▶ 0:09:47Good morning, and welcome to the second day of our public witness hearings for american indians and alaska native programs. I want to welcome all the distinguished tribal leaders and leaders and other leaders here today. Uh, thank you for all to all of our witnesses for appearing before the subcommittee to share your concerns and perspectives on these important topics. These hearings are incredibly important, and we appreciate the opportunity to hear from so many tribes and national and regional tribal organizations across indian country.
▶ 0:10:15Indian country has been and will continue to be a bipartisan priority for this subcommittee. I look forward to continuing to work with ranking member pingree to expand the subcommittee's efforts to strengthen our federal commitment to honor our treaty and trust responsibilities with american indians and alaska natives. Thank you for appearing before the subcommittee and sharing your concerns and perspectives on these important topics. In terms of hearing logistics, I will call each panel of witnesses to the table, one panel at a time.
▶ 0:10:43I'd like to ask everyone to please keep your testimony to five minutes. I know that's hard sometimes. I understand the need in indian country is great and I don't want to disrespect anyone, but I will have to gavel if folks run over so that we can hear from all of our witnesses. Just as a reminder, your full testimony will be included in the record. We will be using a timer to track the progress of each witness when the lights turn yellow. The witness will have one minute remaining to conclude their remarks.
▶ 0:11:10When the light turns red, I'll have to ask the witness to stop so we can remain on schedule. We'll hear from every witness on each panel before. Before members are be provided the opportunity to ask questions. Because we have a full day ahead, I request that we try to keep things moving so we can stay on schedule and respect each other's time. I also want to note that the committee rules prohibit the use of outside cameras and audio equipment during these hearings.
▶ 0:11:36The hearings can be viewed in its entirety on the committee's website, and an official hearing transcript will be provided at g o.gov. Before I yield to our distinguished ranking member for her remarks, I'd like to take a moment to recognize one of our long serving committee staff members, jocelyn barkan, on her well-earned retirement. She has been a dedicated and passionate colleague, especially on some of the.
▶ 0:12:03On some of the tribal issues we have discussed during tribal witness days. She's been a great counterpart for my staff who have enjoyed working with her over the years. The hearing today will be her final hearing for the committee, and we send her into retirement with our warmest wishes and congratulations. I think this is what the second or third retirement that you've had. But thank you, jocelyn. You have been a great member of this committee and and an important member of this committee. You're lucky you get to retire.
▶ 0:12:38Now due to ranking member pingree for any opening statements you might have. >> thank you very much, Mr. chair. I, too, want to thank all the witnesses for coming today from all over the country. It's a really important hearing for us, and we value your thoughts and information so much. As we put together the fy 2027 bill and and just really appreciate your time. And I want to add my thanks to jocelyn. You said it very well, Mr. chair, but we have really valued your service. You're just an incredible staffer.
▶ 0:13:04Always have the information that any of us needs, and I don't know how we will operate without you, but you deserve this retirement, and we will look forward to having you drop by and visit every once in a while, just to just to torture us. Thank you so very much. >> thank you. Ranking member pingree. It is. In case any of you guys don't know it, the only success we have here is because of the staff that we have around here.
▶ 0:13:30Uh, they do such a fantastic job, and, uh, we hate to lose them, but I understand that, uh, they get to retire and. And that's, uh, we're going to miss. We're going to miss you all. So thank you. Okay. The first panel is, uh, jonas hill and michael connors. Are there.
▶ 0:13:48It is said we only have one name tag up here. Jonas. Your first. >> greetings, everyone. Chairman simpson, ranking member pingree and members of the committee.
▶ 0:14:16I am honored to be here today on behalf of the oneida nation. The oneida nation is title four and title five self-governance tribe that serves a population of more than 17,000 members. The nation's annual economic impact is 1 billion in wisconsin and is one of the largest employers in brown and auto gaming counties. Our government provides an array of services to our community, employees and tribal citizens.
▶ 0:14:40These include health care emergency services such as police and fire, housing, public works, and much more. Many of these services are funded in part by the federal government. These programs are not discretionary. They are legal obligations rooted in treaties, trust obligations, the us constitution, and long standing federal statuses. We appreciate this administration is working to improve efficiency within the federal government.
▶ 0:15:04However, this must not come at the cost of fulfilling the federal trust and treaty obligations to tribes. We ask that congress make it clear that all federal programs that serve tribes should be exempt from funding, funding, pauses, and staffing reductions as congress considers policy policies to increase efficiency and reduce bureaucracy. I would like to point out a successful indian policy that can help achieve these goals tribal self-governance through self-governance compacts.
▶ 0:15:33Hundreds of tribal governments are delivering federal programs more effectively and more efficiently than the federal government had previously, all while meeting the unique needs of our tribal communities as a self-governance tribe, great control over our health care programs and law enforcement has been transformational for our nation, allowing us to focus our efforts on prevention and building capacity by training our citizens to fulfill these roles.
▶ 0:15:58Funding levels themselves, however, make becoming and continuing to act as a self-governance tribe extremely difficult. The funding amounts we receive for almost every line item are the same as they were when we first negotiated them in 1994. The current amounts cover less than 1 to 8% of each bia program we operate. Simply put, congress and federal government are not meeting trust and treaty responsibilities to indian affairs.
▶ 0:16:27Congress should carefully review the tribal interior budget, council budget recommendations and identify resources to meet the needs of indian country. Head start is another important program for the oneida nation and indian country at large. We are proud that our oneida head start program incorporates oneida language and culture into our curriculum, which is key to building confidence and success in the students and families we serve.
▶ 0:16:52In recognition of the federal government's trust and treaty obligations to tribes, there must be no elimination or cuts to the tribal head start program. Another priority for the nation is shifting indian affairs programs out of the discretionary budget and making funding mandatory. The current system results in unpredictable funding levels ranging for annual costs to large increases, which in turn make it more challenging for tribal governments to manage their own budgets and plan for the future.
▶ 0:17:19In the meantime, advanced appropriations for the entire indian affairs budget should be put in place until its spending is made mandatory. This would eliminate the uncertainty tribal nations face due to continuing resolutions and shutdowns. Oneida nation is proud to operate our own police department, covering the reservation boundaries over 100mi and over 27,000 residents.
▶ 0:17:41We've established collaborative relationships with parity with local law enforcement agencies through intergovernmental agreements, and our officers are deputized by county sheriffs. Unfortunately, tribal law enforcement remains extremely underfunded by the bureau of indian affairs, with oneida nation receiving less than 140,000 annually for law enforcement, this covers less than 3% of our annual operating costs for the oneida police department, tribes and public law.
▶ 0:18:10280 states like oneida nation also face the misconception that we do not have public safety needs. This couldn't be further from the truth. Our police department received over 23,000 calls for service in 2020, five, of which they responded to over 10,000 within the boundaries of the reservation. Oneida nation strongly supports increased bureau of indian affairs law enforcement funding for all tribal public safety programs, including these in public law to 80 states.
▶ 0:18:37In conclusion, there are dozens of other vitally important programs within the interior environment and related agencies appropriations bill that are important to the oneida nation. However, in the interest of time, I will conclude my remarks here. Mr. chairman, members of the committee, thank you again for this opportunity, and I look forward to working with you. >> thank you perfectly. >> you had 11 seconds left. That was really good. >> that's two minutes of practice. >> michael. You hear me?
▶ 0:19:13>> yep. >> good morning. Greetings, chairman simpson, ranking member pingree and honorable members of the subcommittee on behalf of the saint regis mohawk tribe, we thank you for this opportunity to testify before the subcommittee. Our tribe is a federally recognized tribal government responsible for promoting the education and welfare of all of our tribal members.
▶ 0:19:33The tribe is located on the akwesasne mohawk territory in new york, and has over 16,580 enrolled tribal members, with approximately half of these members living on the reservation. As our territory exists on both sides of the us-canada border, we have an increased need for resources to support our law enforcement and public safety services. We also heavily rely on programs funded through the environmental protection agency.
▶ 0:19:59Due to three off-reservation superfund sites located directly upstream and upwind from where we draw our drinking water and reside. For these reasons and more, the tribe is requesting that this subcommittee consider the following requests. First, direct the department of interior, including the b, I, a, b, I, e, and ihs to uphold its treaty, treaty and trust obligations to federally funded recognized tribal governments as a complex interplay between congress, the president and courts wrestle with issues in
▶ 0:20:30An increasingly chaotic world. We need your help to ensure its suitability for the bia, b I, e and ihs as they uphold their trust obligations to us. This is best accomplished by fully funding these critical programs. The appropriations process is the best mechanism by which congress can direct these organizations to do so. Second, increase funding for bia public safety programs.
▶ 0:20:53As our tribe straddles the us canada border, it has developed a partnership with various state and federal agencies to provide extensive public safety and justice services to address cross boundary issues, in addition to normal police work on the american side of the border. However, additional funds for tribal courts, law enforcement, criminal investigations and the corrections system are needed as public safety threats continue to grow.
▶ 0:21:18Third, fully fund the bia and b I e at $27.1 billion, indian country cannot afford more cuts to crucial programs on our reservation. There are over 1000 school aged children. They rely on the reliable funding guaranteed to you, to us, by our treaties with the federal government to ensure those obligations are met.
▶ 0:21:40We ask you to fully fund the bia and b I e fourth, fully fund the ihs as $63 billion and continue advance appropriations to protect tribal health care services during government shutdowns. American indians experience severe health disparities and chronic diseases as much at much higher rates than other populations. These conditions are compounded by the chronic underfunding of the indian health system, which must be reflected by fully funding ihs.
▶ 0:22:08We also urge the house to once again include advanced appropriations for ihs for fiscal year 2027, in order to prevent uncertainties arising from government shutdowns that destabilize the continuity of care needed to reduce these disparities. And fifth, fund tribal epa programs and fully fund the removal of the general motors dump in massena, new york, which is adjacent to our community.
▶ 0:22:32The tribe is finalizing the work plan and budget for renewal of the next five year performance partnership agreement, or ppa. The tribe currently has 16 programs included in the ppa. The ppa streamlines the award of funds to the tribe and allows flexibility for implementation, and is therefore an integral part of the tribe's ability to implement environmental protections and exercise self-governance.
▶ 0:22:57One of the most pressing environmental issues for the tribe is the general motors superfund site and two northern york counties on the saint lawrence river in the 1960s and 70s the alcoa, reynolds and general motors factories in massena dumped cancer causing pcbs on land near akwesasne. Gm also released pcbs into the saint lawrence grass and racket rivers nearby. The site is adjacent to an upstream from our reservation and impacts around 4000 mohawks.
▶ 0:23:25The community traditionally uses these river waters and wetland areas for drinking water and cultural traditions. For decades, the release chemicals caused severe health problems for tribal members, and that continues today. A fully complete cleanup of the health hazard would ensure a safer community for our tribe and the neighboring communities. You all will go well. Thank you for taking the time to consider the appropriation request of our tribe. We look forward to working with you as you implement measures to uphold the federal trust obligations.
▶ 0:23:57>> thank you. Thank you both for your testimony today. I, uh, as chairman cole said yesterday during the hearing, advanced appropriations will continue. Uh. Yeah, they will continue as we try to work toward making that health program mandatory funding. Uh, I think most people agree that it ought to be. That's the only it's the only health program the federal government does. It's not mandatory funding. All the rest are.
▶ 0:24:23And, and as chairman cole said yesterday, this was the first federal government health program. And it's the only one that's not mandatory. So we'll be working on that and trying to get that done. But I did notice and I've heard it more, uh, yesterday during testimony. And today, both of you mentioned law enforcement and the need on reservations and stuff to increase funding for law enforcement.
