▶ 0:00:36committee will come to order good afternoon welcome to the second session of our public witness hearing specifically focused on American Indians and Alaskan native programs I would like to welcome all the distinguished tribal elders and leaders here today and thank our Witnesses for appearing before the committee to share their perspectives on these important topics in terms of hearing Logistics I will call each panel of uh witnesses to the table one panel at a time each witness will have five minutes to present testimony the full written testimony will be
▶ 0:01:07included in the record and as I said this morning believe it or not we actually do sit down and read uh the the full presentation so please don't feel pressured to cover everything in five minutes we will be using a timer to track progress of each Witnesses when the light turns yellow the witness will have one minute uh remaining to conclude the remarks when the light turns red I will have to ask the witness to stop to remain on schedule and we're already behind schedule because they make us vote occasionally we'll hear from every witness uh on each panel before members will be
▶ 0:01:37provided an opportunity to ask questions our request that we try to keep things moving so that we can stay on schedule and respect each other's time I also want to note that uh committee rules prohibit the use of outside cameras and audio equipment during these hearings the hearings can be viewed in its entirety on the committee's website and an official hearing transcript will will be available at gpo.gov now happy to yield to my friend uh uh Miss McCullum who used to be the chairman of this committee and and uh
▶ 0:02:07is uh currently the ranking member here so uh thank you chairman Simpson and on behalf of uh ranking member pingry and myself I welcome you to our sub uh second public witness uh hearing conventing tribal programs under the jurisdiction of the Department of interior thank you for traveling to Washington and as Miss pingry pointed out earlier the Trump administration's only been in office a few short weeks yet they've Unleashed chaos and disruption into indigenous communities and created anxiety and uncertainty
▶ 0:02:37for tribal members over their employment status the continuation of critical Health Care their Educational Services and in some cases even had their citizenship challenge when presenting tribal IDs so I hope our Witnesses today will use this hearing as an opportunity to sound the alarm to make us hear clearly about what needs to be done I thank you very much for coming and um Mr chair as I said earlier unfortunately I'll be back and forth and I think I might miss my fabulous Minnesota tribes this afternoon because of
▶ 0:03:07V but thank you them best thank you mcch thank you it's good to be here and uh in a few moments when we call the first panel I'm gonna have uh Congressman zinki uh chair the committee I gotta we're all in different committees and crazy things all across so and these are the Montana tribes and this is my Montana representative so so uh he'll chair this but our first panel is Jeffrey Harlin and Ryan come on
▶ 0:03:57up anything you want you're good to go thank you Mr chairman our our our first witness is uh Jeffrey stiff arm president of the fort bellnap Indian Community sir the floor yours well good afternoon everyone and first of all I'd like to um thank the um Appropriations Committee
▶ 0:04:27for allowing um the name American Community to um voice our concerns and uh in particular um chairman uh Simpson which I consider a a close friend of mine I met with him several times he has helped uh with our issues quite a bit back at Port Bal but uh right now more importantly I would like to thank um Congressman zinki for um allowing us to be here the help that you have you know you you are
▶ 0:04:57um adopted to our people at back at Fort balet for what she did for in the in the seals and being a commander for one of our members that was U murdered and what you did for him so we adopted in to the cbor people back home at Fort Bal and I want to thank you for that thank you for all the help that you have um provided uh Fort balet but not just Fort balet but in Indian Country in general we did a lot for our people back committee members
▶ 0:05:28here that are be listening to some of testimony from not just myself but all our relatives here at the table that have issues U what's going on in inan country and within the federal government I'll start by um introducing myself and my name is Jeffrey starm I'm a member of the on tribe from Fort balap I'm home of the AI and and aota people I've been uh sitting in this position I'm on my fourth year as the president but been on Tribal Council for eight years and um
▶ 0:05:58experienced a lot of ups and downs in my years and and as being a politician so to speak prior to that I was in a law enforcement for 20 years work my way up to the ranks all the way up to the chief of police and um that's where I saw a lot of hardships of our people and basically where the hardships come from is is the lack of funding to the tribes whether it's health care whether it's Public Safety whether it's courts
▶ 0:06:30um I think what's going on right now with this current Administration I agree with it a lot to I guess say cut the fat a little bit lot of the money that's getting um given over to the Bureau of Ving Affairs is not trickling down to the tribes we Fort Bop had the twoe office ad Justice Services within the Bia for
▶ 0:07:02Safety we have 638 in law enforcement in 1997 and with their base funding at 1.2 million here we are in 2026 2025 base funding is 1.3 million increased $100,000 in 20 plus years what does that tell you tells you the federal government doesn't care about the tribes the public safety the health care they rather keep most of that money that they have for
▶ 0:07:32themselves I'm glad you guys are doing an investigation on how this money is given to them and how it is being spent because it's not coming to the people of the reservations that really need it our Health Care system is um pretty dilapidated of behavior health I have a story about that but I have too much time to talk about that but um our mental health system is piling our children for Bal up had um
▶ 0:08:03outbreak of U suicides and I lost my son to that about five years ago and it's um pretty hard still to swallow that to know that um we didn't have the help with the doctors or the mental health to save him but my child isn't the only one that we lost we lost more than that more children and that just not happening on Port balet
▶ 0:08:33with the mental health issues that's on all all our reservations because we don't have we really don't anything we're fighting for um our like I said our Public Safety I was here to testify on our cartels here last fall and our hands are tied because our reservation is comprised of about 700,000 Acres our law enforcement consists of seven officers that cover that many acres and we have three
▶ 0:09:03towns within our reservation and it takes about from our main agency to our most outlying town about hour drive and we have one officer to cover all of that and that's what we're fighting for is is is fighting for our lives our Pure is in your hands all your hands and we seated all our lands away when you signed our treaties millions and millions of
▶ 0:09:34Acres with the promise from the federal government that they were going to take care of us whether it's health care whether it's food whether it's our water and they call it the supreme law of the land but that is not being honored and I ask you all to remember our treaties that we all sign all our tribes that have come talk to you before me and that's going to be talking after me that our treaties we still stand by them our sovereignty
▶ 0:10:04we just ask you that um you know we don't need a hand out we need a hand up and we appreciate you guys all listening to us and my my friend and my brother here that be talking after me he has the same issues in a rocky reservation right next to Fort bab you know public safety issues mental health but we want you all to um have some compassion for the hardships that we have on our reserv ations and I ask you to listen to us all with your with with your hearts not
▶ 0:10:34your ears so you all come you realize how important it is the struggles that we have each reservation has pretty much the same struggles with the lack of funding and the bureaucrats whe whether it's in the Bia or the ENT Health Service and how they um trickle down pennies to the tribes and they keep most of the money through themselves uh we found that out within our lwuit when OJs and that's going to be coming to a head here this coming
▶ 0:11:04spring um but we shouldn't have to we shouldn't have to sue the federal government in particular the baia what's rightfully the tribes we shouldn't have to do that um that's where I'm very frustrated that um these programs with the Indian Health Service and then the Bria there's trouble members that are running these that are doing it to travel members and I'm very frustrated by that and it's hard to
▶ 0:11:34pth them that um we have to live like a their own people are treating us like that that's why I say you know I'm glad the money is getting looked at and how it's coming into the Bia and IND the Health Service and how it's going out to the tribes and where most of the money is going is staying within the pockets of the admin staff with the IHS and the Bia with that I want to thank you out again especially you Mr zinki Congress Zink I thank you for all your help you know our our water settlement you've
▶ 0:12:05been really helping us with that and it's going to um help the whole north central part of Montana all the way to North and South Dakota and um without your leadership with that um we'd be probably back to square one back when we 1908 when we did the winter do winter doctor and and um did up for all the tribes across the country so they can get their water and water is life can to here sorry chairman Baker from
▶ 0:12:35Rocky boy thank you um chairman Simpson Rank and member penre members of the subcommittee like to thank you for the opportunity to testify today my name is Harland Baker I serve as the chairman of the chipal creek tribe of the rocky boys reservation uh our reservation is rarely located we have a total membership of 7,000 th000 members on the reservation in 1993 we became one of the first tribes to achieve self-governance
▶ 0:13:06today we operate the Rocky Boy Health Center where we offer American care to Indians in our region we appreciate this subcommittee's recent historic investments in Indian Country however there is still much work to be done the federal trust and treaty obligation must be fulfilled regardless of broader budgetary concerns to protect the health and well-being of our people I offer the following fiscal year 26
▶ 0:13:36recommendations protect the IHS budget tribal health programs work to provide highquality health care but chronic underfunding harms our people tribal communities face higher rates of preventable conditions despite this IHS funding is at constant risk of cuts sequestration and funding freezes in January 2025 om paused federal financial assistance leaving tribal programs uncertain about
▶ 0:14:06their future similarly in fiscal year 24 Congress rescinded 350 million for public health infrastructure IHS unlike other federally funded healthc care services IHS is still subject to sequestration this uncertainty disrupts patient care while we respect congress's efforts to balance the federal budget the IHS budget is too small to impact the national debts Cuts do not save
▶ 0:14:37significant money but cause real harm to tribal communities we urge Congress to permanently exempt IHS from reductions protect tribal access to Medicaid Medicaid plays a critical role in funding Indian Health programs for tribal facilities 30 to 60% of funding comes from Medicaid yet Indian Country accounts for just 21% of total Medicaid spending
▶ 0:15:07capping Medicaid would not significantly reduce spending but it would devastate facilities like ours forcing reduction in patient care in previous budget discussions Congress Exempted IHS and tribal programs from Medicaid caps this protection must continue continued support for Advan Appropriations we thank you for your commitment to advance Appropriations for IHS particularly the expansion of the healthc Care Facilities
▶ 0:15:38construction sanitation facilities construction for fiscal year 27 we strongly support this proposal for continued support for IHS Appropriations Behavioral Health the Fentanyl and opioid crisis are devastating indan country however in fiscal year 4 Congress all allocated just 2 million to fund Detox Services that's less than $1 per IHS patient
▶ 0:16:08we urge the subcommittee to dedicate resources to detoxification and emphasize the importance of protecting funding for alcohol Substance Abuse and Mental Health funding for tribal Public Safety and Justice programs at the Bia like many tribes we are seeing a drastic increase and drug trafficking and related crime on our lands Congress needs to provide additional resources to the Bia to help us stem the flow
▶ 0:16:38of drugs investigate the crimes and prosecute the offenders Bia also needs to provide more flexibility and allowing officers to train State eies we urge the subcommittee to vastly increase bi Public Safety and Justice funding including for Tribal Law Enforcement detention Corrections and tribal courts rockaboy North Central Regional water system Omen our funding
▶ 0:17:09we are still waiting to receive safe drinking water as part of our 1999 water right settlement as part of that settlement the bi is required to pay for the operation maintenance and repair of the new on reservation water system when the system is completed in the next few years additional funding will be required for for the Bia to meet its obligations in conclusion the federal trust obligation to indent country is not optional I urge the subcommittee to fully
▶ 0:17:39fund the IHS tribal safety and Justice programs and water infrastructure ensuring we can provide a healthy and safe Community for our people I thank you for your time thank you Mr chairman Ryan you're representing the asabin is that on yes thank you good afternoon Mr chairman ranking members respected members of the committee Congressman ziny um as as chairman stiff arm mentioned your connection with the Asin
▶ 0:18:09people runs deep we appreciate your support my name is Ryan rushi and I'm here on behalf of Fort peek tribal Executive Board member Dana buckles who has the flu and was unable to attend today thank you for this opportunity to provide input of the asinan and Su tribes of the fort peek Indian reservation and the Asin and Su Rural Water Supply system The Entity chartered by the tribes for the planning design con construction operation maintenance and replacement of the M Municipal Rural and Industrial water system that serves the fort peek reservation and provides dry Prairie RO water with a
▶ 0:18:39reliable source of water for the non-indian community surrounding the reservation the law authorizing the system requires the Bureau of Indian Affairs to pay 100% of the omr costs of the project and for fiscal year 2026 the project requires 4965 million a $460,000 increase over our expected fiscal year 202 funding levels in Omar funding the most basic of governmental functions includes the delivery of Clean safe and reliable drinking water it's been an honor for me to work on this project and it's an honor to provide
