer. Barber is Táchii’nii (Red Running Into The Water Clan), born for Níhoobáanii (Gray Streak Ends Clan), her maternal grandfather’s clan is Ashiihi (Salt Clan), and her paternal grandfather’s clan is Tó'aheedliinii (Water Flows Together Clan). She is from Bááháálí, N.M., and was raised by her grandmother, Julia Clah.

“We are excited to have Kim at the NNWO. She brings excellence in fiscal management that will benefit the Navajo Nation,” said NNWO executive director Clara Pratte.

Barber earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. Her work experiences include fiscal and project work with the National Indian Child Welfare Association in Portland, Ore., and financial and research analysis with Tallsalt Asset Management in Scottsdale, Ariz.

UNITED NATIONS—On June 17 and 18, the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission executive director Leonard Gorman addressed the president of the U.N. General Assembly about actions to protect cultural rights including lands, territories, resources and sacred places.

The two-day informal interactive hearing brought Indigenous peoples from around the world to discuss proposals for the Wold Conference outcome document in advance of the upcoming historic World Conference on Indigenous Peoples Sept. 22-23 in N.Y.

WASHINGTON—The United Nations will hold a World Conference on Indigenous Peoples to be held at the U.N. headquarters in N.Y. The Conference presents an historic opportunity for Indigenous peoples, their sovereign tribal governments and representatives to make lasting impacts on the U.N. Declaration implementation, but also highlighting the importance of global Indigenous Issues.

The deadline to register for the high-level plenary meeting known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, Sept. 22-23 is July 23. Follow this link for more information. Registration does not guarantee a spot to attend the Conference.

Tribes and organizations who have not previously participated in U.N. meetings will need to create a profile online before registering. This can take up to 48 hours to be approved. You will see that the registration process is designed for 'civil society' and does not have a category for tribal governments. Tribal governments can register by using the category of "organization" and explaining in the profile that you are an Indigenous nation or tribe with its own government.

For more information contact Jared King, communications director at jking@nnwo.org

WASHINGTON – On June 11, Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., and Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., co-chairs of the Native American Caucus, introduced the Native Contract and Rate Expenditure (CARE) Act, HR 4843.

The Native CARE Act is aimed at capping the payments made to Medicare participating providers and suppliers made by Purchase/Referred Care programs, formerly known as Contract Health Services, at Indian Health Services and Tribal health facilities.

The Indian Health Service and Tribal Purchased/Referred Care programs purchase primary and specialty care services from private health care providers when those services are not available at Indian Health Service or Tribal health facilities.

Available Purchased/Referred Care funds have been insufficient to ensure access to care for American Indians and Alaska Natives. As a result, patients experience rationed care and diagnosis and also treatment delays, which in turn lead to the need for more intensive and expensive treatment, further reducing already scarce funds.

In 2003, Congress amended title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require Medicare-participating hospitals to accept patients referred from the Indian Health Service and Tribal Purchased/Referred Care programs and to accept payment at no more than Medicare rates for the services provided. The Medicare-like rate cap only applies to hospital services, and does not apply to other types of Medicare-participating providers and suppliers. Unlike other Federal health care programs, the Indian Health Service and Tribal Purchased/Referred Care programs continue to pay full-billed charges for non-hospital services.

If the payment reforms were made, it is estimated that it would make available an additional 250,000 physician services available annually for Native Americans.

For more information contact Carolyn Drouin, government and legislative affairs associate at cdrouin@nnwo.org