▶ 0:24:45Uh, it's something that we're very concerned about, something that we did in last year's bill, not nearly enough of what needs to be done, but law enforcement on reservations is, is critical. Uh, and, and with the drug cartels, I mean, they go to reservations because they know that there's no law enforcement there that's going to pick them up or it's lacking, you know, and, uh, so I, I think that's a real challenge for us, but I've heard that more than I have in past years about the need to
▶ 0:25:17Increase law enforcement funding. So anyway, thank you for your testimony, miss pingree. >> yeah, thank you both for your testimony. And we certainly heard many of the same concerns yesterday and know that it's really important for us to meet our treaty and trust obligations and, and increase those numbers. So I hope we're able to this year. Um, chief connors, I'm interested to know a little bit more about the you ended with a the cleanup site and so are you still, is that still pending, um, being approved for cleanup or where does that stand?
▶ 0:25:47>> well, it's cleaned up in epa's eyes, not in our community's eyes. >> okay. >> there's a giant, uh, toxic dump sitting there still. It it's capped according to epa's remedy, but not according to our tribal remedies. It is still leaching water into our community, into our rivers. Which fund which leads to our drinking water, to our drinking water system. Mhm.
▶ 0:26:07Uh, it's traditionally been leaking water into a cove adjacent to the gm site, which is on our territory that our kids to swim in. Our former chief used to swim in there and across the river, across the site. Our current chief used to swim in that river, the other grass river. And that happened for years and years and years. And it's had health disparities for our community, uh, cancer at an alarmingly high rate and other diseases.
▶ 0:26:32And it's centralized, um, in a cluster near where the gm site was. And in massena, it's also said that there's another cluster by where the alcoa site was. So it's been happening for decades and there's been cleanup according to epa's remedy, but not according to our remedy. >> got it. So are you pursuing anything right now with the epa about. >> uh, we've been looking at full funding of a full removal. We've been advocating for that for years. Several years ago, it was 20 to $22 million that the estimate was.
▶ 0:27:01But there's been no approval for that. We still pushed for that. We have annual meetings with epa, and it's on the table every year, and it's been on the table for the past 15 or 20 years or more. But we push and push for that every year. We haven't gotten it yet, though. That's why it's mentioned today. >> great. Well, thanks for bringing it to our attention. I'll certainly look into that. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you both for your testimony. >> jake ellzey thank you chairman. Uh, I'm going to continue on with that. This this site's been this way.
▶ 0:27:30So it was a 1959 to 2009. Uh, aluminum. Yes. Parts plant. And, uh, and they've been saying it's complete, right? They spent a lot of money on it, but they kind of stopped working on it a couple of years ago because the epa says it's done. >> epa says it's cleaned up to their satisfaction. Yes. >> and what kind of cluster did you have? Cancer cluster. >> yes. There's cancer all in the area of the rocky river area. Um, many instances of cancer and other diseases.
▶ 0:28:02>> so what's the resolution here? If the epa says they're done, they run it. You say it's not done. What's the next? What's happening next? >> uh, I believe nothing is happening next for epa continued monitoring on our end. But what we want and pushing for is taking that complete dump, removing it and getting it out of our community because it's still sitting there. >> what's in the dump? >> uh, the toxins from decades of operations from general motors. >> I thought that was cleaned up. >> it's not. It's sitting there. It's okay.
▶ 0:28:31There's a giant heaping mound of toxins sitting there, cleaned up, covered by dirt. >> covered. Oh, that's the cleanup. >> that's that's their remedy. Yes. >> okay, so it's still leaching into the groundwater? Yes. Got it. Okay. Thanks for clarification. >> our our environment division does testing constantly in the area and it's what's happening. >> okay. Thanks so much. >> let me follow. >> if I could, for just a second on what congressman halsey said. What's next? What is next?
▶ 0:29:00I mean, you sit and talk to epa all the time. What's your next steps. >> on their end monitoring? On our end, we keep pushing for the complete removal. We want the dump removed and out. >> of their epa. >> it's been talked about. >> yeah. Okay. Okay. Miss mccullum. >> so, Mr. hill, the things that you had in common in your testimony, I want to acknowledge that and thank you. Thank you for that.
▶ 0:29:27But, um, I've worked on cleaning a lot of contaminated sites. They mostly been dod sites. The state of minnesota has intervened through our pollution control agency. Maybe every tribe relations are different. Um, and we got into how clean is clean, right? So sometimes they decide that they're only going to clean up to industrial standards.
▶ 0:29:55And the land was not an industrial site before they got there. It was in your. >> it was clean. It was in your territory. One of the things, and forgive me, I this just tripped my trigger. So I went and googled it. Right. Um, they said you were not granted. They were not granted access to two areas of tribal land. Was that because you were disputing how clean is clean or do you are you familiar?
▶ 0:30:22>> that was a conflict with local the family that owns the property. Okay. And they they've been pushing for the full removal. Also, they. >> weren't granting access because they weren't going to sign off on less than how clean is clean. And, um, in here it says that the epa will perform its work in 2026. Is that when they capped it? >> uh, no, they capped it several probably 5 to 7 years ago. >> so do you know what they've done that they finished in 2026. >> um, that's this year. I don't believe they've done anything yet this year.
▶ 0:30:52But there's probably continue talks with our environment division and epa. We have annual meetings with them. And, but uh, the cap that they've, they've done is just covering up what's sitting there and it's still leaching into the ground. >> so I've worked with the dod and the epa on clearing lands that primarily they've used for arsenal's. And their big thing was, oh, we'll just cap it. It's fine. We just push it on to the next generation. The caps can fail and everything else. So um, yeah, you've you've got our attention.
▶ 0:31:24>> that was the plan. >> thank you. >> you're welcome. >> thank you both for being here today. We appreciate it. Thank you. You bet. Eugene j. Correa and joseph rupnik. Yeah. Right on board. Right there.
▶ 0:31:55Yep. Move your hands. I want to see the bead work. Right. Great work. Thank you. Uh, jean, you're first. Right. Heini p, we greet you all. Good morning. Good morning. Uh, chair simpson and ranking member, pedigree and honorable members of the subcommittee. My name is eugene j. Correa. I have the honor of serving on the winnebago tribal council.
▶ 0:32:23I appreciate the subcommittee's long standing commitment to tribal communities and the opportunity to share our fiscal year 27 priorities. Today, I'd like to highlight two critical areas of. Increased federal investment is essential for our community public safety and justice and education. First, public safety, long standing by law enforcement, staffing shortages, and the overall insufficient level of police services on our reservation have left our community vulnerable.
▶ 0:32:45This has led the tribe to make the difficult decision to assume full operations of the winnebago tribe tribal law enforcement department in october of 2025. This was an important step in advancing tribal self-determination and ensuring accountability for the safety of our community. We proudly swore our new police chief, jeremiah lone wolf, a marine corps veteran and a graduate of winnebago public school. We've hired four officers and administrative staff member.
▶ 0:33:08Our chief of police and his team have hit the ground running and engaging with the community and strengthening partnerships and neighboring jurisdictions and public safety agencies. However, the transition has been accompanied by significant challenges. The transition of operations from bia district one has been hampered by delays in transferring vehicles, equipment and case records. The tribe was forced to cover 100% of law enforcement operating costs for several months due to the federal government shutdown.
▶ 0:33:36Due to limited federal resources, the tribe continues to supplement the department to maintain basic services. Detention services presents an even greater challenge. The tribe is preparing to assume full responsibility of corrections later this year until that transition occurs, by remains responsible for providing corrections services. Unfortunately, corrections officers are currently only available monday through friday during the daytime hours, and detention is a 24 hour, 24 seven public safety function.
▶ 0:34:06Equally concerning is a lack of nearby detention space. When local facilities are unavailable, our officers must transport detainees to the bia facility in wagner, south dakota, a five hour round trip when an officer leaves the reservation to conduct transport are already understaffed. Department loses critical coverage, placing our community at a greater risk. Ultimately, the tribe plans to establish a local detention, plans to establish local detention contracts and develop a comprehensive justice center. However, meaningful federal investment will be necessary to make that vision possible.
▶ 0:34:35I would like to highlight the importance of school resource officers. For many years, the winnebago public school has a dedicated sro helping maintain a safe learning environment. That position was recently reassigned, leaving a gap in school safety. The tribe has stepped up to ensure an officer is present, but additional federal funding is needed for tribal communities are not forced to fill these gaps alone. Finally, I'd like to speak about little priest tribal college.
▶ 0:35:04It was named after our last great war chief, chief, little priest, and his last words to our community were, be strong and educate my people. Lbtc provides associate degrees, career training, and cultural educated, rooted in our language and traditions, plays a vital role in preparing students for careers, transfer to four year universities, and leadership within our community. In recent years, the college has experienced remarkable growth.
▶ 0:35:29Enrollment has more than doubled, reaching the highest level in its history, and the number of academic programs has expanded from 6 to 20. Despite the success funding, the four tribal colleges through the indian center count formula has remained stagnant. Institutions like lbtc have stretched thin, limited resources to cover instruction, student services, facilities and accreditation requirements. Many of the college's buildings are aging, with some dating back as far as 1947.
▶ 0:35:56Funding is needed for major repairs, classroom expansion, student housing and implementation of the campus master plan. Tribal colleges are engines of opportunity in indian country. Increased investment will allow institutions like little priest tribal college to continue growing and serving our students. In closing, the winnebago tribe respectfully urges the subcommittee to increase funding for public safety and justice, increase funding for tribal colleges and universities.
▶ 0:36:24These investments are essential to ensure safe communities, strong educational opportunities, and continued success of several tribal self-determination. Thank you for your time and continued support. Tribal nations be happy to answer any questions. Thank you. >> thank you joseph. >> good morning. Thank you. My name is joseph. I'm the chairman for prairie band potawatomi nation. I'm a service connected vet and lifetime membership with the vfw and the dav.
▶ 0:36:51Um, I want to thank you for the invitation to testify. And I need to talk about health care. And it sounds like you have already had many folks come up here and talk about health care, but I would like to start out by saying thank you to the subcommittee for everything that they've done. As far as the increases in health care. But the problem is, is that we have already been underfunded to begin with.
▶ 0:37:16And as the years go on, we continue to be in a hole where some tribal funding mechanisms are, uh, pirated from other different, uh, or departments to be able to maintain that certain funding level to help our tribal members, uh, get the health care that they need.
▶ 0:37:41Uh, one of the other areas that we were looking at is that, uh, the funding mechanism right now, it has two severe flaws. Um, and it's almost based entirely on what the amount was for last year. And so if you start in the hole and say, well, you're only going to receive what was given to you in the last year, then you're making no headway.
▶ 0:38:07And part of that does not account for any inflation or other extended costs that it takes to fund rural health care facilities, as you know, um, being able to have competent providers in those rural areas is a challenge. And we have done everything that we could to make sure that we have those folks out there that are able to serve our community.
▶ 0:38:31Um, we talk about spikes, you know, in, in like gasoline and things like that. Those are all added to those costs there that are going to take for us to serve our other community or our community members that live within the boundaries of the reservation. Um, we have had, uh, seen an increase in, you know, terminal diseases on the reservation. And those are added costs as well.
▶ 0:38:57Um, I cannot say, you know, definitively what is contributing to those, but it seems to be an increase over the years, um, for us, you know, sizable cuts, uh, to health care means that we're going to have to start reducing some of the essential programs that we have right now. We have a current mobile mri unit that we're able to provide those services to them, our members.
▶ 0:39:29And if cuts are experienced, then we're going to have to go ahead on and lose that one there. That would include cuts to staff and, uh, those essential services like facility maintenance and, and administration. We all appreciate, you know, being or living within a budget and we understand what it takes. I, I have to go through budgets every year, you know, to fund 30 different departments within my government organization.
▶ 0:39:56And I understand that, um, you know, but when we're looking at, you know, a 2 to 4% inflationary increase and we're already starting out at ground zero, that really doesn't help my situation at all. So anything that you could do, um, I thank the committee for allowing me to testify here today. And, uh, we're asking that we, uh, increase that funding, especially on tribal health care. Thank you.
▶ 0:40:27>> thank you. Uh, thank you both for your testimony. It is, uh, as I was mentioning earlier, it seems like there's kind of an emphasis with a lot of the tribes on law enforcement and stuff. In the past, it's always been health care. And then I think, uh, what happened is that we did the advanced appropriation so that during the government shutdown, you didn't have to worry about that and those kind of things, which helped a lot.