▶ 0:19:09reliable service to Northeastern Montana an area of 7,750 square miles which will ultimately connect 3,200 miles of pipeline when completed next year the system provides drinking water to an area larger than New Jersey but just smaller than Massachusetts fore tribes also join all the tribal leaders here today and calling for stable and increased funding for the Indian Health Service as well as the associated contract support costs for for for IHS while funding for the Indian Health Service for the current year is far from certain
▶ 0:19:39we REM remain hopeful that the subcommittee will remain committed to its funding proposed of 6.02 five billion for the Indian Health Service for fiscal year 2025 like much of Indian Country the fort peek reservation has been plagued by opioid and Fentanyl one of the main symptoms of the crisis on the fort peek reservation has been the correspond in rise in crime Tribal Law Enforcement have seen an increase in crime across the board but especially in property and violent crime including sexual and other violent violent assaults kidnapping and homicide crimes
▶ 0:20:10at Fort peek are being committed by and against every demographic within the community as Congress has known for years the most effective law enforcement is locally determined and administered and thus reflective of local values as a former tribal prosecutor and elected County attorney I can assure you I sh I share congress's view in Indian country that means tribally determined and tribally administered and reflective of tribal values ensuring safety of tribal members in the reservation Community has been a top priority of tribal leadership and Fort peek has endeavored to maintain a strong
▶ 0:20:40tribal government for more than 50 years the fort peek tribes have had an independent Judicial System including an appell at court the fore tribal court incidentally where I began my career includes law trained judges and prosecutors public defenders probation officers and experienced administrators and court reporters our tribal quote is published online and in print and is publicly available the fortc tribal court exercises expanded jurisdiction and enhanced sentencing under the violence against women act and the Tribal Law and Order act stable
▶ 0:21:10funding to continue this important work is vital to protect current and future Generations within the tribal Community additional support is also necessary to address the social conditions on the reservation that are inter interrelated with in inadequately treated inadequately treated mental health and drug addiction the crime rate and health disparities are inextricably intertwined with for example lack of housing on the reservation in many cases multiple families live live in a single home this means that exposure to illness and unhealthy behaviors
▶ 0:21:41is unavoidable for many people most people in fact especially children the Bia housing Improvement program or hip is a critical tool in addressing this crisis it helps the neediest within the tribal Community we urge the subcommittee to continue this important funding an important tool in addressing how housing problems is also the tuah initiative which includes a hip component and provides greater flexibility and more effective delivery of services than traditional Bia programs we encourage the subcommittee to increase the tuah
▶ 0:22:11Initiative Program to benefit more tribes and Trust tribes to wisely use tuah funds to address unmet and interim housing needs as well as a host of other important governmental services for Indian Country thank you for our opportunity today well thank you let turn it over to our ranking member The General gentoman from Minnesota you have any comment just thank you for your for your testimony thank you for your support of toah the the chairman from Red lakes here who brought brought the idea
▶ 0:22:41to Congress so I'm glad it's working so well for all of you thank you no I just like to say thanks and on behalf of mon Montana uh there's a lot of problems out there it's a it's a big state uh sometimes when you live in a smaller State you realize the expanse of what it means to have seven law enforcement officers in 700,000 Acres uh in the in the the time when you by
▶ 0:23:11time you call it's already too late and it's an hour and a half late or two hours someone shows up so I I appreciate your your travel and of course senone Wonga in tacha I honor that so that you have any further comments all right thank you gentlemen all right up is our next panel
▶ 0:23:41panel eight Mr sen Carol Langford is she here today I saw there she is y and Jean Mr President how are you sir good to see you good good as good as I can be I still in
▶ 0:24:16Congress our next panel uh panel number eight and that would include uh we'll go with with Carol you're up first representing the great Flathead reservation chairman Simpson ranking penry Congressman Z zinki thank you for this opportunity today and good afternoon my name is Carol lenford and I a member of the Tribal Council of the confederated Salish and cutney tribes of the Flathead reservation we
▶ 0:24:47appreciate the opportunity to share our thoughts on addressing the challenges facing our tribal community and the subcommittee's commitment to improve the lives of our shared constituents we believe that our top priority must contain if continue to focus on mental illness and substance abuse nearly every member of our tribal Community has felt the impact of mental illness and addiction as Fentanyl and opioids plague our communities we must share we must support our law enforcement health
▶ 0:25:17and mental health professionals and social service providers we are a original self-governance tribe and have carried out all functions of IHS and Bia for many decades we we have similarly carried out carried out functions of the EPA under the treatment as a state amendments through local control and wise fiscal management we have dramatically improved the quality of services to our community we have demonstrated that local tribal management of federal obligations can result
▶ 0:25:47in significantly increased services to recipients through the elimination of the bureaucracy of red tape despite these efficiencies however we have often we are often could limited by available resources full funding for the Indian Health Service and additional funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs is therefore critical component to our ability to adequately address the crisis we are facing surrounding mental mental health and addiction we are thankful for the forward funding of the Indian
▶ 0:26:17Health Service under our self-governance compact we are able to draw down our entire budget in October 2024 alleviating the repercussions of fin Financial freeze that occurred recently forward funding also ensures our ability to plan and effectively deliver Services as well as our ability to attract and retain qualified health and mental health professionals on our on our rural reservation We Believe forward funding models has proven to Be an Effective
▶ 0:26:47tool and should be extended to other Indian programs such as Bia and EPA for many years I have served as a member of the Lake County Drug Court where I witnessed first firsthand how appropriate support can help people lift themselves out of darkness and untreated mental illness and addiction at cskt we are administering several Cutting Edge programs to address the challenges some examples include development of a drug treatment Court as a diversion to criminal charges pending
▶ 0:27:18before our tribal court a re-entry program that assists individuals returning to their communities after encounters with the criminal justice system and streamlining the delivery of services through our participation in toah initiative we are grateful for the subcommittee support in these initiatives and are excited to see the positive outcomes that increased funding will have on our people of course we cannot Overlook the importance and bravery of our law enforcement professionals that keep our
▶ 0:27:48community safe our law law enforcement officers serve as the first line of defense in slowing the Imports of opioids and illegal drugs to our reservation we must ensure that these officers have the resource they need to protect our people accordingly it is imperative to exempt tribal program funds and resources of Indian tribes from freezes or disruption in funding and that changes in Personnel within Bia and IHS are carried out in a manner
▶ 0:28:19that does not disrupt the delivery of services to our tribal communities and Trust resources the importance of such exemptions cannot be understated especially as we continue to experience unprecedented drought conditions these extreme conditions present threats to our land water and natural resources from fire and other natural disasters our reservation was reserved as a permanent Homeland under the Hellgate Treaty of 1855 and encompasses our 1.2 million Acres of Timber
▶ 0:28:49range and farmland in Western Montana and is situated around the southern half of Flathead Lake the largest freshwater lake west of the Great Lakes our reservation was ravaged by fire in 2021 22 and 23 without the subcommittee support and the dedication of the subcommittee committed staff outcomes could have been much worse I am proud of the cskt division of fire which provides a full host of fire management activities and has been in the front lines
▶ 0:29:19of defending our homeland against Wildfire we look forward to continuing the work of the subcommittee to address inadequate infrastructure to support the evolving fire landscape and to continue working to achieve parody for our tribal Wildland firefighters as Congress and the administration improve efficiencies within the federal government they can look to the creativity of cskt that combats Wildfire with a militia compromise comprised of employees from across the tribal
▶ 0:29:49Workforce our tribal Wildland fire militia is a vital part of our Wildfire program during critical periods per s every summer now we must address this disparity that causes these dedicated Personnel to remain ineligible for cost of living retention pay and other benefits enjoyed by federal employees we have much work to do and we Face serious challenges ahead but are exem extremely grateful for the subcommittee's commitment in addressing
▶ 0:30:20Wildfire as we adapt to the loss of glaciers on our reservation and through the throughout our Aboriginal territ without glaciers spring thaw and runoff patterns are evolving and present challenges for water fire and other emergency response managers changing snowfall patterns and drought conditions further ex exacerbate the challenge we remain steadfast and committed to work with the subcommittee to improve fire Management in these Changing Times
▶ 0:30:50and we appreciate the subcommittee's demonstrated commitment to to uh and and are grateful for our partnership thank you on behalf of the tribal council Confederate it's Al shuni tribes uh JC senica from the great senica nation I assume it's not a coincidence that your last name is senica no no coincidence just kidding but no thank you uh Mr ziny it's good to see you again and uh welcome members and thanks for the opportunity
▶ 0:31:20for me to be able to be here today um I represent uh not only our people uh current currently in this generation but also the the my ancestors that have walked before me uh today I'm wearing a shirt that is made from a nudie cloth uh from our Treaty of 1794 with the United States that uh was established in peace and friendship with our Nations and uh you know every year we receive this cloth from the United States in regards to recognition of that treaty and so that stays
▶ 0:31:51intact and so a lot of uh what's going on in today's political world i' like just to remind the Comm of the commitment of the six nations of the senica nation and the United States in this Treaty of 1794 that we should be undisturbed in regards to our friendship and peace and then also the commitments on the trust and treaty obligations of the United States and the six nations in regards to all this hoopla that's going on in regards to funding and
▶ 0:32:21cutting to make it make sure that it's understood that those things should stay intact uh in regards to the senica nation and had Shi so thank you for that uh n scano I'm thankful that you are well on behalf of the senak nation thank you for inviting me to provide comments today the senica nation is a constitutional democracy and the largest of the historic six nations of the hadin Shoni Confederacy our lands are located in what is now Western New York State between Lake Erie and senica Lake
▶ 0:32:52our Nations have been in a political Rel relationship of peace and friendship with the United States since 179 94 when we signed the canadea treaty this treaty supported the United States at a critical time in your history and aligned our warriors with yours to defeat the British during the War of 1812 your governing tradition as a nation of separate sovereign states was influ influenced by our Confederacy Congress acknowledged this in 1988 and
▶ 0:33:22it is why the US Constitution Constitution specifically recognizes Indian nations as SE separate Sovereign governments for this reason it is important to note that we are not a racial group we are not part of any diversity Equity or inclusion program nor are we any part of any environmental justice program we are sovereign nations of indigenous people because of this status the federal funds and programs and employee that benefit federally recognized native Nation
▶ 0:33:52should be exempt from any broad-based executive orders and Workforce reductions the Nation supports the goal of reducing the size of the federal government but people making these decisions need to remember the federal government's foremost treaty and Trust obligations to our Nations we ask that the committee provide clarification to the federal agencies within your jurisdiction that the federal funding and employees related to programs that benefit Indian nations fulfills the federal government's treaty and Trust obligations
▶ 0:34:23and should not be cut like the United States the sonak nation has our own own border crisis we are experiencing a drug epidemic primar primarily fentanyl methamphetamine which is killing our people at unprecedented rates this epidemic is a result of non-indian drug dealers who freely come into our territories and use them for strategic access to New York City we share a border with the state of Pennsylvania and we in close proximity to the Canadian border
▶ 0:34:53drug cartels and dealers Target our lands because ofur jurisdictional complexities and the lack of law enforcement resources drug dealers also Target senica women turn them to addiction and prostitution and force them into pregnancies to cement their access to our land Nation presidents including myself have issued executive orders to banish these people from our territories our own people have joined the effort including a community group called The senica Mothers Against drug dealers
▶ 0:35:23or smad in addition to the drug epidemic and we have an influx of non-indian homeless people coming into territories over the nation's objection Congress gave New York state criminal jurisdiction over our lands in 1948 but the federal government also retained its own criminal jurisdiction as a result the state views its law enforcement obligations to us as discretionary and not mandatory and the federal
▶ 0:35:54government says it has limited resources and competing interests which results in a minimal attention to our problems we need funding from the Bia to continue to support our own law enforcement efforts we need also need federal government to support interdiction efforts in Western New York and help us close our borders to the solicit drug trafficking I also want to remind the committee of how important EPA funding is to Indian nations who rely on the agency's
▶ 0:36:24programs to Monitor and protect our Waters and land our people live Downstream from a federal nuclear waste repository at West Valley we also live in Downstream from the city of oan that regularly dumps raw sewage into our elene River and we suffer from long-standing contamination from the railways that go through our lands for the sonation epa's tribal Clean Water Act section 106 program and the brownfields land revolation program are vital
▶ 0:36:55for the monitoring and cleaning up pollution in our Waters and land we know that President Trump and his Department of government efficiency are wanting to drastically reduce the size of federal government and that the EPA is one of those agencies they want to reduce if the committee is looking to provide the EPA with some guidance on how to streamline programs and funding we encourage you to direct the EPA to look at the Indian self-determination and education assistance act commonly referring to Public
▶ 0:37:25Law at 638 and public Public Law 1024777 commonly known as 477 program both of these laws allow native nations to coordinate and consolidate Federal funding provide more flexibility and reduce administrative burdens the son Nation utilizes approximately six different programs at the EPA and streamlining the process through self-governance at EPA would help our governments and yours lastly
▶ 0:37:55it is important that Congress continue to fully fund section 105l leases we worry that in this environment of government reduction and efficiency funding for native nations will be ignored or cut we appreciate the committee's continued work to ensure that this legal obligation is fully met each fiscal year and we continue to ask this committee to help us advocate for Section 105 L lease funding to become mandatory spending a senica nation has such a lease with the Indian
▶ 0:38:25Health Service and we reely on that funding to help maintain our health facility I want to thank you for your time and attention today and I appreciate the opportunity to be here before this committee y thank you Mr President and now we'll turn to president small from the great nation the Cheyenne Northern Cheyenne
▶ 0:39:04okay did you hear all that sorry Start Over okay all right okay about 5,000 of our members reside on the Northern Shine reservation which is approximately 700 square miles and located in South Central Montana in our ancestral territory thank you for the opportunity to testify today in order to bring Congressional attention to the Law and Order crisis flagging our reservation and to suggest specific solutions to our media can help put into action you as Congress have the power to help fix the dangerous situation our people are enduring every day due the insufficient
▶ 0:39:35federal law enforcement personnel and no functioning jail on our reservation my testimony is f focused on the lack of law enforcement and detention Services which the B which the Bureau of Indian Affairs office of Justice Services or bi ogs is legally obligated to provide on behalf of the United States our ask is straightforward one the tribe needs 35 million for Bia to build a replacement adult detention center H our reservation and two the tribe needs to needs to increase of at least 20% in
▶ 0:40:05funding for B ogs law enforcement services to recruit hire and retain more Mal TR well-trained uniform police officers the public safety of our rural reservation is not alltime low due to the underfunded law enforcement services and infrastructure currently being provided by B ogs crime levels in our tribal communities have skyrocketed at least 800% over the half past dozen or so so years since Bia closed our on reservation jail and the number of officers dropped by half violent crime property crime drug trafficking
▶ 0:40:35gun violence human trafficking murder and missing indigenous individ individuals this is the reality our tribal families children and Elders are living with and it's not a coincidence b b ogs is is falling down on the job and failing to fulfill the United States fiary Duty under treaty and feder statutes to provide adequate law enforcement and detention services when tribal members call 911 to report crimes B ogs do not show up at all or arrive much too late on the occasion when the officers
▶ 0:41:05do detain a suspect they call the ba contract to jail a full hour away from the reservation to find out if there is room to book someone if there's no room in the jail Pio officers will un arrest the suspect and simply let them go just as pass fall an 8-year-old child was not was shot and killed in the crossfire of a drug related incident a few weeks earlier Bia ogs received a for service regarding discharge of a firearm at that same residence but officers failed to respond if officers had responded appropriately to their
▶ 0:41:35prior lesser offense this terrible loss of a tri's life might not have occurred such stories are so tragically tragically common at the Northern Shine they're making national news in 2023 CBS produced an entire podcast missing Justice missing Justice devoted to the law enforcement crisis at the Northern Shine and focused on B ogs bungled investigation of a murder that led led to a false not guilty verdict recently NBC News broadcast a story about the drug crisis at Norther shine and and other Montana reservations
▶ 0:42:06in which the US attorney for Montana and former head of the usdaa admitted that more resour resources are badly needed which brings me to to what those of you on this committee and Congress can do to restore the safety of nor shine people Bia ogs needs greater appropriation to do its job according to a report by the agency last year across Indian Country Bia ogs has funded at less than 133% of total need that is an overwhelming shortfall and we're suffering the consequences at Northern cheyen well while fulfilling fulfilling
▶ 0:42:36the Gap the entire Gap B ogs program may not be possible our ask are specific and achievable first Congress should appropriate $35 million in one-time Capital funding to bi to construct a new new 80 bed jail at Northern China in 2023 baa identified the existing 50 plus year old facility at Northern Shine as the number one tribal Detention Facility needing assessment for renovation or replacement the old jails in despair not currently operational for adult detention a fully functional un reservation jail would would enable
▶ 0:43:06officers to focus on getting criminals off the streets and keep officers on patrol rather than spending hours transporting detainees to and from the distant contracted facility which itself is underst staffed overcrowded and only partially operational the recently completed bi assessment F construction of a new jail on reservation rather than renovation of the old jail is the most cost of effective option 35 million will allow bogs to build a new 80 bed jail at Northern Shine which will substantially help address the crisis we are facing
▶ 0:43:37second funding for The BJs Northern shy ageny must increase by at least 20% in order to bring Staffing up to the level necessary to effectively deter and intercede in the Astron astronomical crime rates flagging our people we need more boots on the ground and we need them to stick around and invest in protecting our Northern shy communities while the was aware of the funding pressure that the subcommittee is operating under regarding the contract support support cost and 105 L leases accounts we urge that these measures be designated as mandatory
▶ 0:44:07spending to provide Headroom for the committee as it balances funding priorities for other critical programs funded by the bill and again I'd like to thank you for allowing me to testify I plead with you too to act so no more shy and lives will be lost I'll turn it over to our ranking member for any questions from the great state of Maine uh thank you so much and I apologize for coming in in late um we're all in so many different meetings today but really really appreciate your testimony and uh
▶ 0:44:38thank you so much for bringing up the challenges you're facing on law enforcement it's something uh we're we're just so inadequate at meeting the need and and the way you describe it is is staggering the idea that you know a child's life could have been saved perhaps if there was sufficient law enforcement and the lack of detention facilities I I hope we can do more this year to help with that it it really is a serious problem everywhere but um your need sounds devastating um and and thank you too I heard some are most of your testimony but certainly
▶ 0:45:08appreciate the part about um the importance of the EPA which is also funded through this committee and the role it plays in in uh you know overseeing the Environmental Protection on in tribal lands that's one of those things we just have to make sure isn't cut and right now we are already seeing cuts that have been made made whether it's Personnel loss or funding Cuts so we're something I'm really dedicated to making sure we get fixed and sorry to miss your testimony but I will have a chance to to read about it but thank you all so much for being with us today
▶ 0:45:39and from you know prevailing themes I think you know testimony after testimony after testimony uh talks about funding and make sure we exempt Indian Territory from Cuts in the and IHS or Bia or or EPA U most along the lines of maintaining our treaty responsibility you were a lot you're a lot different and secretary berham statement is you're not Dia uh you're Sovereign Nations
▶ 0:46:09uh and then uh review the law enforcement and and maybe it's time to look at the formula you know when I know they had a doj program a few years ago there was a lot of a lot of emphasis on that and and a lot of a lot of tribes transferred over the doj program that program lasted only for a few years and then all of a sudden that the formula and calculation of how much is is required and also take a look at at you know what we faced now is different than
▶ 0:46:39what we faced 20 years ago and and certainly we can figure out jurisdiction uh so the advantage goes to law enforcement and not those who are breaking the law because if if there's a jurisdiction problem I guarantee you they know uh probably more than our law and although the last point is although we've talked about it a lot and there's renewed emphasis on missing indigenous you know women uh I haven't seen or heard a lot of improvement
▶ 0:47:09you know when I was secretary we had a task force uh that we brought together for that specific purpose you know in coordination with the tribes I thought that was effective uh new secretary in new Administration did not prioritize it I'm hoping that the new Administration will prioritize that again you know helpful to to get the word out that indigenous women are are should be a protected you know class of of citizens and not not abused because the abuse is is terrific
▶ 0:47:40so I I appreciate uh you being here is there anything else you'd like to say in testimony just believe that more funding for the murdered and missing indigenous women would be helpful I noce that's kind of like an unfunded Mand to you know that was put out there but then there was wasn't much funding to go along with it so thank you well again thank you on the bottom of my heart and uh I appreciate you coming all the way to Washington
▶ 0:48:10DC Mr chairman and again before I leave Montana tribes anything you want just let me know and senica we we we'll include you in that as well chairman
▶ 0:48:40here
▶ 0:49:20Minnesota we're ready to go
▶ 0:49:51right okay Bruce you're first afternoon chairman Simpson ranking members penry and respected members of the committee I'm Bruce Savage chairman of the fond loac band of lakes Pi chipa Minnesota thank you for inviting me to speak and thank you for your continued dedication
▶ 0:50:21and support of Indian Country we have submitted written testimony highlighting our federal funds priorities for the fiscal year of 2026 we ask that this committee and Congress work to pass the budget that increases funding for Indian Country to ensure ensures that the fund fun Federal funding provided to the tribes from the Department of interiors and the Indian Services
▶ 0:50:52as well as other agencies like the Department of Education the EPA a USDA and the Army Corps continues to fulfill of the United States trust responsibilities it is critical to understand Indian tribes receive funding from many federal agencies under numerous government programs and those funds are essential for our tribal governments and are used to protect our people our lands and our
▶ 0:51:22resources as you well know and you have heard from tribal leaders over the years years the budget for the Bureau of Indian Affairs Indian education and Indian Health Services are cryonically underfunded and the agency's ability to fulfill their trust obligations to the tribes have long suffered from undera Staffing the band and our tribal citizens are concerned about the far-reaching impacts of the current federal funding
▶ 0:51:53freezes terminations of probationary employees and implementation of the Deferred resignation program it is our understanding the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian education have already lost approximately 200 employees these employees were providing Social Services education probate Services irrigation oil and gas activities and other Direct
▶ 0:52:23Services to the tribes as well as help held positions responsible for reviewing TR uh approving needs of tribal actions those Federal line officers are needed to discharge treaty and statutory obligations that the United States government has entered into with the tribes indeed given the unique relationship that we have with the United States we are still forced to rely on federal
▶ 0:52:53employees to process approvals for a wide V variety of things that allow us to function and operate like rights of ways agreements leases contracts ordinances funding agreements and more we are already negatively impacted by the federal freeze on funding last year through the Bia Transportation program we submitted two Grant applications to repair
▶ 0:53:24two Bridges within our that provides access to our tribal members to reach their homes their places of work as well as support our Economic Development Enterprises we are informed by the Bia the two applications approved and sent to Federal highways for funding however the funding is a bipartisan infrastructure Bill we were told that Federal highways is not allowed to transfer the funding to our Awards this subcommittee
▶ 0:53:55has recognized the high need for and lack of infrastructure throughout Indian Country we urge you to continue to fight and push for the funding available to the tribes the Fondulac band also receives important Federal funding from numerous other federal agencies like the EPA the EPA funding is critical to supporting our implementation and control of our natural resources
▶ 0:54:25Within our reservation and our seated territories for example we rely on the EPA funding to protect our air and water resources we are concerned that the broad across the board cuts that the federal agencies like the EPA will have a detrimental impact on our ability to continue to carry out these programs Federal funding and federal employees who administer both Federal funding and federal