▶ 0:40:55But you're absolutely right in that if you look at the total amount of spending that we're doing in health care in indian country, it's not, uh, not sufficient. Right. Uh, we mentioned yesterday that, uh, it chairman cole educated me to this. If you look at the amount of money we spend per patient with veterans, which you would expect it to be high because a lot of them have injuries and, you know, lost limbs, all that kind of stuff. You'd expect that to be a high number.
▶ 0:41:21But then you look at the rest of the population in general, it's at a certain level. And what we spend per indian on health care is substantially less, right? Uh, and we need to address that and we're trying to do that. But you're right, it is hard to, it is hard to catch up once you're behind like we are.
▶ 0:41:37Uh, but we've been trying to do that, but it's kind of interesting to watch the testimony that's now it's kind of it was almost all health care before, and now it's kind of the other issues, education and, uh, and law enforcement that is also vitally, uh, important to the tribes. So that's something that we will continue to work on and try to try to address.
▶ 0:42:01I'm, uh, have been well, last year we held the first hearing, uh, that I think congress has held on the murdered, missing indigenous women and people. I was shocked when I heard that we lost 6000 people every year. And frankly, nobody knows it. >> right. >> and, uh, I will go to a meeting in, in idaho.
▶ 0:42:25I mean, you know, we have tribes in idaho and stuff, but I will go to a meeting of the chamber of commerce and I'll say that and people are going, what? Why don't I know anything about that? >> right. >> I've been involved in this committee for 24 years. Mhm. And I just saw it watching a public television program, and I'm kind of going, you got to be kidding me. How come I don't know that? Uh. And somehow we've got to address that. And that's why we're trying to trying to put additional money into law enforcement and that kind of stuff.
▶ 0:42:53But ultimately, you got to where it all begins is education. And so. >> I can't speak on every other state, but I know one of the problems in the state of kansas is that indians are classified as others. Yeah. So if they live off the reservation and and something happens to them, they're they're in other. And we never really know. >> yeah. >> also jurisdiction jurisdictional issues. >> yeah. >> and that's when we had this hearing on the murdered missing.
▶ 0:43:22We had the fbi here and the other. And I came away from that going. And I, I study a lot of indian issues and stuff to get myself familiar with them and stuff. And I understand them when I can read them. And then I get to the part on on tribal justice and it just confuses the hell out of me about who has jurisdiction of, of various things. When you got the fbi, you got local, you got county, you got state and you got tribal law enforcement, you know, and somehow we've got to address this.
▶ 0:43:51I happen to be one that believes that that, uh, tribes ought to be able to do what they want on their reservation. They're in charge. Thank you. Uh, and I mean, that that just makes sense to me. >> um. >> but somehow this jurisdictional issue and it comes back to what you just said, they're classified as other, right? So, I mean, you can't obviously do justice on your, on your reservation. You got to have our influence on how to do it. And you know, that might have been the thinking, uh, 30 or 40 or 50 years ago, it's changed substantially.
▶ 0:44:21I know that when, uh, when I was a kid growing up, the southern border of my town was the fort hall indian reservation and stuff. If you talk to any of the police officers or the sheriffs at that time, they didn't trust the the police officers at the fort hall reservation now, but they're trained just like state police, just like the local police, all that kind of stuff. And now they're getting memorandums, memorandums of understanding and, uh, and cross deputization with counties and stuff. >> that part of it's important, right there is being put together.
▶ 0:44:50>> yeah, that is vitally important. But we need to work on and this isn't this committee's jurisdiction. It would be the natural resources committee that does it. We need to work on the jurisdictional issue. I think if we're going to address a lot of these problems on on reservations and stuff. >> one of the things that we were pushing last year was called the protect act. And and that would allow the tribes to prosecute those that were with drug dealers. Yeah. To be able to, uh, get that kind of like how vawa is. Yeah.
▶ 0:45:18Um, I think that hit a stumbling block because some folks added some other different things in there and that's too bad. Um, but, uh, you know, that jurisdictional issue and how our tribal officers are licensed because most of us are gaming tribes, we have to have them licensed through the state, through the bia, because they have to understand who committed the crime on what type of land it is in order to figure out appropriately how to charge that individual.
▶ 0:45:48So there's there's a lot more involved where county officials have no idea where they're at and what's going on and being able to work together. >> it is confusing as hell. It is not only how you treat a tribal member that commits a crime on your reservation, but a tribal member from a different tribe, correct? That commits a crime on your reservation. Or if you're a non-tribal member that commits a crime on your reservation. I mean, it is. That's where I get lost when I read all this and go, who put this together?
▶ 0:46:17You know? Anyway, it's something that we really need to address. If if we're going to address the, the challenges that you face and, and it is amazing if you sit and look at the number of police officers, how large some of our reservations are and the number of police officers that you have there, it is way insufficient to actually do law enforcement. I mean, you get a domestic disturbance call, it might be a two hour drive to get there and you got one officer on duty.
▶ 0:46:46You know, I mean, that's unacceptable, right? So we're going to continue to work on it, but I appreciate your testimony on it. Thank you, miss pingree. >> yeah. Thank you. The chair did a good job of covering our big concerns about law enforcement. And I appreciate, you know, what you were telling us about the work you're doing to create your own law enforcement. But hopefully we can provide you with the resources to have your own, um, detention facilities or some local arrangement. That sounds really like a huge impediment to what you do. >> difficult.
▶ 0:47:12You call down to the local contract that's in our, in our county and they're telling us that the facility is full. Yeah. Sorry, we won't take your prisoner. >> that's really awful. >> and that's a local contract that's controlled by the bia in that function there. You know, if we had control of it, to be able to go and get a contract to anybody local, that's works for us and is able to do that, then our keeps our officers on the reservation. >> yeah, it would make so much more sense. Just seems ridiculous. Um, chair, you mentioned that you had had an increase in terminal diseases. That's a disturbing thought.
▶ 0:47:41So is that anything in particular? I know there are a lot of challenges when you don't have sufficient health care. People don't get the preventative care. But is there something specific going on? >> um, of course, uh, you know, we're in a farming community. You know, I think a lot of that is attributed to pesticides and herbicides and things like that.
▶ 0:48:01Um, while, uh, the tribe has pretty strict standards on, on, on the use of those chemicals, that doesn't necessarily mean those tribal members that are farming within that community have to follow that. And so many times you see, um, an overuse of fertilizers and things like that, which we have seen a huge increase in, in algae blooms. So I think that that is all kind of interconnected as well.
▶ 0:48:31>> wow. That's fascinating. That's a hot topic of debate. So interesting to hear that you're experiencing that. Well, thank you both. Really appreciate your testimony. We always learn a lot from these. Thank you. Thanks. >> Mr. zink. Mr. singh, excuse me. I saw you, Mr. elsie. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. I've always wanted to be compared to the beautiful looks of you. Uh, councilman decorah, you mentioned, uh, the five hour round trip to the detention center. Is that in wagner? Correct.
▶ 0:49:01The yankton facility. And that's the only one in south dakota and nebraska. >> district one in our area. >> right. District one. Is there another one nearby? >> not a big facility, no. >> okay. And there's no there's no aircraft that can transport either. No. There's a runway at yankton. Yeah. You're laughing. Uh, tribes can't just share an airplane. No, no, but it's really spread out. So. But the preponderance of of, uh, indian country population isn't up in yankton. It's down near.
▶ 0:49:31>> in northeast nebraska. >> yeah, it's it's in y'all's area. Okay. So, um, is, is that facility full? Is there is there wood? When you mention a problem, I'm always looking for a solution. So is a solution having another one down by y'all in, uh, in, in the eastern half of nebraska or. >> even just the tribe having control of its the ability to negotiate the local contract. Okay, that would probably be the most simple solution I think you're talking about. You're trying to find a solution that would be the simplest route there.
▶ 0:50:02>> and you can't because. >> it's a b, I, a function. >> and they won't work with you on it. >> until you do self-governance. >> until we do self-governance. >> for the tribe to. 638 contract. >> okay. >> until the tribe takes it. So that's what I mentioned in my testimony. >> is to. >> take responsibility over it. >> now I'm clear. Okay. Thank you for clarification. Thank you. >> if you wonder. He's from texas. So you all is a term that they you know, we have a tendency I that's what you do with your dog runs off y'all. Adam, you know.
▶ 0:50:32>> lives in dallas. I use y'all. >> all the time. Yeah. >> my wife's from texas, so I understand. >> yeah. >> very well, Mr. chair. I am just amazed and honored that you know where yankton is. Um, two things, council member. Thank you for, um, bringing up the tribal colleges. Um, I think this is something, Mr.
▶ 0:50:58Chair, that we're going to have to take a look at because the tribal colleges are finally taking off. And this is good for indian country's economy, but it's good for our national economy too. And you're also not just training people for their two year degree, maybe to be an accountant or, you know, a nurse, um, aide or, and then go on to get their four year, right, a cpa, whatever, um, nurse practitioner eventually maybe, but also, from what I read in here, you're reaching
▶ 0:51:29Out to do more of the trades carpenters. That's very exciting because there's a huge workforce shortage for the trades. >> just had our first graduating class this this past summer. >> and how amazing is that to have people on site when the bia comes in and builds a school or something with somebody can pick up the phone and say, mm, I don't think so or whatever. So thank you for bringing that up. And I think we need to look at that because we've done a lot for historically black colleges and other and others.
▶ 0:51:58But tribal colleges were kind of a sleeper because the enrollment wasn't going up and now it's going up. I had a different question for you, but if you want to piggyback on that. >> go ahead. Absolutely. Um, one of the things that I'd like to bring up to the committee is I am the treasurer for the haskell board of regents, and haskell has always been continuously underfunded regardless. And there is no set formula on how they should be funded per student. Right.
▶ 0:52:23Um, and right now, the last estimate that I had is that, uh, b I e had not done any deferred maintenance on the facility, and they were sitting at about a 100 million in the hole as far as buildings and structures and infrastructure there to be able to keep that facility going. That college serves 147 different tribal nations across the united states.
▶ 0:52:48And right now it's, uh, of course, we got a bill and to try and the haskell improvement act, but, uh, you know, we're still working through a lot of that, uh, language on where it's going to be and where it's going to land.
▶ 0:53:03But that is a facility that really needs to have, you know, looked into and, and figure out what is the correct funding formula per student to be able to give these folks the education that they need? >> well. >> thank you. I'm going to I'm going to take just another another second. So, um, you know, we, we work on all tribal nations, but all politics is local. So my tribes are masked.
▶ 0:53:34So I might not be signing on to your bill, but I'm with you in spirit. >> we, we we are a member of mass because our reservation and I didn't add that into my opening. >> yeah. >> we have our reservation in illinois now. >> oh, okay. >> prairie band is in illinois and they asked us to join mass. >> alright, well then I'll get real parochial and, and, and the with the potawatomi was with the mobile and everything. Yeah, that makes total sense. I just wanted to take a second on, on health care.
▶ 0:54:03You're a veteran. What branch of the service were you in, sir? >> I was in the army. >> okay. Um, thank you for your service. >> oh. >> hey. >> I was a scout. I, I mean, you know. Right? Yeah, I I c I your insignia. An air force. >> that came via army air corps. So I got your back. >> um. >> so we, um, we work a lot on veterans. And as Mr. chairman, cole pointed out that there's a discrepancy.
▶ 0:54:32One of the things that with, with when it comes to va health care, especially for native americans, you serve disproportionately at a higher rate than the rest of the population. Yes, ma'am. Then you tend to go back to very rural areas. Could you just for a quick minute, we'll get some more information. Describe what your journey has been like with va, with also being on a reservation and then also covered by indian health health, because we don't get this opportunity very often.
▶ 0:55:02We have a lot of people who come testify in front of us, but I don't think we've ever asked that question here before. >> okay. Um, my experience, um, and this is some of the members that I've talked to that are veterans from like the vietnam war and, and, and later, um, a lot of folks have this, uh, they do not want to go to the va for one reason or another.
▶ 0:55:31And, uh, I, uh, I have been going to the va part of that was well, because I used to work for the va as a budget analyst and then a program analyst there. So I was kind of familiar with the system, but trying to get other tribal members to go down to the va is a challenge. Um, some of that has to deal with transportation. Some of it is just mistrust. Um, when the va signed the mou with indian health services, that system does not work.
▶ 0:55:59So there is no way that the va is funding the indian health services for those veterans that are being seen specifically or solely at, um, tribal clinics or ihs. Thank you. Yes. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. Thank you. >> Mr. zink. >> thanks for. On the va.
▶ 0:56:25Um, on remind me the microphone. So in order to get the the contracting ability, you have to you have to go to the six to. 628 right? 638 638 so where is that in the process. >> right now? I believe we're working towards july of this year is what we're working on right now.
▶ 0:56:51Originally, we were going to take it over in january of this year, but with the shutdown and the the lack of being able to go hire staff, train them, get them down to artesia and back, we decided to wait until july. >> and that was your decision to wait, wait, wait until july. Is there any hurdles between now and july other than. >> not that I'm aware of at the moment, no. >> and and once that occurs, the aviation side should be the contract. >> correct. We should have control over the contracting side of it. >> all right.
▶ 0:57:20Uh, certainly if it becomes a hurdle or something like that, if something comes up, I'm sure we will help you on it. >> I appreciate that. >> thank you. Pleasure. Other than that, I'm good. I'm glad to see you. >> let me ask if, first of all, thank you for your testimony. Uh, as you know, there was staffing shortages, uh, throughout government, frankly, uh, how's that affected you?
▶ 0:57:54>> the just the ability to, you know, have, um, clean communication. I think that's probably the biggest thing right there for myself that I'd speak on. >> um, it's pretty much effective, uh, effected us, um, a couple of different ways. Of course. Uh, like I said, I was on the board of regents. We lost a lot of instructors down there when, when the first round of cuts came through. Many of those haven't been hired, mostly because of the, uh, titles that those folks had.
▶ 0:58:25So some of them just went ahead on and left, um, also to trying to work with some of the other agencies, like, uh, some of the local agencies, the farm agencies and things like that. Most of those folks have left out, um, and trying to get communication up to a higher level has been a challenge. Not knowing who to actually contact. Um, the same with our bia regional office. I think we, we used to have a full staff at the horton agency.
▶ 0:58:54Now we have to go all the way down to anadarko, oklahoma to be able to contact those folks and try and get everything worked through there. We're in the same process of trying to self-governance in.
▶ 0:59:07638 many of our, um, uh, structures there, just because of the lack of personnel and, and folks there to, to try and help us out, that becomes another problem there too, because while we may be contracted, it still has to be funded. And there is no guarantee, you know, from where I'm sitting at that, you know, they're going to be funded at an accurate level.
▶ 0:59:34Um, on top of that, we also had a problem with, um, some of the costs and those indirect costs and what is the correct amount. And so we're, we're still going through that struggle today with ihs because our clinic is contracted through them, but they pay us what they said it was not necessarily what are all the realized costs that we have? >> well, thank you. Uh, again, thank you for being here.
▶ 1:00:01I thank you for your your interest in the tribal community colleges. They're the future. Frankly. >> winnebago tribe's completely proud of that. That place. It's a trailblazer in the tribal community. >> yeah. And it's they're doing great work, uh, throughout the country and stuff. And, uh, the growth of them is going to be, uh, the future of, you know, I was a dentist in the real world.
▶ 1:00:25And as we've been out and visited tribes, and how do you get a dentist or a doctor to come on some of these remote areas that are, uh, they can't make enough to actually pay off their student loans and stuff like that. The only way you're going to do it is actually educate tribal members, correct. And send them to medical school and dental school and nursing and that kind of stuff. And they're more likely to come back to the reservation. And, uh, this is the future. >> our tribal college doesn't just serve our tribal community either. It's a surrounding area in northeast nebraska. >> absolutely.
▶ 1:00:54So anyway, thank you all. I appreciate you being here today. >> thank you, thank you. >> next is, uh, mike nachi and laurel and yellowhorse.
▶ 1:01:27Welcome, mike. You're up. You're up first. I love the tie. Thank you. Yeah. So mike dukakis, hello and good morning, Mr. chairman. And members of the subcommittee. Um, my name is mike natchez, and I'm the band representative and also serve as the vice chairman of the ute indian tribe business committee. Um, and I just want to thank you for giving us the opportunity to testify on behalf of the ute indian tribe and the you mentioned a reservation today.
▶ 1:01:56I'm here to ask the subcommittee to take action on two issues of great importance to us. We urgently need the subcommittee support for energy development and to secure more funding for tribal law enforcement. First, we need the subcommittee's, um, urgent support to ensure our tribe's oil and gas operations can continue to supply energy to the state of utah and also the country. The ute indian tribe has the largest oil and gas sector in the state of utah.
▶ 1:02:25Our oil and gas production supports thousands of jobs, approximately over 8000 jobs, and over 1.5 billion in value. You'll hear many important and urgent funding requests during these hearings. But let me please be clear what I'm asking for today is good for our tribe. It's also good for the state of utah and also good for the entire country.
▶ 1:02:45Given the recent disputes around the world and the president's very vocal call for increased domestic energy production, the ute indian tribe stands ready and willing to meet this call, as any oil and gas producer can tell you, water is critical for energy production. We and our industry partners use water for drilling, extraction and to keep all of our systems working. Simply put, in order to produce oil and gas, we need water. Our reservation sits in one of the driest states in the us.
▶ 1:03:13Water is mainly sourced from the winter snowmelt, and so this means that our storage is essential for ensuring access to water during the summer. The united states has recognized our tribe's legally reserved water rights and promised many times to build water infrastructure and storage on our reservation. Yet, despite our needs and the federal government's trust responsibility, the us has repeatedly broken these promises. Congress did try to fix this.
▶ 1:03:40Back in 1992, it authorized appropriations for water storage for our tribe and the central utah project completion act. 34 years have passed since that act. No administration has requested that these appropriated funds be used for our tribal needs in building our own water storage. Today, as we face an ongoing drought, this inaction directly threatens our ability to produce oil and gas. The federal government support for tribal oil and gas operations must be increased to combat this issue.
▶ 1:04:10The second matter we are here to discuss today is also securing funding for our tribal law enforcement. Our reservation is the second largest in the us, with approximately 4.5 million acres, yet we only have three bia funded law enforcement officers to serve the entire reservation. This means it's dangerous and practically impossible to combat the illegal drugs that have been entering our community. Our tribe supplements over 40% of our law enforcement programs, but that's still not enough to fix this problem.
▶ 1:04:40This means that our police officers are forced to work alone. This is extremely dangerous and against all modern police procedures. When officers have backup, it's safer for everyone involved. However, we simply do not have the funding to achieve that. Not only do our police officers have to respond to calls alone, but our tribal staff is also endangered by this funding problem. Our fish and game officers regularly encounter trespassers and drug dealers, yet they aren't given the resources they need to adequately protect our community.
▶ 1:05:10Just recently, one of our tribal fish and game officers came across people illegally trespassing on tribal land. She had applied for a special law enforcement commission, or s l e c. However, because the bia's office of justice services does not have enough resources to process these applications, she didn't get her slc. This meant she was unable to make a federal arrest, and an altercation stemmed from the trespass.
▶ 1:05:35Afterwards, she was charged with exceeding her authority by the federal government. This crisis forced our tribe to close access to our reservation and suspend new leases and permits, all in an effort to protect our officers, our reservation, homeland and our community members. This was a result of the bia simply not having the funding or resources to to fulfill their trust and treaty responsibilities to the tribe.
▶ 1:06:00Encounters like this are one of the reasons we have asked the bia to approve federal slex for our qualified fish and game officers. Most of our fish and game officers have already graduated from federal and utah state police academies, yet our slc applications have been pending for years, some going as far back as 2022. Our police officers simply need help and our fish and game officers need federal arrest authority. And I cannot emphasize that enough illegal drugs are entering our country and our communities.
▶ 1:06:28Our law enforcement officers are doing their best to combat these drugs on our reservation. But we do need your help to do this. We need the subcommittee to provide enough funding for tribal law enforcement and the office of justice services. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. I'm available for any questions you may have. Thank you. Laura. >> good morning. Chairman simpson, ranking member and the members of subcommittee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is laura gillen yellowhorse.
▶ 1:06:56I am the tribal chairwoman for the federally recognized tribe, the paiute indian tribe of utah. The paiute indian tribe of utah consists of five bands the cedar band, shivwits band, indian peaks band, kanosh band, and ka band. Since time immemorial, the tribe has been located in and around southern utah. I want to thank you for meeting with us today to discuss the importance of tawahi. Tawahi is an. And is an initiative that started in 2015 with the simple idea.
▶ 1:07:20The idea that we need to be bringing our services together more around serving families rather than leaving them in silos, serving individuals. The tawahi initiative is a family centered whole of government response to to assist families in becoming self-governing and thriving contributors in their communities. That whole of government response is not only at a federal and state level, but also within our tribal community.
▶ 1:07:42Tribal governments, too often government, too often government systems are designed around programs that serve individuals in isolation to changes that approach by bringing services together around the strength of family, ensuring that support is coordinated, culturally grounded, and responsive to the real needs of our communities. For the paiute indian tribe of utah, tawahi has grown to be more than an initiative. It is a pathway for empowering families to realize their fullest potential while building upon the dignity and inherent strengths of our people.
▶ 1:08:09Through tawahi, we have successfully strengthened coordination across critical areas such as housing, education and workforce development, health and behavioral health services, cultural revitalization, and family support programs, ensuring families receive the support that they need to succeed. The tribe conducted the willow basket survey in 2025, and to highlight a few of the key outcomes from the tawahi program, I will discuss some of the barriers that our members face and the successes we have had to overcome through the help of the tawahi program.
▶ 1:08:38Nearly 90% of paiute families report at least one major health condition. To combat this, we have strengthened our focus on culturally grounded wellness programs, chronic disease prevention, and behavioral health services. These services ensure that our members are receiving the care that they need. Educational attainment has improved dramatically since 1968, which that was the last time.
▶ 1:08:56Um, an assessment has done um, on our tribe with approximately 90% of tribal members completing high school and nearly half obtaining education or credentials beyond high school, employment opportunities have diversified significantly, with tribal members now working in healthcare, education, business leadership and skilled trades. Buildings, buildings. On findings from willow basket assessment.
▶ 1:09:19The tribe and southern utah university are now developing community education programing and short term certification pathways that integrate paiute culture while preparing tribal members for careers in healthcare, leadership, business and skilled trade. The tribe is also strengthening cultural revitalization efforts, including language learning, storytelling, and tribal knowledge programs identified by community members as priorities for future generations.
▶ 1:09:42To ensure that the tribe's cultural tradition and knowledge continue to thrive for generations to come, tawahi has helped advance a coordinated one stop model for social services, job placement, youth programing, elder programing, icwa and education programs, improving access for families and reducing barriers. The tribe is also developing its first ever tribal court, strengthening tribal sovereignty while creating a family centered justice system that supports accountability, healing, and family stability.
▶ 1:10:09While these examples are significant, they represent something far greater, which is real families whose lives are changing for the positive. They represent parents gaining stability, children staying connected to their culture and community, and families rediscovering hope and confidence in their future. Tawahi underscores the significance of tribal sovereignty and illustrates the positive outcomes that can be achieved when tribal nations are given the authority to develop solutions tailored to their communities.
▶ 1:10:34We respectfully urge the subcommittee to increase funding for the tawahi initiative to achieve parity between newly participating tribes and their original six pilot tribes. Additional funding will also promote collaboration among participating tribes, enabling the development of innovative tools and reporting systems that integrate family centered outcome measurements and support expansion to additional tribes. Tawahi is not simply an investment in an initiative, it is an investment in stronger families, stronger tribal nations, and stronger communities across this country.
▶ 1:11:05Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony today and for your continued commitment to support tribal nations and strengthening native families. >> thank you, laura, thank you both for your testimony. Uh, mike, you you mentioned energy development and stuff. I know that's important in utah. And then, uh, you need water for, for energy development. And you talked about the central utah water project, not funded in our bill.