▶ 0:54:56program programs under the clean water and Clean Air Act are essential in Indian Country especially in northern Minnesota EPA funding in these areas is also historically insufficient to meet the needs of Indian Country including the band we ask Congress to continue to support these programs and increase funding I could go on but I recognize my time is limited however it is important for you to understand
▶ 0:55:26that we as tribal leaders know you have a difficult road ahead of you and we urge you to continue your work and upholding the trust responsibility and protecting federal funds and resources of for Indian tribes this is not an easy task but we all rely on many federal agencies and funding streams that may not strictly relate to the designated Indian programs within the Bia or IHS
▶ 0:55:57but the funding is critical to our operations and infrastructure we urge you to continue your hard work and identifying these fund streams and protecting them both as you continue to work for the current budget for fiscal year 2025 and begin on fiscal year 2026 I would be happy to answer any questions M thank you Bruce appreciate it darl you're next
▶ 0:56:28okay is that on can you go can you hear me okay
▶ 0:56:59now I shall speak in my second language good afternoon to all of our friends here chair Simpson and the rest of the house appropriation subcommittee I am Daryl SEI senior chairman of Red Lake Nation Jim for this opportunity to testify today this is my third term as chairman I am proud to say the subcommittee has always worked in bipartisan manner to do the best they can for Indian Country I believe
▶ 0:57:30all of you to continue this tradition in my hand I have the Red Lake Nation treaties agreements and this is the United States Constitution Article six where the treaties were adopted supreme law of the land the outline on the article six the promises that were made to tribes I always end up in broken promises outlining the federal trust responsibility to my tribe
▶ 0:58:00is this United States Constitution you must continue to enforce these agreements by providing robust funding for Bia bie IHS and EPA under Trump's first term he proposed across theboard cuts which range from 13 to 18% depending on the agency at interior at the interior Bia B's budget would have been cut by 465 million for fiscal year 2019
▶ 0:58:30more than any other interior agency we are now hearing that the administration May propos across the board cuts of 30 to 40% in fiscal year 2026 more than twice the level of this of his first term when I testified before this subcommittee in 2018 you rejected the president proposed Cuts now I want to ask to each of you on this sub subcommittee if you are going to do the same for fiscal year
▶ 0:59:012026 on that note I want to request this subcommittee to support three Appropriations request that would help improve the lives of red Lakes 17,30 Members First we support the tribal interior budget committee council's recommendation for an additional 1.1 billion for trbal law enforcement 1.1 billion for Trel courts and 101 million for detention operations we also asked
▶ 0:59:31the subcommittee to provide 8.5 million specifically for Red Lake to make us hold for the funding we had to pull from other critical programs to fulfill bia's trust responsibility over the last two years Red Lake is in the midst of an opiate crisis spurred by non-indian drug dealers significant shortfalls in Bia funding and the fact that that we cannot arrest and detain non Indians the 1978 olon law
▶ 1:00:01has to be overturned and then the tribes will be able to prosecute and detain non-indians who are killing our people due to the these dangerous drugs that are selling in our reservation the the drug dealers know this and they keep coming back at Red lak's expense second we request I do we provide a 39 million increase in fiscal year 2026 as requested by
▶ 1:00:31tribal internal budget Council to support existing tahi tribes with four new tahi tribes demonstration tribes and 12 new tahi incubator tribes to addresses manner of vital needs in our community from youth Suicide Prevention efforts allowing our children's Healing Center to implement a 247 youth residential treatment program for mental health substant abuse efforts to combat trouble members unemployment rates
▶ 1:01:01thank you thanks to you in 2023 Bia was able to unbo four more tahi sites bringing the number up to 10 sites in 65 tribes last year Bia was able to provide one-time funds to 12 toai incubator sites to develop toah implementation plans so that they will be ready to become full tahi when Congress provides additional funds third we request final financial
▶ 1:01:32assistance for red Lakes crumbling Water and Wastewater infrastructure systems most of this infrastructure dates to the 1960s and the lines are made of asto asbesto cement and are seriously deteriorating our projects have been unable to get on the IHS sanitation deficiency list because IHS Pro prioritizes projects where hous are cramped together to provide more services per mile this IHS
▶ 1:02:02policy unfairly harms Red Lake we have nowhere else to go for financial assistance we have six projects totaling 40 million that are shovel ready and we request this amount in FY 2026 and Chim me gra for allowing me to request your support and for some of the most immediate needs of my conu that includes 105 lease to be mandatory
▶ 1:02:33funded thank you Leonard you're next thank you chair Simpson ranking member pingry members of the committee my name is Lenny F and I'm honored to serve as Secretary treasur of the Leech Lake band ofo jibway my testimony today focuses on full Advance Appropriations for Indian Health Services funding for the bia's tahi initiative and the need to protect existing Grants awarded by the
▶ 1:03:03EPA uh for from impacts of the executive orders regarding IHS Advan Appropriations we support the many requests that you'll hear this week to move Indian health education and Justice programs to the mandatory side of the budget health education and Public Safety are the foundations of the government's treaty and Trust obligations to to our people and mandatory spending is the long-term goal however considering the current budget situation we ask you continue
▶ 1:03:33to improve on your work to provide Advanced Appropriations for Indian Health this subcommittee under uh Congressman mccullum's leadership played a key role in the historic enactment of advanced Appropriations for Indian healthc care in the fiscal year 23 Omnibus the fy2 house interior Bill expands Advanced Appropriations for IHS to include sanitation and Healthcare facilities Construction in FY 26 to build on that progress and to fully protect Indian Health programs from
▶ 1:04:04the impacts of potential government shutdowns we urge you to add contract support costs and 105l leasing funding to the Advance appropriation accounts for Indian Healthcare another priority for Leech Lake is the tahi initiative and our efforts to protect our children and keep our families together the toah initiative Fosters tribal self-governance and acknowledges that Indian tribes as local decision makers are best suited to develop plans to resolve problems that have plagued our communities
▶ 1:04:35interior's tahi report to Congress is proof that investments in taahi are working the report confirms that the initiative has led to reductions in suicides and recidivism and is improving family reunification language revitalization housing and job creation Leech Lake was added as a pilot tribe last year in one short year the twah initiative is helping us break down long-standing barriers in our foster care system ensuring more native children can remain in our
▶ 1:05:05community we're renovating modular homes to provide safe stable housing for foster families and we are implementing these services with job training financial literacy education and job placement to build on the success of the twah initiative Leech Lake supports a TC's budget request that the initiative be funded at 83 .6 million in fiscal year 2026 finally I want to discuss the importance of EPA programs and grants to Indian Country tribes Nationwide
▶ 1:05:35are concerned that executive actions relating to diversity and environmental justice are adversely impacting Federal programs and Grant Awards we urge the subcommittee to include Bill language to clarify that Federal programs and services including grants that have already been awarded that are designed to meet the government's treaty and Trust obligations are exempt from the recent executive actions and hiring policies while some agencies have clarified that tribal programs are exempt from the executive actions
▶ 1:06:06this clarification hasn't been uniform across all federal agencies while some agencies I'm sorry Leech Lake remains concerned that the executive actions could impact other agencies including epa's environmental and climate Justice block grant program while this grant has all the buzzwords that raise flag for the recent executive actions this grant has nothing to do with diversity Equity inclusion and everything to do with a federal responsibility to protect our treaty rights and
▶ 1:06:36the health and safety of our employees this grant is critical to helping us overcome a decades long effort to move a tribal government facility out of a Superfund Site Leech Lake established our division of resource management to protect our treaty resources including our sacred manomen our forests and the F and Wildlife that continue to feed our people to this day the facility that houses our DRM employees is located wholly within the St rega Superfund Site employees are exposed
▶ 1:07:06to contaminated soil and water every day despite the importance of this grant we remain concerned that it's wrongly getting caught up in the executive actions I could spend hours talking about the need to remove the source of this contamination and the plague of the St reges Superfund Site on our community but I know know that my time is short so I'll close with this as someone who grew up skeptical of government actions and overreach I'm strongly committed to efficiency and accountability given the federal
▶ 1:07:36obligation to tribes and the many federal programs that serve tribes I believe that all tribes share in this commitment to accountability however the one- siiz fits-all approach taken so far comes with far too many unintended consequences while instilling fear and uncertainty in our communities our primary concern is that the people charged with implementing these efficiency efforts have no background in history or law about the government's treaty and Trust responsibility to Indian Country so
▶ 1:08:06we are calling on this subcommittee and others in Congress to stand with us to uphold these solemn migu thank you viril try to get every second out of that clock um good afternoon uh chairman Simpson ranking member pingry and McCollum um my name is Virgil wind and I am honored to serve as a chief executive of the maax
▶ 1:08:37band of ojibway a federally recognized Indian tribe located in central Minnesota I come before you today carrying the voices of my people malx is a Sovereign Nation with more than 5,000 band members and we provide jobs and services that support thousands more across across Minnesota band members and non-band members alike um benefit when we do better we have and we will continue to be good neighbors like all tribal Nations we stand
▶ 1:09:07on the promises made in our treaties promises that must be upheld I am not here simply seeking money I'm here seeking longer healthier Better Lives for my people this is not just a budget request it is a matter of life and death our people are dying younger than other Americans our elders the ones who carry our language who carry our Traditions who carry our history are being taken from us far too soon
▶ 1:09:38families are burying loved ones because they couldn't get the care they needed this isn't just statistics it's names its faces its voices that should still be here today when thinking about life expectancy of a Native American male um across the United States 65.2 years right my life is over halfway over um that compared to our non-native C counterparts of 76.4 years
▶ 1:10:08it's 11 years difference um this is a tragedy that is preventable we can make a difference um while we have many diverse needs I'm here today seeking the support of five key issues first we need full fun funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs Bureau of Indian education and Indian Health Services this is not again not just a budget request is a call to honor the federal government's trust responsibility
▶ 1:10:38tribal programs are already underfunded our people face some of the worst Health disparities in the country higher rates of diabetes heart disease and preventable deaths and yet just to put something in perspective the federal government spends nearly twice as much on health care for people that are incarcerated than we spend on our Native Americans roughly $3,600 goes to a Native American compared to over 9,000
▶ 1:11:08for somebody that's incarcerated um back to IHS um the Great lak Lakes IHS region the one that serves my people um it is the lowest funded IHS region in the country that has to change if we want to reduce government spending in the long run that invest in our health now healthy people contribute to their communities they work they Thrive they pass on knowledge they pass on culture to the Next
▶ 1:11:39Generation second I urge you to continue supporting Advanced Appropriations every year our communities are left wondering whether or not Congress will pass a budget Will services be cut off will Health Care be disrupted other Federal agencies get Advanced Appropriations so that they can keep operating when there are delays we need that same stability for IHS healthc care is not something that can just pause people's lives are on
▶ 1:12:09the line third we need increased funding for Tribal Law Enforcement our Mala Tribal Police keep our community safe fighting against drugs violence and human human trafficking but the funding from the Department of interior covers less than 3% of our law enforcement budget our annual budget is over $6 million and we receive less than 3% funding from the Department of interior
▶ 1:12:39in fact $1,441 is all we receive through self-governance this is not anywhere near the funding we need fourth we support the funding requests of the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife commission um our people have cared for the lands and Waters of the Great Lakes for centuries and we continue to practice our treaty rights today fishing hunting and Gathering are the Traditions that make us who we are as a
▶ 1:13:09people um we support the fair share of no less than 50.7 million for the rights protection implementation and at least 368 million for the Great Lakes restorative initiative with no less than 5% set aside for tribal programs and finally we ask you we encourage we ask that you encourage your colleagues to continue funding the treasury's office of tribal and Native Affairs
▶ 1:13:40this office plays a critical role in ensuring tribal Nations have access to Federal resources and economic opportunities it must remain a priority um chimu thank you guys um thank you for your time and attention and uh always happy to help M gret thank you all for your testimony for being here today uh you say you you're if the if the uh life expectancy has gone down like seven years or something like