▶ 1:11:34It's in the energy and water bill, which I used to chair. What the hell's happening to the money we're appropriating every year? >> that's what we'd like to know as well. It's it seems like, you know, um, when they did the, uh, the central utah water project, the state and, and the federal government got all of their projects completely funded, built, and they have their storages all throughout the state. But when it comes to the ute tribes, um, we, we have almost nothing, nothing there.
▶ 1:12:03And so we have the oldest water right there in utah dates back to the establishment of the reservation in 1861. So we have the senior priority water rights, but we're unable to fully utilize those water rights. And so all of the all of the water is, um, it's, it's just underdeveloped, unused and uncompensated right now. >> ah, and this is going to be a really ugly year in terms of water. Yep.
▶ 1:12:32Uh, I come from southern idaho and that, you know, we don't have any snow on the ground up there. Uh, a lot of my staff have places in utah and they said there's been no snow down in, in utah like there traditionally is and stuff. Uh, it's going to be a challenging year for sure. But do you have places that you would do water storage that you would have that you'd work with the army corps of engineers to build dams or.
▶ 1:13:04>> so we're looking to see if we can get some storage, um, in some of the existing reservoirs there, there in utah. And the tribe is also actively exploring, um, or creating our own, our own storages, our own reservoirs. And at this moment. >> how does that work with the, uh, colorado river basin and the, and the, the upper basin and lower basin and how the water is divided and so forth. When you start doing storage, is that a, is that a challenge?
▶ 1:13:36>> it it certainly will be. And, um, our, our reserved water, right. That we have in the, in the green river, which is one of the main tributaries to the colorado river is, uh, is over 500,000 acre feet. So we're able to contribute a significant amount to that. And if we were to store that, it would, it would definitely have, have an impact. Um, but as of right now, the water is just flowing downstream completely unfettered.
▶ 1:14:02And the recipients of that water is, is the folks downstream, you know, the lower basin and they've been receiving this water for all these years. >> with junior water rights. >> um, and, and it's, it's not compensated water. And so, you know, the simple fact of the matter is that the lower basin is simply over allocated themselves. And now they're looking to get to continue to keep getting their cut.
▶ 1:14:27And up at the headwaters where we're at, um, we're kind of at the mercy of mother nature. And a lot of our water cuts come from nature itself. You know, as mentioned, we don't have the snowpack that we used to have. And just the hydrology of it all is, is really kind of working against us at this time. >> yeah.
▶ 1:14:50If you want to find out if you want to read an interesting history, read the development of the of the colorado river water system in the upper basin and the lower basin at the time. And I think it was like 1926 or something when they decided to create the upper basin and lower basin, because they were afraid that all the water was going to the imperial valley and everything in las vegas, because that was where it was going to be. So they divided it up. And at the time they said they believe that there's 18.5 million acre feet of water that go down the colorado river every year.
▶ 1:15:19And people at the time said, no, that's not true. That's in the wet years. You're not accounting for the dry years. In reality, there's about 14.5 million acre feet that go down the water, go down the river every year. But they appropriated 18.5 million. That creates some problems for both the upper upper basin and the lower basin to some degree. So it's it is a huge challenge, as you know, living in the west. As I said yesterday, whiskey's for drinking and water's for fighting.
▶ 1:15:48And it is a real it's going to be a real challenge this year. But laurel, thank you for your testimony on the program and to hawaii program. Uh, it's very interesting, uh, how that works. And I, I enjoy listening to your testimony about, uh, how it's developing families. >> yes. Thank you. >> miss pingree. >> uh, thank you, mister chair. And thank you very much for your testimony. And I to concur.
▶ 1:16:16We hear a lot about hawaii, and I just hope we can increase the funding and make sure it's available to more tribes. It just seems like it has such great benefits. >> it really does, because there's ten of full size getting full funding, 12 satellite sites, and there's over 400 tribes that receive some type of funding from. >> that would be that would be great. Um, are you so you're currently in the oil and gas? Yes. Yeah. Got it. It's just that you need the water storage to get through summer and expand. >> yes. >> all right. Here you need. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. chair.
▶ 1:16:47>> Mr. stinky. >> I think I seen the treaty. I think it's 1863. I think it was signed by abraham lincoln. Mhm. Yes, sir. But it guarantees sovereignty. Um, on on law enforcement. Are you a 638 tribe? >> um, not for law enforcement, no. Okay. But, um, the tribe, we do have tribally funded positions to supplement the current bia police officers there.
▶ 1:17:14Um, and so, you know, we're, we're expanding our own, our own resources just to provide the most basic minimum level of, of law enforcement that we can have. And obviously with the reservation that that large and, um, with the population size that we have, it's, um, we, we just need more officers. >> and how just to give me an idea of the size of the reservation, how many officers you have.
▶ 1:17:44>> so the reservation, the exterior boundary encompasses about 4.5 million acres. And um, we have, I want to say three bia officers right now and, um, maybe 2 or 3 tribally funded officers. But at any given time, um, there's maybe 1 or 2 officers that are actually on duty to patrol that entire entire area and our communities. >> seems, seems short.
▶ 1:18:13So on the, on the hurdles of, of your, your sovereign nation, you should be able to develop the resources as you see fit. What are the hurdles on oil and gas right now? >> one of the big challenges that we we have is simply just the, the bureaucracy of, of the bia and the blm to try to get some of these permits streamlined. Um, that's, that's one of our big, uh, big pushes. And it's always been is to be able to effectively manage our own, our own resources.
▶ 1:18:42And the big challenge is that when oil and gas producers want to develop on state or private land, they can get their permits and everything done in a matter of weeks. Whereas when they come to the tribal side, um, it can take months, sometimes even years to get some of these applications through. And it just really, it bottlenecks everything.
▶ 1:19:04And with the recent, um, cuts in bia and, um, with, with the shutdown and everything that happened last year, it bottlenecked all of the, uh, the people there to process some of these applications and the permits on the bia side, there's simply nobody there to process the permits. And so there's, there's, there's a big need to, to keep those funded and get those, those positions back and get that hiring freeze lifted. So that.
▶ 1:19:33>> and bia is not the center of oil and gas development. So I think their skill set is in other areas other than permitting. >> yes. >> um, would you have the capacity, uh, if we were to redo the permitting process on sovereign land, uh, to, to coordinate and to have them coordinate, but, but you control the oil and gas permitting. >> I believe we would, um, we're not new to this game. The tribe's been in the oil and gas industry for nearly 100 years.
▶ 1:20:03>> mandan is the same way there. There's a lot of resource tribes that certainly have as much skill or more skill than a bureaucrat sitting that doesn't know where utah is. >> so we have we have very robust, um, uh, tribal departments that actively manage our mineral resources. And, um, I do believe that we would have the capacity to, to effectively manage those resources if we were allowed to. >> so why is blm involved in your permitting on, on sovereign land?
▶ 1:20:31What's, what stake do they have? >> they have a pretty big, uh, interest in that. Um, because they tend to treat the reservation land as, as public land. Um, and so blm really does have, have a lot of, a lot of say in the permitting process, but that's one of the areas too where there, there is that bottleneck there. It seems like things just don't move quickly enough. And, um. >> we have two bottlenecks.
▶ 1:20:59You have, if you're in the county property, you have maybe blm, but you have bia and blm. >> yes, yes. >> so it definitely compounds the issue. >> may we maybe, maybe should relook at streamlining on, on, on sovereign territory because I've seen the signature. I think abraham lincoln signed it. >> yes. Yeah. >> yeah. It's the big monument at the end of the mall there. Thank you, Mr. chairman.
▶ 1:21:28I yield. >> Mr. khan. >> thank you. Um, first off, um, chairwoman. >> I think you're on. >> uh, was on. I just have to get it closer. Um, chairwoman yellow horse, thank you for your comments on yesterday.
▶ 1:21:49Um, when, uh, red lake nation was here, um, it, it came out of them wanting to take control over many of the programs that you talked about and make sure that families, council members working with state and county at time for resources, whether it be snap or whatever, that there be one stop shopping on that. But it's grown into so much more as each tribe makes it unique to their needs.
▶ 1:22:15So thank, thank you for your, your words, words on that. Um, I have a question with I was reading your testimony on water. Um, sir and how are you fixed for potable water? I mean, a lot of the water that we're talking about is in order to keep your industry going, get that that that's important. But are you in the same straits? How is your potable water? You're drinking water affected by this.
▶ 1:22:45>> so our, our culinary water and drinking water is primarily sourced through, um, through springs that we have there on the reservation. But the problem that we have with that is, um, is aging infrastructure for, to our water systems. Um, my actually my grandfather, um, was one of the, uh, people that put the water systems in and that was back in the 60s.
▶ 1:23:08And so we have old aging pipes that, um, they're continuously breaking just because of the condition that they've deteriorated at. And there's a need for funding in those areas to, to begin beefing up that infrastructure.
▶ 1:23:26It seems like, um, every couple of days I'm getting, uh, an alert or an email from our water systems notifying the various communities that we have no water today because of a, because of a break. >> yeah. Okay. I was, I was wondering, I didn't know if it was the same source or separate source. Either way, you have, you have challenges and problems. So, um, thank you both for your testimony, Mr. chair. I'm going to leave during the as the montana tribes are coming up here.
▶ 1:23:54I mean no disrespect. I have some minnesota tribes because of the weather who are in my office right now who didn't get a chance to be here. And I'm really impressed. We know Mr. elzey, who left notes for yankton, is. So we're making progress here for the dakotas too, as well on this committee. So, um, we will keep in touch with you and I have your testimony. Thank you, Mr. chair. >> Mr. chair, can I ask one more question? >> sure. >> did you grab that from you? Yeah.
▶ 1:24:23Just one thing I meant to ask you. And I lost my train of thought, um, that when you were talking about trying to get the, um, uh, federal s l e c applications approved and you had some sitting there since 2022. Um, I want to make sure we bring some of those things up when we have the bia with us because it just, you know, we were worried about staffing challenges in the past. Seems like a lot of things are slow. And then there have been a lot of cutbacks in the last year.
▶ 1:24:51And I just can't imagine how something which sounds fairly simple, like an application like that could be sitting there for that long. That's something you routinely experience. >> yes. Not not only with, um, with that process, but it seems like, um, a lot of other areas, uh, when we deal with the federal agencies, it's things move at a very, very slow pace and applications do have a tendency to just kind of languish out in the void somewhere.
▶ 1:25:17Another good example of that is, um, is the tribe put in an application, uh, a terror application. Uh, it's an environmental, um, uh, helps with oil and gas in the oil and gas industry. And the tribe put their application in, um, nearly 20 years ago. Um, when, when this program was first announced. Um, and we still haven't really received any word on that.
▶ 1:25:41What's interesting about that is, is my mother was the chairman at that time, and now I'm sitting in the seat. So it's, it's, it's intergenerational. Sometimes when along some of these applications and things, you know, take. >> you know, and I'm not going to excuse them on any of those. I know oil and gas and some of the environmental permitting.
▶ 1:26:02I mean, I can sort of understand why some of those things would take a while, but this you made this sound like this was someone who was fully qualified to be covered as a law enforcement personnel. And we know what the problems are of not having sufficient law enforcement personnel. So to think that somebody sitting there in the position, you know, ready to go and it's just an application approval, that that seems outrageous to me.
▶ 1:26:23>> yeah, all of our our tribal fish and game officers, they go through, um, the, the police academy and a lot of times our tribal officers receive more training than, um, our, our local highway patrol or, you know, the county sheriff's. So, you know, it's the discrepancy there is, is pretty, pretty big and kind of the standards it seems like the tribe has to meet, you know, just just to provide service.
▶ 1:26:51>> that she was arrested for exceeding her authority when she had actually applied to be covered under that authority. So it just sounded like a crazy story. >> yeah. What had happened really quick is, um, she came across two non-tribal members who were trespassing using, uh, we have a, a no utv or atv policy as well. We have ordinances that cover that. And so these two individuals were joyriding.
▶ 1:27:14And so when she, when the officer stopped them, um, they became combative and they, um, they attempted to run her over and drag her. And so she was forced to draw her firearm and, um, and opened fire on them to protect herself. Um, but, uh, she was dragged to the, to the court system and ultimately she had to, um, to take a plea deal. >> wow. Wow. >> and when she, when she was acting in her official capacity.
▶ 1:27:43>> yeah, that just seems like a way to get more law enforcement officers on reservations. So maybe we can work on that. But thank you again, thank you both for your testimony. >> yes, thank you both for being here today. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Now it seems like we have montana. Kody shambo, michael dawson. Uh, michael come at night and justin dupree, is that right? Did I get those close?
▶ 1:28:14>> yes. You did fine with me. Separation between. >> what's that? Yeah. Cody. Your first.
▶ 1:28:47>> morning, chairman. Members of the subcommittee. My name is cody shambo. I'm the mountain grove representative for the fort belknap indian community tribal council. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. Our top priority is the passage and funding of our fort belknap indian community water settlement act. Um, the act affirms our water rights and settles our damage claims against the united states.
▶ 1:29:15In 1908, we went all the way to the supreme court to fight for our water rights. In the winters case, the court held that our reservation included the water we needed to make a homeland. This is known as the winters doctrine. Under this doctrine, all tribes are able to protect and quantify their water rights.
▶ 1:29:40More than 100 years later, we still have not completed our water rights and the water projects the united states promised are failing or were never built. Our water rights claims are currently pending in court. If we are forced to litigate, there's no question who will win.
▶ 1:30:02We have the oldest priority date and farmers, ranchers and towns upstream from us will have to stop using our water. We'd rather settle. Our settlement is a win win that provides water for all.
▶ 1:30:25Litigating 31,000 water rights claims would take another 40 years, waste taxpayers money and upset about 10% of montana's gross domestic product. Entitlement also provides the funding to fix water infrastructure that was built in the early 1900s.
▶ 1:30:46This aging water infrastructure threatens the economy, towns and livelihood of north central montana, including more than 120,000 acres of non-indian irrigation and more than 25,000 acres of irrigation on our reservation. That feeds about 1 million people a year. This infrastructure also provides drinking water for more than 20,000 people. Our water settlement will cost about $1.3 billion and has already passed the senate twice.
▶ 1:31:15Our settlement has the full support of our tribes, the administration, the montana governor, rocky mountain tribal leaders council, the milk river joint board of control, the saint mary rehabilitation working group, local counties, water users, stockman conservation groups, individual members, tribal members and more.
▶ 1:31:38The subcommittee should provide mandatory funding to help implement our water settlement and other tribal water settlements. We need these funds to ensure that our settlement is final and enforceable. We need a stable and permanent fund, just like the department of justice settlement fund.
▶ 1:31:58We should not have to spend all this time negotiating water settlement and then have it come back, have to come back year after year for discretionary fund funding. Water is not our priority, is not only our our only priority, we also need to provide for our youth. I'm dedicated to providing a safe place and opportunities for our youth.
▶ 1:32:24Suicide has been a leading cause of death for indian youth across the united states for over 40 years. Indian youth die by suicide more than any group. In 2019, our reservation was caught in a plague of youth suicide. Our council declared a state of emergency. I was not on the council yet, but did what I could to help mentor our youth, work to create safe places and activities for our youth.
▶ 1:32:56Congress must do more to help us overcome the drugs and crime affecting our youth and create opportunities in our communities in return for vast lands and resources, we were promised the best education and health care the united states could offer. Our schools are falling down and indian health service is chronically underfunded. Congress and this subcommittee have a treaty obligation to provide the funding we need.
▶ 1:33:22There are also too many restrictions on funding we do receive. Everyone wants to tribes to take over, but our hands are tied behind our back. One promising program is the program. We support the program and ask that the subcommittee increase the funding.
▶ 1:33:41He means the interconnectedness of families and supports tribal self-determination by allowing flexibility in how we run our programs. While he breaks down silos between programs, he is also allows us to use culture in our programs. We used to support our family wellness program.
▶ 1:34:07We work directly with each family and individual to design services that they need. We are able to reach across programs and collaborate and pool resources to help our families. Our programs are designed to restore our people's self-confidence, gain employment and become independent. Tawahi also supports our soaring eagle program. Soaring eagle was originally started to reduce recidivism, including drug possession, truancy, and criminal contempt.
▶ 1:34:36We established an elders council and address underlying anger, grief and abandonment that often leads to offending. We have been able to reduce recidivism by 34%, which is well below national levels. Our approach has been become extremely successful.
▶ 1:34:54Currently, our six month rate of recidivism is 34% for 2025, with a four year average of 36%, which remains well below national levels. Thank you. >> thank you. >> for the opportunity to testify. >> uh, michael, you're next. Good morning. Okay, I need to go. >> not kuhina nui.
▶ 1:35:21To be come from her view. Okay. Good morning. Uh, chair and members of the subcommittee. It's an honor to be here before you, Mr. zinke. Good to see you. Also, john. Um, individuals I work closely with. Good morning. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak with you today regarding the need to adequately fund the blackfeet nation's law enforcement, tribal court and transportation road department.
▶ 1:35:50My name is mike comes I, I serve as the blackfeet tribal business council for the blackfeet nation of montana. My testimony addresses how the federal government has failed to adequately fund law enforcement, tribal courts and transportation road department for the blackfeet nation respectfully requesting an increase in funding law enforcement. I speak today because of the public safety is something that affects every family across the great blackfeet nation. Many residents of the blackfeet nation, including elders.
▶ 1:36:18Families with children, constantly worry about our safety. Officers themselves often work long shifts on limited equipment with limited equipment and support. With the department as underfunded, it becomes harder to recruit and retain officers, maintain vehicles providing. Training, implementing prevention programs that could reduce crime before it happens. Currently, our law enforcement is severely underfunded. They are stretched into thin, too thin. The crime runs rampant in our community.
▶ 1:36:47Last year, the blackfeet law enforcement responded to over 15,000 calls from across our reservation, which covers a large geographical area of 1.5 million acres, and there are simply not enough officers or resources to meet the needs of our community at this time. We currently have 16 officers. Moreover, there's a serious cartel presence on our blackfeet reservation, dealing dangerous drugs and infecting our community.
▶ 1:37:10The cartel presence results in serious safety concerns and is directly related to the lack of federal funding. The problem with our inability to adequately police our reservation does not just impact our blackfeet nation and tribal members. It creates a breeding ground for crime, which ultimately spills from our borders into the neighboring off reservation communities.
▶ 1:37:36Increasing funding does doesn't just help the tribe, it helps our neighboring as well. The blackfeet tribal two tribal court. The blackfeet tribal court plays a critical role in upholding justice, protecting community safety, and preserving the sovereignty of the blackfeet nation. Despite the court's innocent, essential responsibilities, it faces significant resource constraints, caseloads that steadily increase.
▶ 1:38:01However, funding levels have not kept pace with the growing responsibilities, inflation and the cost of living significantly. We cannot offer attractive compensation to law, training judges and attorneys to enforce the rule of law. The compounds for the the compounds, the problem we face with inadequate law enforcement funding, justice and. And the rule of law are something that all americans should have access to.
▶ 1:38:27Currently, such access for the blackfeet nation members is being frustrated because of the woefully inadequate funding in our tribal court. For instance, the tribal court budget only allows prosecutors to be paid $16 per hour. How many prosecutors do you know that would prosecute crimes on the blackfeet indian reservations for $16 per hour, and there are currently over 4000 pending criminal cases.
▶ 1:38:53Additionally, funding would allow the blackfeet tribal court to expand judicial capacity by hiring law trained judges, more clerks and experienced prosecutors and defenders, and a justice severe backlog of both civil and criminal cases. We especially need more funding for the tribal court and law enforcement to properly administer tribal justice system on the blackfeet reservation. Transportation, the. Blackfeet. The blackfeet transportation department is also severely underfunded.
▶ 1:39:20The blackfeet nation received $672 per lane mile annually. The bia receives 800 and $817 per lane per annually. Combined. This equals an average of nearly $750 per lane mile for the b I n the tribally owned roads. This is woefully inadequate and leads to distraction. Disastrous road conditions on the blackfeet reservations. The content.
▶ 1:39:47For context, the montana department of transportation. The mtd spends more than $7,884 per mile. The flathead county and neighboring district receives approximately $5,981 per month per lane mile. The compensation illustrates that the blackfeet nation operates to 8 to 11 times less funding per mile than state or county governments, leaving behind tribal roads and serious repair.
▶ 1:40:15The insignificant funding has created serious deferred maintenance and safety issues. The tribe has effectively subsidizing a federal program that is supposed to maintain roads on tribal land and still struggling to meet the basic transportation needs on its reservation of its residents. Excuse me. The data clearly shows that the blackfeet nation roads are chronically underfunded. Increased funding doesn't just support the blackfeet nation.
▶ 1:40:42Membership increases safety for all people who visit our reservation. The blackfeet provides direct access to glacier national park, which is visited by millions annually. We want to keep our members and guests safe on our roads. We ask for the support not just for the blackfeet nation, but for our friends, neighbors, guests as well. In closing, the federal government has failed to uphold its trust, responsibility and adequately fund law enforcement, tribal court, transportation, roads on the blackfeet indian reservation.
▶ 1:41:12On behalf of the blackfeet nation, I respectfully request federal funding increase in these critical areas to improve public safety on the blackfeet reservation. Thank you. >> thank you. Michael. There were. >> two michaels. >> yeah. That's okay. >> it's fine. >> that's quickest. >> can you pull it closer or the other one? >> is that all right? >> there you go. Yeah.
▶ 1:41:41>> uh, chairman simpson, ranking member pingree, their respective members of the subcommittee. Thank you. And good morning. My name is michael dalton, and I am the chairman of the confederated salish kootenai tribe tribal council. Uh, the flathead reservation. We appreciate the opportunity to share our thoughts on addressing the challenges facing our tribal community and the subcommittee's commitment to improving the lives of our shared constituents.
▶ 1:42:08We appreciate the subcommittee's continued work to support law enforcement, health professionals, social service providers across indian country, especially as fentanyl and other opioids plague our communities. Cskt is an original self-governance tribe. By carrying out all functions of ihs and bia for decades, our local control and wise fiscal management of these programs have allowed us to dramatically improve the quality of services to our community.
▶ 1:42:36However, despite these efficiencies, we are limited by the available resources. Always money, full funding for the indian health service and additional funding for the bureau of indian affairs is therefore a critical component of our ability to adequately address mental illness and addiction. Cskt is administering several cutting edge programs to address these challenges.
▶ 1:43:01Some examples include the development of a drug treatment court as a diversion to criminal charges pending before our tribal court, a reentry program that assists individuals returning to their communities after encounters with the criminal justice system and streamlining the delivery of services.
▶ 1:43:20Through our participation in the tawahi initiative, tawahi was established to improve the health and well-being of families in tribal communities by reducing poverty, substance abuse, domestic violence, associated outcomes such as youth suicide. Through tawahi, we have improved the coordination amongst social service providers and are seeing positive outcomes for our children and families.
▶ 1:43:44We are grateful for the subcommittee support of the initiative and excited to see the positive outcomes that increased funding will have on our people. I also want to take a moment to acknowledge the brave men and women in law enforcement that keep our community safe. I'm proud of these first class law enforcement program, which serves as the first line of defense in slowing the import of opioids and other illegal drugs to our reservation.
▶ 1:44:11I encourage the subcommittee to continue to look for ways to ensure that these tribal law enforcement officers have the resources they need to protect our people. Similarly, I implore the subcommittee to continue to increase support for tribal fire programs and the brave and dedicated tribal fire personnel.
▶ 1:44:30For the past several years, we have experienced unprecedented drought conditions, with predictions suggesting another challenging fire season this summer. Extreme drought conditions present threats to public safety, as well as our land, water and natural resources from fire and other natural disasters.