▶ 1:14:10that that you'd be halfway if it was me I'd be dead so that's how old I am so I'm gonna actually turn time over to to uh Congress congresswoman McCullen thank you and thank you gentlemen for for all of your testimony and I want to thank uh the the tribes of Minnesota especially uh the Ana shabi tribes who took me on a on a voyage when I was the state legislature um when the malx uh hunting
▶ 1:14:40and fishing and treaty rights were in dispute so um it is it is a great honor and privilege to work alongside you in in this work that I do um chairman uh from Red Lake really chah is a huge success and I know you came into my office and we weren't sure what was going to happen and it is happened and it is a model that has gone all over with each tribe adjusting it to fit its culture and and its needs so it
▶ 1:15:10was a a an ingenious program not only that has helped uh tribel nations in Minnesota but but all around uh two things I wanted to um bring up one is one is um more broader picture for for all the tribes but I always look to you for guidance on what you think I should be working on on behalf of the Minnesota tribes um you mentioned sequestration uh there's no protection for sequestration in the ad Advanced Appropriations we're
▶ 1:15:40not so sure how that's going to be treated because of the way the language and sequestration was written originally we thought it protected tribal Health only to find out that it didn't I wish it protected tribal education as well too I hope not to be sequestration I know it's a Chairman's uh goal too as well as Chairman's call chairman call but um I'm wondering if if some of us should be thinking ahead and getting something on the floor to see if we can pass it ahead of time in case we find ourselves in that kind of
▶ 1:16:11unimaginable position again um with with the you I you speak on behalf of your Nations I was at NCI and kind of spoke to other tribal Nations but are you concerned about that is that something we should be looking at doing certainly that's what needs to be done for Indian Country for this help for heal IHS you know because uh there's always funds needed for because it when it trickles down to our Service Unit all they get is crumbs we need
▶ 1:16:41more health care for for our people instead of have you know we have our own health care in our tribe but we got to use our healthare to cover for IHS there we need more doctors nurses dentists we're not funded enough so you guys got to do the right thing because of the treaties trust responsibility all categories they
▶ 1:17:11all spoke about okay before us and now all the ones that I spoke you guys got to do the right thing good yes the the other item and it's it's kind kind of a Minnesota Pacific uh specific thing and I might need your help on this this chairman because I had to go in front of the Biden Administration with with my um brothers and sisters from the tribal organizations the four walls so which is very unique in
▶ 1:17:41in in Minnesota and that allows the tribal the tribal Nations to um use some of their their their funding very little of it but they use it wisely to be able to go out in the community community and talk about health care um talk about mental health talk about uh substance abuse talk about treatment but that that you have to have like a carve out or permission to do that and I'm concerned about this Administration seeing how
▶ 1:18:11well that that's worked if uh one or two of you could just take a minute and explain explain it to the the chairman and to the ranking member who I will need to have allies in in this because I know this is something you want to see continued yes thank thank you Congressman M colum and uh the issue of four walls relates to uh statutory definition within the Social Security Act of Clinic services for Medicaid reimbursement that tribes uh receive uh this is an example of IHS underfunding
▶ 1:18:42and tribes uh being Innovative in the way that we're providing Health Care to our people uh by seeking reimbursement from CMS uh in in 2016 CMS issued a bullet that said that um all Clinic Services must be provided within the four walls of a clinic uh which is part of the statutory definition of Clinic Services the way that CMS had been operating for at least two decades prior to that uh was that they allowed tribes to bill for these Services
▶ 1:19:12outside the four walls of a clinic uh and that's the way that all of the tribes uh in Minnesota in particular have uh developed their Health Care Systems is that we provide services particularly with regard to substance use disorder and Behavioral Health outside of the Four Walls of a clinic and so we have been working very closely with the Minnesota Department of Human Services as well as with uh the centers for Medicare and Medicaid services under the Biden Administration to come up with a regulatory
▶ 1:19:42fix for this and right now it's sort of an open question on what's going to happen I know that uh Minesota DHS had some Medicaid State Plan amendments that um they had gotten into to CMS right at the last minute in in December um I'm not 100% sure if those have been signed off on yet the last that I had heard was that um they didn't get signed off on before January 20th and everything was on hold until uh new leadership got in at CMS and so we're
▶ 1:20:12still kind of in limbo on that and so we will we will probably be looking for some clarification on Clinic services that will allow the tribes in Minnesota to continue to get those reimbursements MCH so thank you so Mr chairman uh ranking member um working with uh the Native American caucus I might be looking looking to to do a letter this also could be a model that could save lives as well as more efficient use of healthcare dollars in in travel
▶ 1:20:42Nations but uh we're we're concerned about that moving forward so um thank you all for your your mentorship and you'll let me know if I'm not doing it right I know that so I just want to recognize you for what you do and I want to fck it back on what he's talking about CMS and the third party collections we do but seems like every time the tribe is doing something good for them for for their people it's taken away it just that's what
▶ 1:21:13happens we're doing good good with there four walls doing the collections the shortfalls that are needed it helps tribes now it's working now they want to take it away I ask you guys again do the right thing be good contigous we're not no we're not
▶ 1:21:43contiguous we have different districts that are you know 50 miles apart from one another so to have a big Health Care Facility in all three of those districts is not something that's really feasible so for w puts even tighter constraints on that L and then you tie in the opioid epidemic and all of that stuff to it and what does that Outreach really look like when you're you're segmented you know what I mean so it just makes it even more difficult to be able to provide those Services
▶ 1:22:15congrats black uh we're we're located near Deluth Minnesota and all of these tribes uh we service at our clinics too and offer those same name uh possibilities to participate in these programming for all federally recognized native people that live within the Western Great Lakes Region yeah thank you uh thank you all for your testimony we're always pleased that representative McCullum
▶ 1:22:45is on this committee and has chaired this committee because she's the true Minnesotan but I'd just like to remind everyone I was born in Minnesota Yash beta uh and my family has a lake home in Glenn Minnesota and so I have visited with uh the MC band before and I'm looking forward to taking my grandchildren to the Museum and Gift Shop uh that you have because it's a wonderful it's a yeah it's a great little spot but um also very supportive of all the things you've talked about today and thank you for reinforcing the you know one of the most difficult things that is
▶ 1:23:15underfunded in that is the law enforcement and the huge impact it has and every year the statistics get somewhat worse and more staggering and I I really think we in spite of all the you know huge pressures we're going to have this year and trying to figure out how to make sure this budget goes through or this funding bill goes through but just getting those numbers up is is really important and um of course the health measures as well really just awful the way it it continues to get worse and I just want to um reinforce a couple of you mentioned uh funding
▶ 1:23:46that's been blocked I think you had a couple of Transportation projects you brought up and I don't know if representative McCullum was in the room when that happened but I think we're all trying to keep our eye out for those places where there is a block and you know make sure you continue to keep us informed about if the funding comes through you know we've been told some of it's going to be released and you also mentioned that I think it's a climate Justice grant that you're trying to use for a Superfund Site it's the second time I talked to a tribe about that today the other one was really a land purchase so it's not you know these buzzwords unfortunately
▶ 1:24:16are endangering a lot of programs but uh many of us feel this was money that was appropriated authorized by Congress it it shouldn't be bled yeah and these are contracts with the government so uh continue to keep us informed about it because um we're going to be fighting to make sure that money eventually goes through uh you know it's hard enough to get enough money through the Bia and bie but then you get these other grants through the EPA and other um you know HHS they're all and anyone that's being blocked this is not Dei
▶ 1:24:46it's not environmental justice these are parts of our treaty and Trust responsibity if I could uh you mentioned transportation in Indian Country and uh late 1990s I was researching insurance and AAA did a seat Bel survey across the country and what they discovered that you have two-thirds of a higher chance of dying if you live and work within any reservation within the country due to lack of infrastructure on roads interesting I know that know that I know
▶ 1:25:17that uh chairman Cole when he was chairman of the transportation Comm was very dedicated to making sure that that portion in there that goes to Indian roads uh was increased and stuff he kind of went and said how much is this overall increase been how much has it been in Indian country was about half of what the overall so he bumped it up substantially so it's something we're aware of I know that uh when Betty and I were in uh Arizona and on the Navajo reservation
▶ 1:25:47and they drove us out to a school we both had fit bits on they drove us up and it wasn't that far but you know was a few miles I got like 26,000 steps just riding on the bus yeah but she got more that's how bad the road was so we're aware of that and we'll uh we'll continue to work on that but I do appreciate all of your testimony a quick comment you know the statue map 21 needs to be changed on Transportation
▶ 1:26:17thank you all for being here today I appreciate it thank you hours yes I know I know what you mean thank you thank you very thank you uh you can keep me the rest of my
▶ 1:26:49women and Jeff Jeff and uh winner you must be Jeff okay is that how you is that how you say it correct
▶ 1:27:19okay thank you okay W you're at first is that on
▶ 1:27:50y okay great ha chairman Simpson rank member pingry members of the subcommittee thank you for the opportunity to testify again on behalf of the quapa nation my name is WEA suau and I the chairperson of the nation once again I am here today to ask that the United States through this committee helped close a dark chapter in our history almost immediately after the establishment of our reservation up through the
▶ 1:28:201960s the Bureau of Indian Affairs oversaw the systematic removal of virtually all valuable natural resources from our reservation the bureau authorized mines on our land that from 1917 to 1947 alone produced more than 20 billion worth of lead and zinc our tribe hardly saw a dime the pillaging of our resources alone was devastating but that's not even the worst of it
▶ 1:28:50the bureau's halfhazard authorization of Mines with so shoddy that now much of the land on our reservation in fact the entire town of piter Oklahoma is so undermined that it is unsafe for habitation that's still not all the Bia also authorized the mining companies to dump their toxic waste on our farms and on our Fields some of these piles are over 80 to 90 ft High the Bureau of Indian Affairs didn't
▶ 1:29:20just allow our resources to be stolen they also so allowed our reservation to be poisoned Generations our pleas for justice fell on De deaf ears for more than 100 years but finally in 2012 a congressman member from the state of Oklahoma with a deep understanding of our history stepped in I'm incredibly grateful that this outstanding Champion for Indian Country Congressman Tom Cole now has the distinguished honor of chairing
▶ 1:29:51this very committee Congressman Cole introduced legislation that gave the quapa nation and our co- claimants the ability to seek restitution from the United States and the US court of federal CA claims for the damages alleged in the case of Thomas Charles bear atow versus the United States we had a historic opportunity and worked diligently with the co- claimants and the United States to come to an agreement and on January 9th
▶ 1:30:212020 the court entered a historic settlement of the bear case the court recommended that the nation and our co- claimants receive 137.5 million doll in compensation for the damages the funding would help us address the generations of damage to our land and Trauma to our people sadly I'm here today because more than five years later the quapa nation and our co- claimants have not been made whole but
▶ 1:30:51we persist after months of work and negotiation with our co- claimants we reached agreement on legislation that would authorize the US to fulfill its end of the bargain and provide funding the court determined we are owed Senators Mullen and Langford as well as your colleague Congressman Josh bken introduced legislation to fulfill this important obligation now we are here to ask that you work with our Congressional Delegation to
▶ 1:31:21help our nation recover from the loss as we have suffered and will continue to suffer for years to come because of the bia's mismanagement of our lands I ask that you join the quapa nation and our co- claimants in demanding the US to finally live up to its trust and treaty responsibilities an appropriation to settle the bease will not undo all the damage but it will help us move forward thank you and I appreciate this opportunity to testify
▶ 1:31:51before you today G want to thank you yep I'm sorry about that my name is Jeff wachi I'm chief of the United cout band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma the ukb is a friendly recognized tribe requiring
▶ 1:32:22at least one quarter degree of Cherokee blood we are headquartered on our Oklahoma Cherokee reservation in Northeastern Oklahoma the ukb has been federally recognized since 1946 and has struggled for 79 years to receive our rights and benefits for decades our legal status has been debated that debate was settled on January 17th when the interior solicitor issued a memorandum opinion that reaffirmed what we have always known the United couta
▶ 1:32:52band of jerkey Indians in Oklahoma and the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma are equal successors to the historic Cherokee Nation this conclusion was reached after more than two years of in-depth legal historical and genealogical review of documents submitted by both tribes we are confident that the federal courts will easily affirm interior's correct conclusion in the early 2000s the CNO assumed key IHS