▶ 1:44:50The flathead reservation are permanent homeland we reserved under the hellgate treaty of 1855, encompasses over 1.2 million acres of timber, ranch 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 tribal, forestry and fire programs carry out a full array of services to prevent wildfires and quickly respond when fires strikes.
▶ 1:45:17Adequate funding for these activities and associated associated infrastructure helps to ensure responsible timber harvest, fuel reduction, forest management for more fire resilient force. Our dedicated staff wear multiple hats, oftentimes transitioning from seasonally, transitioning to fire from all kinds of other activities.
▶ 1:45:40We continue to need the subcommittee's help to bring the paychecks of these tribal firefighters in line with those of their federal counterparts. We look forward to continuing our work with the subcommittee to address wildfire as we adapt to changing snowfall patterns and drought conditions. On behalf of the cskt tribal council, thank you for the opportunity to provide this testimony and for your partnership with us as we face these challenges. >> thank you, michael.
▶ 1:46:08Justin chair. >> and members of the committee. Good morning. My name is justin dupre. I represent the fort peck, assiniboine and sioux tribes as a member of our tribal council. I would like to thank you guys for the opportunity to present testimony on behalf of my tribe. I also appear on behalf of our water supply system. The fort peck reservation is located in northeast montana, 45 miles west of north dakota and 50 miles south of the canadian border. Our reservation spans more than 2 million acres.
▶ 1:46:38First, on behalf of our tribal water supply system, congress authorized this project in pl 100 6-3 82, and this act requires the bia to fund 100% of the cost for the project. For fy 27, our water supply system requires $5,265,000, an increase of $298,000 from the previous year.
▶ 1:47:00When completed in 2026, the system will serve 7750mi, connected by 3200 miles of water pipeline, providing clean and reliable drinking water to almost 20,000 members. Tribal and non-tribal in northeastern montana. In my written testimony, I documented the need for funding within ihs pertaining to our behavioral health, our dental, and our public nursing.
▶ 1:47:24These are programs that my tribe now operates operates pursuant to the indian self-determination act. I urge the committee for support in these critical programs as they virtually touch every family on our reservation regarding ihs. Our my my tribal board directed me to testify on a situation that has gone on for far too long. The area of concern is where ihs fails to pay timely providers for approved prc services.
▶ 1:47:51Tribal members are often harassed by creditors despite being responsible for payment. When ihs fails to pay, providers, turn the debts over to collection agencies and in turn, our tribal members are um, their credit is is dinged and it's causing a lot of stress. During recent self-determination negotiations, we learned that the fort peck service unit owes northeast montana health services approximately $3 million for prc services, dated back to 2018.
▶ 1:48:19We request that the committee direct ihs to provide a full report on any delinquent payments, including a timeline for repayment, offer technical assistance to providers and patients to ensure they understand that federal law prohibits creditors from billing tribal members for approved services and establish a protocol requiring our ihs to pay those bills within 72 hours of receipt. Secondly, ihs is correction.
▶ 1:48:46I, as a veteran, have served, served in the military and have firsthand experience with the failure of ihs and the va to properly serve native veterans, especially in our rural areas, both the federal trust responsibility and the nation's obligation to its veterans demand better coordination. We request the committee to direct ihs and the va to develop a plan to work and help our native veterans with regard to other needs facing our community. Public safety and justice remain a priority.
▶ 1:49:11The tribe has operated our law enforcement program since 1996, and we were among the first in the nation to establish a cross deputization agreement with the state, city and county agencies. However, we are losing officers to burnout and other high paying positions. Fort peck has made an independent judicial system for nearly 60 years, and we also have an appellate court. Our system includes court trained staff, and we exercise expanded jurisdiction under vawa and tribal law and order act.
▶ 1:49:40This level of responsibility requires stable, increased funding to maintain these services. The other areas of need facing our community include housing and social services. We greatly appreciate the congress's rejection of the proposed cuts to these programs and for your continued support of funding. But more needs to be done. If we do not invest in these areas, we will continue to have a crisis in our public safety and justice programs.
▶ 1:50:03We must give our people the tools to stand up for themselves and break the generational dysfunction that leads to bad decisions and unhealthy behaviors. My ancestors, my ancestors signed treaties and preserved a permanent homeland for us, which is my responsibility to protect and preserve. This is why we are thankful for the support of the bia natural resources program and the buffalo bison program. The tribes also appreciate the committee's support for the state tribal assistance grant programs within the epa.
▶ 1:50:30The stag supports our general assistance, our water quality, and our solid waste management programs. In closing, I would like to thank you all the committee for the opportunity to present and visit you guys. Thank you for your service to our country. Have a nice day. >> thank you. Thank you all for your testimony. Uh, you bring up a lot of subjects.
▶ 1:50:50Uh, cody, I enjoyed coming up and visiting, uh, fort belknap last year and, and, uh, talking about the water, uh, water rights and stuff, but I, I agree with what you said, but I'll tell you what, it's a real challenge that we're looking at and how we're going to fund these water agreements because there are water rights agreements. There are there are a lot of them across the country. And we're talking about billions and billions of dollars.
▶ 1:51:17When you add them all up, we got to find a way to do it. And I've I don't want it to come out of the discretionary funds that we're funding other things. Otherwise it's just going to reduce funding for other things. Uh, we've got a I would like to see it, frankly, come out of the justice fund, uh, where other judgments come out of, in the, in the department of justice, getting it there is a challenge, but we're certainly looking at ways to do it because I, I, it's amazing how many of these water settlements there are, and they're going to cost us a ton
▶ 1:51:48Of money to, to do. But it's the right thing to do. We just got to find a way to do it. So I appreciate your testimony on all of the, the issues that we're going to deal with. I'm going to let, uh, Mr. zinke ask most of the questions because he knows more about all of you than, than any of us do. So. But miss pingree. >> yep. Thank you for your testimony. And I, I concur with the chair. We really have to figure out a way to fund these water settlements.
▶ 1:52:18It was interesting for you to say that yours is one of the oldest, and that's a long time to be waiting for the federal government to meet its treaty and trust obligations. So, um, we absolutely need to do this. And I know how critically important it is, particularly as we're experiencing more drought and other challenges. Communities really just need this water. And so many of you brought up law enforcement. That's another area where we're just woefully behind. I think we meet, you know, less than 20% of the actual need. So you know that you need more money for law enforcement in the courts.
▶ 1:52:45And I hope we can move those numbers up a little bit this time. Um, and you mentioned some things around the ihs payment of prc services. I it's hard for me to fathom that they have bills going back to 2018. And as you said, um, making it very clear that that's not the responsibility of the patient, the client, um, and to have that go into people's credit ratings is just, it's really outrageous.
▶ 1:53:08So I hope we can look into that a little bit more, um, in this round, I'm just deeply worried about these payments not being made, especially if the money is there, uh, for it to not get through. And we've heard before this morning about the, the va connection, and we know that the va has more money than ihs. So we want to make sure that those payments get made and ihs has that money available to them. So thank you to all of you. I, too will defer to Mr. zink. I know he's got his finger on the pulse. >> right.
▶ 1:53:35I've, uh, before I ask, uh, I did want to mention one thing that was brought up, and that's the wildfire fighting. And we're going to have wildfires this year, I think because of the drought conditions that exist in the west.
▶ 1:53:49And I know that in the department of interior, they've taken the bia wildfire fighters, the, uh, blm wildfire fighters, the, uh, parks, uh, national parks, wildfire fighters and fish and wildlife wildfires and combined them into one agency and stuff. And, uh, it might be the right thing to do. I don't know, we're still asking a lot of questions, uh, about it and how it's going to work and, uh, some good questions.
▶ 1:54:17Like I say, I, I'm kind of agnostic on whether it's the right thing to do or not because I just don't know. I've got a lot of questions that I've got to get answered. And there is a proposal to take the forest service wildfire fighting and put it over in the department of interior. A lot of questions remain, but we'll be we'll be dealing with that. But I'm glad you brought that up because it is going to be a real challenge this year, uh, no matter how it's done. So. Mr. zink. >> a lot, a lot in here. Thank you, Mr. chairman.
▶ 1:54:45Uh, one is the two, I think we all agree that's been a great program. It gives you the flexibility. Uh, and there's, there's differences between, between even the tribes in montana culturally. And I think it gives you the latitude and flexibility to what makes sense. And I think those dollars are well spent. So, you know, I don't want to talk for the other committee members, but there's that's that's been a very successful program.
▶ 1:55:11And actually, I'd like to see some, some increased funding on it on water compacts, you know, from a former secretary view, one, it should not be appropriated dollars. Um, it's not an appropriations a treaty obligation. It's no, no different than a treaty with guam or one of our territories. It happens to be a territory within the continental united states. And it's a treaty obligation, whether it's from 1863 or the hellgate treaty, you can you can pick one.
▶ 1:55:41And the fort belknap is the last of the the compacts. But there's a blackfoot fix to it because the blackfeet, uh, and you look at the the water compact that the blackfeet signed, there's an addendum on it that the belknap issue had to be resolved with water. And and I think we've we've looked at it. I think we've we've got the document where it's sound on actuary.
▶ 1:56:10The reason why it doesn't have a cbo score because it's outside the ten year window. So you don't have a cbo score. Uh, secondly, any actuary will tell you a settlement reduces long term liability. That's why it's a settlement because it's a it's a settlement between the sovereign nation, the state, and the federal government through the bia. But those should not be appropriated dollars. The account it should come from, which is historical. It's been used before. There's two accounts that's been used.
▶ 1:56:41One is the the department of justice settlement fund. That fund is for settlements. And the second is customs, which has been been used. But both accounts should not come through appropriate dollars. These are my thoughts. The you know, the the northern montanan, uh, which is the belknap. It really is the upper missouri because it affects everything downstream.
▶ 1:57:10Um, but also there are other, uh, other tribes that also the navajo being one of them. Um, we just need to get it done. And I don't think you care how it gets done. You just want to get it done. And my thoughts are, I've talked to the white house. Uh, I think I got the president in a good spot. They have one big, beautiful american indian compact. Bill will, will will name it. It'll be, it'll be, it'll be wonderful. It'll be big. It'll be beautiful, but it needs to be done.
▶ 1:57:40Um, and we're, and we're trying to get them where they're behind. And I think we're almost there. But yeah, there's about probably $12.5 billion or so of, of tribal water compacts that are mature, you know, that, that are already through the process. Yours is the oldest, yours is the most senior, but you have the navajo, you have tribe in new mexico. There's a there's a bunch of them. You added them up. And as the chairman says, there, there are a lot of money, but they're not in comparison.
▶ 1:58:11You know, we blew $200 billion plus in ukraine. I can go through all things. And really this this has to be settled on on home turf. And it's a treaty obligation. So, um, this is a bipartisan issue. It's not a partizan issue. So I think there's going to be progress. The senate has already passed. You know, some of them in this in this area, the senate is actually ahead of us. That doesn't happen very, very often. But, um, I'm I'm fairly optimistic that we'll get the last of the compacts done in montana, uh, this term.
▶ 1:58:41And I quite frankly, I think it probably will go on suspension because there's on both sides there, there's a compelling, you know, argument and a desire, again, it's not appropriate dollars. So on on law enforcement, it's interesting. Prosecutors is $16 an hour. Uh, that's less than mcdonald's. Uh, and I don't, I don't know what the state rate is.
▶ 1:59:05I would imagine the state rate for prosecutors in montana, somewhere around 80 bucks an hour. But we'll look into that. How to have parity because you can't have $16 an hour and absolutely agree. Um, for the thank you for the water level. Uh, that a big issue. Um, but you know, the water in montana whiskey's for drinking water for fighting the all tribes have water issues on there.
▶ 1:59:34And I think we're, we're, we're at least looking at those, um, other issues a lot, a lot of ground on ihs. I under the, under the belief now we're going to have to reorganize it. Um, people have been complaining a long time. We had ihs here. We've, we've had multiple, you know, multiple hearings, but it doesn't seem like it resonates.