▶ 1:33:22programs related to the taloa Service Unit IHS unlawfully awarded a 638 contract to the CNO for Clinical Services and purchase referred care despite knowing that the ukb had never given consent as a result ukb members have been denied Health Care Services the CNO knows this and the IHS knows this this was not a technical oversight it was a breach of trust
▶ 1:33:53in 2022 we began our most recent efforts to obtain recurring funding from the IHS to establish our long overdue tribal health system after reviewing this history IHS confirmed that the ukb is entitled by law to operate our own tribal health system propo and propose securing it under the new tribes funding budget line in both the FY 24 and 25 budget requests IHS is responsibility is clear clear
▶ 1:34:24it must provide Health Care to all federally recognized tribes regardless of how long they have been recognized the new tribes funding budget exists for this exact reason to ensure all tribes receive Services any claims that ukb funding is redundant or patently false and not worthy of consideration IHS has now acknowledged its error and seeks to correct it this effort resulted in a isda
▶ 1:34:54contract which transferred $5.7 million in nonrecurring funding to the ukb for 2024 we are working with the service to obtain non-recurring funding for 2025 the 2024 funding is entirely within the PRC funding program the recurring funding request of $6 million would be allocated by the ukb across the pr both the PRC program and the Hospitals and Clinics
▶ 1:35:24recurring funding for the ukb has been included in both the FY 24 and 25 president's budget request with bipartisan support in both Chambers unfortunately the ukb was not included in the 2024 enacted budget as the final budget held IHS funding stagnant we were again included in the 2025 president's budgets under Biden and the Senate included language in one of its reports that directed the
▶ 1:35:54IHS director to fund the ukb out of a total budget increase for the service of just over $8 million that bill ultimately died we have shown our ability to operate high quality health programs under isda successfully managing behavior health and substance abuse Services throughout our reservation with the annual funding IHS funding in the amount of $99,000 our track record of offici efficient operations and
▶ 1:36:24prudent management under this contract proves our ability to transform that meager funding into a behavior health system which now operates across five locations and provides services to 1,200 plus patients We Stand ready to replicate this success with the United coutu band tribal health system as you continue through these hearings take note that only one tribal official is here to oppose another tribe's funding very sad
▶ 1:36:55indeed on behalf of the United Couture band of churkey Indians in Oklahoma I urge you to correct this moral and legal error and enact the IHSS request to fund the ukb on a recurring with thank you uh the loss that you're about when where did that was it the tribe against uh Bia
▶ 1:37:25yes yes because I we have a lot of and and I and my staff and they've been trying to educate me a little bit which is sometimes hard uh uh there are settlements that happen across this government that all of a sudden go over to the Department of Justice and the Justice fund pays for those and I'm trying to figure out why some of them go there and why others don't and how the hell we get it out of my budget
▶ 1:37:55and get it into into the Justice fund to pay for it uh that's a challenge uh and I've got to do some more research on it and stuff and uh but it is you know if judgment been made and at least we did get the reference from from the judge and the US court of federal claims that at least referred it for legislative authorization and and appropriation so we're happy about that but like you that's a bit of a mystery to me well it's kind of and from what I understand
▶ 1:38:25and I might get this wrong but if an appropriation has been requested in some of them they have to request an appropriation uh and if that's been done it can't come out of the Justice fund so is that similar to what I something like that yeah so it's uh it's something that I that I want to look at not just in this case but what's going to eat our budget up in coming years is there's a lot of water right settlements across this country with tribes
▶ 1:38:56uh just talking with Fort bmat tribe and stuff and there's almost a well is actually a little over a billion dollars which is like over a 10e period that's still huge hit on the budget and there's going to be more and more of those coming down the line we got to figure out a way to pay for these so anyway I appreciate your testimony and thank you for your testimony and and look forward to working with you to solve the issue Miss pingry yeah thank I'm so sorry about you know the exploitation
▶ 1:39:26and really the story that you're you're bringing to us and hope that we can find a way to make sure that that settlement finally gets to the people who deserve it um and it sounds like the funding has come one year but not all years yes yes it's non-recurring yes okay so I'll try to learn a little more about that and thank you for your uh you know your work on behalf of your tribe and getting the healthcare to the people who need it yeah you're welcome thank you for being here she he said non-recurring like
▶ 1:39:57yes my Brilliance it kind of comes and yeah thank you and thank you for your testimony I appreciate it very much thank you thank you Jose
▶ 1:40:44Tribal Utility Authority director that's uh heck of a title I was going to say I you're going to have to explain to us exactly what that is I I'll be happy okay Ken you're first may have to deviate from my script here for that it's okay okay well instead of looking at a piece of paper maybe I'll just talk to you um so I'm Ken alen I'm the uh Tribal Utility Authority director for the Cashel dehe band of wi tuned Indians of the kaloa Rancheria that's a mouthful so we just call it the the kaloa
▶ 1:41:14tribe it's about an hour north of Sacramento in California I've worked for this tribe for about 20 years and the reason that I showed up to the reservation back in 2004 was because the tribe experienced over 50 power outages per year uh from the IOU and unfortunately this isn't uncommon across Indian Country the tribes didn't get the last pick of land they got no pick of land right so oftentimes end up in the most Rural and remote areas across the country and and very often are underserved by the IUS
▶ 1:41:45in fact 1.4% of Americans have no access to electricity but in Native America that number is 14% 10 10 times the national average 13,500 plus families on the Navajo Nation never had access to electricity in America in 2025 so this is not uncommon um so when I showed up to kaloa it was to help them build a natural gas fired co-generation power plant um to take the control of their own Energy Future and super long story short uh we've had an
▶ 1:42:15off-grid micro grid powering the entire reservation now for two decades with uh no outages in over 13 years which makes this little tribe in Northern California uh a global leader in utility uptime and so we formed kaloa Indian energy a section 17 100% tribally owned Corporation um the only tribally owned microG grid developer in the country to export these Decades of expertise to any other tribes who might be able to benefit from it uh tribal energy sovereignty is a big buzzword
▶ 1:42:46in in Indian Country these days and so we bring energy sovereignty to now we're in development with uh nearly 60 different tribes across the country um also some non-tribal governments some big corporations including some of the largest data center clients um in the world and so what I'm here to talk to you about is specifically not just what we've done at kaloa um proper but what it is we offer not only to Indian Country
▶ 1:43:17um but to the United States uh government and to Industry um as a whole and there are a few things that I think you guys might be able to help us out with in in uh achieving that so my testimony today we'll focus on um the offices programs and policies Which tribes rely upon to seek and secure energy Independence diversify their economies away from gaming build more vibrant communities and help America maintain its Global Computing and energy
▶ 1:43:47dominance as members of the subcommittee know tribal governments are forced to seek approval from the bi a for a wide array of activities on trust lands including energy generation storage transmission and related projects the Heth Act of 2012 made great advances in self-determination of tribes uh more work is yet to be done there are still limitations on how federally recognized tribes utilize their lands a fewer restrictions on government agency approvals will allow tribes to accelerate development and attract
▶ 1:44:17more private Capital uh to fund these initiatives more private Capital will allow tribes to grow without relying on government grants and Loan guarantees I'd like to recognize the importance of the office of Indian energy within the department of energy we partnered with this office on several projects at kaloa and elsewhere uh the office of Indian energy provides technical expertise funding and serves as a One-Stop shop for tribes seeking to De to develop their energy resources these resources were vital in developing our own microG Grid
▶ 1:44:47in Kusa and grant funding can help tribes take their initial steps towards self-sufficiency this office is instrumental in connecting tribes with doe resources such as the system of National Labs other Technical Resources and programs the House fiscal year 2025 energy and water bill provides a historic $95 million to Indian energy policy and programs at the at the doe which is a 35% increase over fiscal year 2024 we're grateful for your continued support
▶ 1:45:18for this office and urge the committee to continue that commitment as you develop uh the 2026 Bill we hope that those members of the subcommittee who also serve on the energy and water subcommittee will bring their expertise related to tribal issues to that role as well we also hope subcommittee members will bring their expertise and guidance to the Doe's Loan program office this program had significant potential to improve the capital flows into Indian Country energy projects however the application process was cumbersome
▶ 1:45:48which made it almost impossible for any tribes to take advantage of the program further the complex and costly due diligence assessment of projects made the smaller Community scale projects impossible to fund using this program uh this program has a massive opportunity in Pro promoting both new natural gas fire generation and renewable energy resources America needs significant power capacity to lead the world in computer processing artificial intelligence and other high-tech manufacturing Endeavors the lpo
▶ 1:46:18uh in my opinion has been an abject failure and there's you know there are two billion dollar fund originally that that was expanded to2 billion um set aside only for tribes to be able to access super low interest funding for energy projects Manufacturing um but there wasn't a single loan that was actually successfully um completed and I'm afraid that the lpo may end up on the chopping block under this new Administration I hope that it
▶ 1:46:48doesn't um there are a lot of ways to improve the way that LPL functions and actually get this money out into the hands of tribes that can benefit from it uh tribal energy tax issues specifically the the investment tax credits included in section 48 of the Internal Revenue code which was expanded by Congress in 22 presented tribes with a critical opportunity to develop micro grid projects on their own reservations the formation of the company that I told you about Ki Indian energy was predicated partially on that investment thesis this tax incentive
▶ 1:47:18initially supported Natural Gas co-generation and non-carbon energy generation systems offering cost savings carbon reductions and improved energy reliability across the country a key feature for tribes is the direct pay option um which allows tribes to be able to benefit from itc's as a non-t taxable entity um this removes Financial barriers and enables investment in large scale power generation projects without requiring tax liability my time is short so I have to read the
▶ 1:47:48rest of what I wrote here um specifically you know what what what I what what I want you to take away from what we're doing is we have two large buckets of projects one is community scale micro grids similar to what we do or have done at kaloa we're doing this for dozens of other tribes across the country those projects almost across the board rely on um the ITC which is set to expire or or part part of it has expired already the combining power the natural gas component
▶ 1:48:19expired in 24 um and and and Grant doll from agencies like the office of Indian energy the other big bucket of work that we're doing is to lever the advantages that tribes have in sovereignty um and being self-regulating to bypass state and local um bureaucracy and bring large energy users like AI data centers to reservations to be powered directly by tribes so if you want to build a data center in PG territory today in Northern
▶ 1:48:49California it's going to take 7 to 10 years to get that transmit power uh we do it on trust land with tribes in 18 to 24 months um and so this is that we Tak an all the above energy approach here we're not a renewable energy company we're a tribal Energy company and so natural gas plays a critical component to these large scale projects which not only offer tribal energy sovereignty but offer significant um Revenue opportunity to diversify away from gaming
▶ 1:49:19thank you so much for your time yes sir is it on there we go good afternoon my name is uh Jose Simon III but my tribal name is Mo Simon am kak Mo Simon so nice to meet you today I'm the chairman of the Middletown Rancheria band of Pomo Indians in Northern California we have 261 tribal members so a small tribe coming to the table we are a neighbor of kaloa uh we're less than an hour away
▶ 1:49:50in Northern California I've been the tribal chair since 1997 joined as a young man I grew up on the reservation in Middletown with an 80 acre parcel that we live on there now with our tribal members I was lucky enough to be not a small person so I was able to play uh college football played in the NFL played in the world Football League was a champion over there played Arena Football League but I was asked to come back and be a leader of the tribe I've done that for over 24 years now uh will be 30 at the end of this term
▶ 1:50:20and today I come to you as a leader to say please continue the mandated funding or turn it to mandating funding uh for all the tribal organizations I'm looking on the wall Bia US EPA US Forest Service Indian Health Services all underfunded throughout the years that I've been there but cutting the funding completely would just be devastating especially for our small tribal Nation we need to drive 34 miles just round trip to get to a hospital so we've worked over the last 20 years
▶ 1:50:51to build a clinic actually on our Ranch area we are part of a Consortium but we have built something on our Ranch area now that we need funding for to get up and operating and started we're just looking for a hand up not a hand out as we're moving forward as a tribal Nation but we have grants under each one of those things that we have up on the wall EPA US Forest Service under our tribal historic preservation office Indian Health Service uh EPA we have our water quality grants we are working diligently too we are affected
▶ 1:51:21by PSPs events uh in Northern California from PG we're working on microG grid projects solar for all all of these things that will affect our people but we're a small nation very small nation as I said we have 261 members we have about 33 adult or uh Elder members and we just live in a different environment than I've heard any of the testimony here we have just grown our nation from 80 acres to 353 we've done some trust status acquisition
▶ 1:51:52we had to pay for those properties to get that put into trust it was a 9-year process for a small tribe and some folks in this country think you get it and it's Tribal land immediately well that's not the process to go through you not only have to buy the land back that was taken from us in 1851 August 21st uh in the PE treaty that was signed in Lake County but we have to also pay taxes on that while we're going through the feet to trust process it's a scary environment when you have a world pandemic hit you need to
▶ 1:52:22close your businesses for safety reasons you need to try and take your care of your surrounding community and continue to grow but there's a long process for years I've heard as a leader about streamlining applications you heard earlier in the testimony there's grants and Loans out there but the process to go through it is just unbelievable and once again it's overlooked on The Sovereign status of tribal Nations the first thing they want in there is a waiver of sovereign immunity from each federal government each federally
▶ 1:52:53recognized tribe it can't be taken away but we can give it away and we do not want to give away our Sovereign status and Sovereign waivers of immunity are in all the contracts that were talked about earlier and this testimony and across the board it's a real challenge we're work making Headway at the state level the federal level we need to be looking at that too over-the-counter applications whether it be FEMA EPA us uh Department of Forestry whatever those challenges are hard
▶ 1:53:23to overcome for small tribes with a minimum capacity but we're continuing to take steps forward by growing our economic diversification in energy broadband and other opportunities but the grants stand to be the starting point for most of our projects as we move forward whether it's land purchase whether it's like I said any of our economic diversification uh that we do for the Middletown ranchera and really want to make sure that we are not caught up in the in the convers ation going on
▶ 1:53:53with Dei any other things that funding needs to follow through for Middletown we probably get about a half a million dollars a year in granting on a regular basis that would include all of our 638 contracts EPA other things and we do a good job locally to create other businesses we do have gaming operations we have fueling station we have other things where we employ over 300 people in the local area a local area that was devastated in 2015 by the Valley fire Valley
▶ 1:54:23fire came through and devastated it Lake County has been devastated over the past 10 years with over 18 fires that have burned 75% of our landmass in Lake County during those disasters the tribe has stepped up to be a resource center shelter individuals bring people to a safe environment we have backup generation that's why it's so important that we are able to work on micro grids and other things as we move forward and we need the support of all the agencies as we're doing that and yes we are a small
▶ 1:54:53tribe uh but that doesn't matter we're very powerful in the area as far as economic development growth and I think we have a great opportunity to work with this government to continue that I not only speak from the point of a tribal leader but I'm also I think the only leader in the country that also was elected to the Board of Supervisors in my K I was a first Native American I just served two terms I did both at the same time I was a chairman of My Tribe during the pandemic that hit and also the chairman of the board of Lake County uh for the Board of Supervisors
▶ 1:55:24boy what a challenge saving lives and working through projects in rural communities that are very poor Lake county is 58 I think we're 57 now poorest counties in Lake in California and we've got a lot of work to do there's seven tribal nations in that county that work very diligently to create jobs opportunity and these are things that we need to continue to grow on but for the United States government for its trust responsibility ities signed by the treaties across this country
▶ 1:55:55it's very important that we aren't caught up in the other conversations happening and this funding is made mandatory going forward for us to continue to grow it is a challenge I understand I've worked on the political side I've been elected I've gone through that and sat through County Board of Supervisors meeting at the local level I understand what you're dealing with I understand and see what's coming down the pipe here for the next four years with this Administration Indian country is a partner we're here to have the fights that need to be taken but we also need to be put in our own
▶ 1:56:25political environment in a government toover relationship as we help to continue to grow our Nations and that is really what we want to do continue to grow our nation to make this nation grow and to continue with that collaboration we've had since you know the Inception of the United States 250 Years celebration this year let's go forward not backwards and that's what we're prepared to do and I know it's not easy but as a leader of a small tribe in Northern California we understand the complexities
▶ 1:56:55of Grant and government operations and we're here to help but you need to be here and partner with us I showed up you know most of the small tribes I was hoping there'd be a few more because it is a one fits-all across the country when we talk about the 500 uh uh Nations across the country but we're so totally different it was the Gold Rush that affected Us in Northern California when our lands were taken you know so in 1850 areas and and that's what was really devastated
▶ 1:57:25our tribes like I said in Lake County there's seven different tribal Nations we all work together wholeheartedly to help keep our people moving forward uh we are surrounded by the oldest uh we have the oldest natural Lake Clear Lake in the area and you always hear about salmon but hitch hitch is an endangered species in our area it only exists in Clear Lake and we're having that fight to make sure that we can keep that tradition as alive when I was a young man we used to go out and collect the hitch we dry them throughout the year
▶ 1:57:55and that's what we use to sustain ourselves throughout the year we can't do that anymore because the hitch or and endangered species are almost going away and we're continuing that fight at the local level the state level and the federal level so I know um you know you have my written testimony I want to have it in the record it will be um I also want to offer any questions from you if you have any questions for me I greatly appreciate the time and as I said I've been a long time leader at our tribe elected every two years for the first 12 years
▶ 1:58:26and then we went to three years so um not easy to do and then also to be elected for the first Native American in Lake County's history uh not easy to do so Community is something that I like to really try and build collaboration you know this is a great country we live in a great country we are part of that we are part of the history of this country we're written into the Constitution we were governments before these governments were uh formed and we'll continue to hopefully be here to learn
▶ 1:58:56from how to deal with disagreement internally and to continue to grow so Middletown Rancheria and the um Pomo people of uh Northern California uh Ken great to have you here I got to get you over to the res for a conversation I'll say it right now that's discussion for another time another time thank you very much chairman Simpson and pingry I appreciate the time today uh that you've given me to speak on behalf of my people uh we are K is our language uh the lake Miwok and we're from
▶ 1:59:26oomi coyote place in Northern California thank you appreciate your testimony it's uh interesting uh tribes are really getting into energy production aren't they all across the all across the country they yeah a lot of a lot of them are um there's 574 federally recognized tribes there's I think less than a dozen that have formal Tribal Utility authorities and less than half of them actually own um their own assets right their own energy assets yeah so it's still very new there's
▶ 1:59:56a lot of sophistication in Indian country and gaming not a whole lot in in energy right so our Charter as a tribally owned company is to try to be a firewall between tribes and non-tribal entities in this space um whatever that means for the tribes we're developing with well the nesp tribe I know are into yes sir they got a solar energy project up there that's going to be huge yeah there are a lot of huge many different opportunities we're in the creation of our Utility Authority but one unique opportunity we have in our area we have geothermal
▶ 2:00:26geothermal in our backyard that we're exploring um we have Calpine uh which is one of the largest geothermal operations in our basically in our backyard uh but from a tribal standpoint utility authorities are the Next Generation for our tribal people water sewer power everything that needs to come along with that we actually have a lot of geothermal in idah because we're right next to Yellowstone that's right and so it's there's a lot of geothermal in Idaho in fact Idaho's capital is the only Capital that is actually
▶ 2:00:56uh heated by geothermal heat and stuff like that a lot of downtown Boise is i' like to say that tribes all tribes are resourcer when it comes to energy it's just a matter of identifying that resource right so some tribes are sitting on geothermal potential solar wind natural gas is a huge component of all the projects that that we do um but yeah there's no reason why these tribes shouldn't be able to power themselves um but a lot big part of what we do is Tribal member Workforce Development as well right where
▶ 2:01:27I've stood on reservations where the unemployment rate is over 50% this isn't a lack of will this is a lack of opportunity right so um those utility jobs already exist on reservations and and what we're offering is to train tribal members and bring them up to you know the standard that they need to be and and and give those jobs to tribal members in service of their own communities um in addition to eliminating their outages and saving them some money and offering them some economic development opportunities as well Mr pangry yeah just quickly
▶ 2:01:57thank you both for your testimony and I hope you'll stay in touch with us you're right you know we're going to go through some changes here in policy and some of the opportunities that were there in the past may or may not stay and certainly these investment tax credits the whether or not they get reauthorized in the um you know big tax bill will be important to learn more about so um I I I fully agree that it's you know with all the federally recognized tribes it would be great more of them had control of their own energy or were able to see that as an economic development potential
▶ 2:02:27and I like the way you were talking about you know people the tribes have learned a lot about uh casinos and you know that form of economic development but it would be really beneficial if this could continue to expand so I just hope you'll stay in touch with us if those programs are endangered or lost or you know what we might want to work on protecting going into the future in this sort of transition time and fascinating to hear about your tribe we don't hear you're right we don't hear a lot from the the very small ones but it shows how you can you know be successful and make that work so um but
▶ 2:02:57obviously the funding is critical to that funding is critical especially land in the trust land back getting the land back for our individual tribal Nations is the most important thing yeah and we got 80 acres you know and it was given uh in 1906 when we were established for the Land gwin O Landis Indians the reservation removed off so Landing the trust just as powerful you can't develop energy projects you don't have land to put it on so really important through the Bia that that you know is funded so we can continue that work well I appreciate
▶ 2:03:28the fact that you talked about members of the enw committee over the last uh 18 years I guess yeah over the last 18 years I've been chairman or ranking member of this committee or the energy and water committee so I sit on both those are my two main committee so sure well I need I need your card then that's an important uh program that they started with Department of energy and yes sir I thank you both for your testimony and thanks for telling us what's going on and let's keep in touch on how we progress
▶ 2:03:58on this well do thank you so much thank you both final panel for this afternoon is Josh cook Lester uh Lester and James thank you Josh you're first
▶ 2:04:29uh thank thank you Mr chairman uh ranking member pingre I'd also like to express our gratitude we have over the last few years had the opportunity to um build some relationships and Congressman like to thank you for inviting me to Idaho uh you met with representatives of mortown Rancheria in Boise uh Congressman amade came out the other day we had mastication process going on we were taking trees out around Reno so Reno wouldn't burn down and Congressman amid came out and tried to
▶ 2:04:59fire up the equipment and uh that was a a joy um CH uh everybody survived everyone survived all our our arms and legs are intacted and nothing burnt down because we got the trees out of the way we're also grateful we uh when uh Congressman ziny wasn't the secretary of interior he and assistant secretary Natalie Davis came to mortown and met with our leaders uh during one of the catastrophic wildfires that we suffer through in California we're also grateful to Congressman lamalfa who's our representative and
▶ 2:05:29Congressman Jared Huffman uh from Northern California they've helped us I'm Josh cook I'm uh representing chairman Benjamin Clark and the mortown Rania Tribal Council mostly what we want to talk about today is forestry and Wildfire catastrophes that keep happening in California mortown has made major Investments for Generations um mortown tribal memb members worked in the forests and uh when their lands were restored and they're able to get their businesses up and running they went back into the forest we're doing over 17
▶ 2:05:59million in Forest restoration fuels reduction uh Disaster Cleanup uh replanting all of the aspects of Forestry we work now in the Lassen Volcanic National Park The Humble toyabi National Forest plumis National Forest lass National Forest mesino we've worked in the Eldorado and Tahoe we enter the these uh relationships as equals on a government toover basis we make it easier for the forest service and the BLM and the
▶ 2:06:29park service to actually get in and treat these forests and we do it through inter agency agreements and existing laws that were passed by Congress implemented by the secretaries of interior and agriculture particularly in executive order 343 but these laws the Indian self-governance Act the Indian self-determination act the economy act Service First and the tribal Forest protection act are laws that are on the books now and by utilizing these not
▶ 2:06:59walking in the door as a vendor but walking in the door as an equal government partner we say to the forest service what are your priorities how can we treat these uh areas so that we don't continue to have these catastrophic wildfires I think the the chairman from uh Lake county is the only County I know of that has had more presidentially declared disasters from Wildfire than but County where the mortown tribe is located um we're not here to particularly to ask for more money and more staff we want the agencies
▶ 2:07:30to utilize the authorities that Congress has already put on the books there are opportunities for us to utilize their equipment we should be able to borrow a low bed trailer and a bulldozer we should be able to take those other tools under the laws that exist now and be able to utilize those in advancing the work of of the interior and the Department of Agriculture and the forest many times we ask for that that equipment and and and we're just ignored uh we need help inside the Bureau of inion Affairs
▶ 2:08:00processing the payments that come from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of interial Bureau of inion Affairs into our forest trust account sometimes it causes a major cash flow problem we've had 50 60 tribal members out working and can't make payroll because the transfer of funds inside of the uh payment system of the federal government we front the money as a tribe to pay those bills of people who've been out working in the forests um those are a couple of the issues that are of vital importance
▶ 2:08:30to us as we move forward another thing Mr chairman that we're working on is trees and lumber are assets and the forest service has the right to transfer them to us we believe that we can take trees and fund these activities inside the federal government between the tribe and the agencies and come up with the revenue that we need to do this vital work in the forest so they don't just burn down and at that my time is up and I'm honored to be with Cho and governor nanho and
▶ 2:09:00would not want to take any of their time thank you let who you're next turn this thing on it's not pushing it too hard you think is it on no it's still red mine's green yours is red oh thought it meant stop ready well greetings chairman Simpson ranking member of pingry and members of the subcommittee my name is shinita I'm honored
▶ 2:09:31to appear before you today on behalf of the Two River Indian tribe where I serve as the chairman I become before you I come before you today to share ters greetings and strong support for Indian water rights settlements which are multi-party negotiations agreements that arise through Federal rights settlements are not a handout and are not derived from any government program rather they are agreements that resolve long-standing contractual legal claims the Two River tribe Reserve water rights Settlement
▶ 2:10:01Act enjoy enjoys broad support from the community members represent Agricultural and Municipal interests called the South work to the river Coalition they now they know this bill will help secure water availability now and into the future and will put to rest potential legal issues that could arise if it's not passed into law our Settlement Act is also needed to needed for the survival of my people it will provide access water for our reservation and for our
▶ 2:10:31survival of our tribal Nation by passing our Settlement Act will be a true success for all committees involved not just Tuli River it will ensure water Security in a area that has faced the craic wildfire and as well as record-breaking drought and flooding I'd like to thank Senator Pia representative Fong and representative lamalfa as well as their representative staff our respected staff and their assistants and support I'd also like to thank chairman Westerman
▶ 2:11:01chairman B and staff director enika Miller for the effective leadership and hard work the two leader reservation covers about 85 M square miles in rugged Foothill terrain and sah Nevada Mountains in Central California the elevation range from 900 to 7,500 ft the South pork of the Tuli river runs through the middle of the reservation and flows into the main till the river about 10 miles west of us there are no significant uh uses of water Upstream over the reservation there's a significant lack of water supply for the
▶ 2:11:32reservation we have worked for decades to address our water rights to the fact to make our reservation a permanent Homeland as we were initially promised the current water supply is unpredictable and unsafe we are forced to drink ground water at times and or go without the water system relies on series of Wells Springs and and water drawn directly from the South Fork which is treated to meet only pable water standards our water delivery infrastructure is held together with duct tape and wire actually water
▶ 2:12:02demand far from exceeds water availability the South pork provides My Tribe with about 80% of its water but our tribe is unable to use most of the water of the river flow to make use of this water in meanful way it will it must capture the stored be must capture be stored because the river runs low and even dries goes dry several months of the year 53 years of concentrated work has led to this moment we seek to quantify the agreement and
▶ 2:12:32we have with our neighbors the South Fork Tully River Independent ditch company and the Tilly River Association we represent all senior water right holders involved their members are major players in the Agricultural eony and livelihoods are critical to both local community and as well as America's food supp apply more broadly we have satisfied each of the requirements in the 1990 policy guidance if we were to file a lawsuit it would tie up existing water uses for decades
▶ 2:13:03settlement outside of court is everyone's best interest including the tribes our Downstream Neighbors in the Central Valley and taxpayers at large any litigation will be drawn out expensive and risky taxpayers have already been have seen negative impacts from not finalizing the settlement in recent years they have had pay to pay for increased Wildfire suppression efforts bottled water deliveries and repair and wash out roads we seek a win-win solu Solutions
▶ 2:13:33our Settlement Act will allow the Two River tribe to finally have a function in Homeland with clean water and that is safe to drink it will allow the us to meet its legal obligations it will impound water at high elevation which is exactly the kind of drought solution called for by the Central Valley agricultural industry it also will provide strategic dipping pools in event of a wild fire in conclusion the Tully River tribe is in a Water
▶ 2:14:03Crisis Broken Promises and previous failures of the US led to where we are today the time has come to address the emergency conditions on our reservation and for our federal Partners to join in and providing resources necessary to ensure sustain sustainable future for the Tula River tribe doing so will also benefit surround the community secure water availability for all interest and ensure clearly CL Clarity of title we sply request the subcommittee continue to make funding for in and water settlements
▶ 2:14:33like the tul river water Settlement Act a priority I thank chairman s and members of the subcommittee for opportunity to fully Express to L's views on this subject please refer to my written testimony which includes details regarding the dam construction project how we have met federal government requirements for this sub and further explanation of our water sword this crisis thank you thank you L James
▶ 2:15:37stim thank you for this time first I want to my reccy well of communities State United States United stes obligations cont oblig tribl
▶ 2:16:21um with that I have a few priorities being a retired law man trial law enforcement office teachers so crucial soal to drug crime very blessed to one ofes in
▶ 2:16:57ran many many most of our law enforcement officers are retired my colleagues the retired lawmen that come and work for us we do hire Young
▶ 2:17:51took over our own School blessed to have our own teers we implemented language Math History teaching teaching English teach what a beautiful thing to have growing up we didn't have that we didn't have that ability learn our language in
▶ 2:18:39success of children retired teacher another son that's and I have another son who works and all learn their language all respect cultures
▶ 2:20:14States 100% % of oury just last year we suffered another wipes out our Ro wipes our WIP so
▶ 2:20:52go into IHS have a small Clinic 40 years old pluses reason own nurses
▶ 2:22:38fighting for ours good neighbors myne every of those indivual on the behind
▶ 2:23:20were you were no I was a sheriff I was City police all loal blound I still one more German Shepherd I was was contracted to work at the state legislator for bombs and
▶ 2:23:50uh and my dog broke his army last year so I lost my certification he got caught in one of our new cattle guards and uh but we're still actively uh searching for people I get called all the time to missing men women people are Miss volunte search have a volunteer team we just ask people to feed us that's it question discusss
▶ 2:24:35off stay do you think that if Som salaries and benefits comp without whatever that they would stay because theyes and all Native I I'm a native and I never work
▶ 2:25:13tri have a college education with me right because of the Sal pangry thank you all for your testimony and um all the different issues that you brought up and
▶ 2:25:43I I hope we can be helpful in some way in in the concerns that um you brought up around working with the forest service and agencies I think there's been a lot of interest in how we can have these Cooperative agreements and it sounds like there's some places that the agencies aren't doing their side uh their part and um particularly with the forest service that also funding comes under this committee and maybe we can just find some ways to be helpful to make sure the payments go through or the Machinery borrowing because there's obviously a great need for doing
▶ 2:26:13that work in the forest and trying to prevent future fires so we'd appreciate any any help it's it's kind of a culture change and right now the forest service is experiencing a an upheaval and um what we're what we're doing is we're going to them and saying hey we have the mechanisms in law already to take these assets and turn them back into Revenue uh that will help the forests be able to accomplish the things they've already done the ne before they've already done the
▶ 2:26:44planning um it's it's just a matter of in the past tribes had these authorities but didn't have the capacity to show up and say we'll do that well mortown has made the investments in a lot of the machinery and a lot of the people and now they can show up as a partner at the table we think more tribe and we hire everywhere we go we hire tribe other tribes first when we go over to Nevada and and when we go into other tribal Aboriginal areas in California we hire those other tribes to try to build capacity but
▶ 2:27:14the laws that that Congress has made for tribes to engage in these government toover activities really can solve a lot of the problems that the forest service is trying to work around right now ma'am that's great so hopefully we can we can help help on
▶ 2:27:53well thank you and and um your Water Crisis sounds very severe so I hope we can help move that forward that's just a terrible position for your tribe to be in and it sounds like need some assistance yeah that's that's the sad part is that uh you know uh when we wasn't considered uh considered humans or or even extinct animals uh in 1922 our babysitter sold our rights away to the downstream users and so now we had to to get those Downstream users to give back to us and agree with this
▶ 2:28:23just to be at this table today I mean and and so like in 1971 uh then elec garford the chairman of a reservation started this battle um and and even him starting that battle uh he gets accused of giving our water rights away but he wasn't even uh thought in his his ancestral Minds uh in 1922 I mean so it's so it's a it's a big battle and um he's he's not getting any younger so I would like to see
▶ 2:28:54you know like you sir Mr Simpson um you know you uh you talk about the money that it's already there you know if we would have got it back in 1971 the cost wouldn't be so high for tribes I mean if someone would have heard us then the cost would have been lower but now now we're sitting there at the table again and who takes over for me I took over for El who takes over for me who what what uh what um person takes over for me next from the tribe or from other tribes you know that
▶ 2:29:24that have to come here and sit with somebody other than yourself uh if we can't get it done now who sits here and and where does it go from there does it's going to take centuries again just for us to get to this table again you know and how much it's going to cost us to get out here the money I spent to get here from My Tribe I could have used it on our youth or our elders you know without having to worry about you know coming out here and um hearing yes we can do this or least at least say something to us where we can at least go home and say
▶ 2:29:54you know we got we got this we got that I mean it and and it's a long ways out here you know I uh I had to sit coaches time and I'm a big dude as big as my bro back there but you know uh you know it's it's pretty sad that we're still here you know mean and like you know we hear about these third world countries getting millions and billions of dollars we're we're only asking for with the tribe tribes that are asking it's only a billion right now I mean it sounds like a big number but like it's not a big number when you're when you're given to to a
▶ 2:30:24lot more tribes than just one I mean you're only given to one little third world country and you say oh how can you compare yourself to a third world country well we can't because they get money and we don't anyway I appreciate that all yes thank you very much thank you uh all for your testimony it is uh actually it I know it seems uh kind of crazy it is you said you come out you spend the money to come out here and it's a long flight I flight Idaho
▶ 2:30:54all the time so I know how long it is uh and then we give you five minutes to talk to us and answer a few questions and that kind of stuff but it really does help us uh in in looking at uh when we put our bill together we do listen to your testimony and we do read the testimony that you give to us and stuff so uh it it is I I've always felt like do when you walk away from all this do you go ah that was worthless I can tell you it's it's not no
▶ 2:31:25that's why I thank you and my testimony for thing but it is it is very important to us probably more important to us than it is to you because we're going to end up writing this bill and we want to take into consideration the issues that you bring up so thank you all for your testimony I appreciate it very much you guys have a good day appreciate you guys thanks for taking the time to join us uh the and uh the committee stands adjourned until tomorrow morning at 9:30