▶ 2:00:02So, and we've, we've, we talked to the new director, the old director, the directors in past, but the but the complaints are about the same. So I think I think we're going to have to look at how to reorganize it and probably more sovereignty.
▶ 2:00:17And, uh, on the front end and the payment process when you have 2018, um, I can't think of another system that has payments out there for something that's been approved. It's not like they're not approved. They were approved by a competent authority. And then there's no, there's no payment ever.
▶ 2:00:40And I agree strongly with the link between the va, you know, the four pacs long ways away from helena. So, you know, you're not going to be able to go in, you know, unless it's a routine, you know, physical or something like that. If anything, anything acute, you're not going to be able to go to. I don't know what the closest facility is in fort peck. It might might be billings, I don't know, but it's a long ways away.
▶ 2:01:05So that that that link between the two, uh, should be, should be an easy for payment because you're a veteran, you know, you're a veteran. Thank you for your service. The, the montana tribes and tribes across the country serve at higher rates and than I think anyone else as a people. And certainly that that should be returned. And in a veterans veteran. So you should be the same service and same, same payment with that.
▶ 2:01:34But um, I think I can speak for the, for the committee is that we strongly support, uh, sovereign sovereignty of the nations, but sovereignty should mean something. And what of my experience is sovereignty means you have more bureaucratic nonsense, uh, than accounting next to you and the roads. I mean, I'm just interested on the roads. What part of the tribal from from browning to the b&b is, is tribal. >> those are.
▶ 2:02:05>> state, but in between, like we're talking towards heart view. Okay. Um, probably going so there's 89. Then we have one from, um. >> so all the way in from brownie to heart butte is tribal. >> the west, the west side route one. >> okay. >> I believe it's, uh, duffy comes knight memorial highway. >> I have actually driven it. I agree with you. It's not a not a great road. >> well, the one from heartbeat to birch creek is like, like the bombs hit that road.
▶ 2:02:35You know, there's you if you miss, if you swerve on one side, the it's a pothole. You're definitely going to hit one on the other side. So you know, you gotta drive very slow. And it's, uh, a safety issue. I did have our roads department go out and, uh, patch some of it, but with rare severe weather, uh, the elements of in our community, uh, that doesn't fix it only fixes the problem for a little while. Then it's back to where it was, or even worse.
▶ 2:03:02>> and inside baseball, I understand the ponderay county on snowplowing and stuff. So also, I think we're meeting today. We are. So we'll we'll talk about the, the youth center or whatever the for sure that $20 million has been sitting out there for three years. We just got to figure out how to execute it on that. So I appreciate all of you men. And I honor my name in touch and the bell family for a lot of reasons, but I it's my pleasure to representing you. Thank you as best I can. So thank you.
▶ 2:03:35>> well, on a personal note, let me just say that, uh, on behalf of the committee, that, uh, this will be the last tribal days that Mr. zinke will be serving and, and, uh, indian country as a whole, but specifically the state of montana. And, uh, and you all will be losing a powerful advocate, uh, who shoes will not be able to be filled easily. So thank you for being an advocate, strong advocate for indian country. Uh, commander zinke, I appreciate it.
▶ 2:04:03>> so I'm not dying like all battleships. You gotta return to port for repair and reload. So it's just, it's my time to go back into dry dock for a little while. For sure. >> thank you gentlemen. God bless. >> thank you. Next up, we have, uh, from south dakota, raymond lebeau, the chairman of the cheyenne river sioux tribe. Peter lengkeek, chairman of the crow creek sioux tribe. Frank starr comes out, president of oglala sioux tribe.
▶ 2:04:32Welcome, gentlemen. >> thank you.
▶ 2:05:14>> thank you all for being here. Appreciate everybody being here in the audience. Understand, we're running a little bit behind timeline. We'll try to get the trains moving on time again. Uh, so try to keep your comments to five minutes. That way we can ask some questions. We're going to begin with, uh, chairman lebeau. Please go ahead, sir. >> is this on? Are we? On? Do you a good day. Wish you all a good day.
▶ 2:05:43And members of the committee, we thank you for this time. Um, I'm I'm I'm the chairman of the cheyenne river sioux tribe. And, um, uh, we, we wanted to discuss important matters with you today regarding the appropriations. Um, cheyenne river is a, is a big, beautiful reservation. One of the largest. We have, uh, about 3 million acres that make up our reservation. And we, um, we are a treaty tribe.
▶ 2:06:12Our ancestors signed the 1868 treaty of fort laramie. And we, um, because of this, we, uh, we enjoy the provisions of that treaty, which include law enforcement, which include health care, which include our land based, uh, education and that of which we're going to go over today. Um, law enforcement, public safety is a huge issue on shannon river because of our large land base.
▶ 2:06:40We have, um, and the funding that we get from bia, uh, we have a 638 contract that allows for about 23, 24 officers. Um, 16 of those, um, are patrol officers and there's sergeants, there's, uh, the lieutenant, there's the chief of police, there's two detectives. And so we have to make do with that.
▶ 2:07:05And there's three, three officers on per shift, um, throughout the day and the night. Um, and that is a challenge for our safety of our people and the amount of crime and drugs we see on our reservation. Um, to, to battle those, we need those dollars increased. Uh, we need it doubled, basically doubled would be the appropriate amount for, um, for our reservation and our size.
▶ 2:07:32Um, so the, the roads that we face, um, these are bia gravel roads. Um, and there's several of them throughout our reservation. And again, we are a large land base and we have a long, um, a long, uh, gravel roads throughout the reservation and all of them are, are bia, um, and they are some terrible roads there, probably the worst in this country.
▶ 2:07:59I would, I would suspect, um, our school, our school, uh, they're on the west end and they, um, when it gets, when it rains too much, when it snows too much and, and it melts, it turns muddy. And we, they can't have school, they call off school. And so, and the, um, also the busses that are hauling our children on these roads, sometimes they, it's, it's uh, too dangerous and too muddy.
▶ 2:08:29The bus driver is concerned about, uh, sliding off the road. Uh, so he'll let the, uh, the children out at the bottom of the hill and the children will walk up the hill and he'll, you know, he'll drive up, uh, just just to be safe. Uh, just so the bus don't slide off the, the road with the kids in it. So that's, that's the type of situations that we're faced with. Um, the solution we, we, um, we support more funding for, by road maintenance in fiscal year 2027 of $58 million.
▶ 2:08:57Uh, would, would go a long ways in helping our situation out with, uh, with our roads, uh, the, the school, the b school we have, uh, we've been approved. Our tribe, our, our biggest, uh, school is the shiny b school. Um, and we are, um, getting a new school.
▶ 2:09:18However, um, the funds that were assigned to, to this new school is, is, uh, not enough to completely build our school or build approximately half of the school. And, uh, so we'll need additional funds to be allocated, uh, to, to complete the school.
▶ 2:09:37And it's not only the school, it's also the teacher housing, um, and also the dorms, you know, dorms are very important, um, provide a safe place for our children to, to, um, to stay, uh, throughout the school year. So, um, rather than having in some of the situations, uh, at home are not good for our, our, our children. So the dorms provide that safe place. So, so yeah, we need additional funding for, um, to build the entire school.
▶ 2:10:06Um, and we do have, uh, another school in our, in our area that, that will be have to be built. And that's the little one school. And so they'll need that. We'll all need that extra funding, um, of 400, $470 million. Um, so on the, on the indian health service, uh, we need dedicated funding for, um, specifically for substance abuse treatment. Uh, and right now there is none.
▶ 2:10:32Um, currently we are planning and building our own treatment center. Um, but that's with our own funds, with our third party revenue that we generated. But if we can get a dedicated line, then ihs to fund these, uh, treatment centers throughout indian country, that would go a long ways. And it would be a, a great situation to, to have funded for our people.
▶ 2:10:56Um, as, and as far as the, um, prevention part of it, we are, um, again, we are building our own using 105 alpha. So that's a very important item as well, but using the 105 file, we're going to build the health and wellness centers throughout our reservations to help prevent the illnesses that turn fatal on us, like heart disease, like lung, lung disease, like, uh, cirrhosis, uh, accidents.
▶ 2:11:22Those are some of the top things that turn fatal on native americans in south dakota. So we're building the health and wellness centers and we, we, we would enjoy, uh, direct funding for, to fund these facilities as well, because we're, we're getting creative and using 105 funds and, uh, that situation to help with, uh, to build these facilities. So with that, members of the subcommittee, I thank you and I appreciate you for your time and dedication.
▶ 2:11:52Um, and once we get this school built and these health centers up, we want to invite you guys out to shine everyday to help celebrate. Thank you. >> good morning. Ranking member. Good morning, chairman, ranking member pingree, members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today.
▶ 2:12:19My name is peter lengkeek, and I have the honor of serving as chairman of the crow creek sioux tribe, representing the hunkpapa lakota people. I am a united states marine veteran, and I appreciate the committee's continued work to uphold the federal government's trust and treaty responsibilities to our tribal nations. The crow creek sioux tribe is comprised.
▶ 2:12:39Comprised of the hunkpapa lakota people, whose history with the united states includes forced removal, military violence, starvation policies, imprisonment and government sanctioned bounty hunters. Our ancestors were forcibly removed from our homelands in minnesota following state sanctioned violence and mass executions. We were forcibly removed to south dakota and left our homelands and sacred sites without infrastructure, food systems or protection.
▶ 2:13:07Our conditions today are inextricably linked to the policies of dispossession and exile. In the 1800s, the crow creek sioux reservation spans more than 280,000 acres across buffalo, hide, hughes counties and south dakota, with headquarters in fort thompson.
▶ 2:13:31Crow creek is a direct service tribe, meaning the treaty and trust obligations are delivered directly by federal agencies like the bureau of indian affairs and the indian health services. Because of this structure, federal staffing shortages and funding instability, disproportionate disproportionality affect whether our tribal citizens receive basic services that our federal functions of the trust responsibility, the crow creek sioux tribe seeks self reliance
▶ 2:14:04And self-determination, but meaningful progress requires federal partners to fully meet their trust obligations. I have provided supporting documentation regarding staffing shortages and federal workforce reductions affecting the bureau of indian affairs.
▶ 2:14:19I respectfully request unanimous consent to enter these materials into the congressional record, including the 2026 gao report on federal agency workforce changes and a 2023 letter from congressman dusty johnson regarding the public safety emergency facing crow creek sioux tribe. >> without objection.
▶ 2:14:49>> thank you. Thank you sir. The crow creek sioux tribe requests following report language be included in the final fy 27 appropriations bill. The committee has received from all corners of indian country testimony expressing crucial concern over trust and treaty obligations being compromised by staff reductions in indian service. The committee shares these concerns. The committee directs the indian service to issue a report to the committee.
▶ 2:15:2190 days of this bill signing signed of of this bill being signed, documenting staffing levels and fy 24 titles. Positions, responsibilities of departed employees accounting for the dpr engagement and the riffs. The committee directs the indian service to provide the committee with a corresponding brief as.
▶ 2:15:46As to the indian service capacity and requisite staffing levels to meet the treaty and trust obligations to direct service tribes. In particular, the committee directs the indian service to provide quarterly updates as to the impacts of staff reduction reductions, loss of institutional knowledge and elevation of current staffing levels.
▶ 2:16:12The committee is concerned that the staff reductions have compromised the indian service capacity to meet treaty and trust obligations, effectively redefining the federal government's treaty and trust corpus. Today, I have two modest tribal specific requests. First, the crow creek sioux tribe is seeking support from our federal partners in the conveyance of an abandoned law enforcement facility.
▶ 2:16:37We request $1 million in fiscal year 27 to support predevelopment activities to repurpose and abandon bia law enforcement facility into a functioning tribal public safety facility. The tribe plans to operate the facility under isds section 105 l lease program.
▶ 2:17:02The project represents the first step transitioning into some federal functions, strengthening tribal self-determination and public safety. Federal investments in this project supports our transition to greater tribal control and accountability and justice systems. Our second request is for family support and prevention programing.
▶ 2:17:27Therefore, the crow creek sioux tribe requests $1 million in fiscal year 27 to expand family support programing focused on prevention and early intervention. The requested funds would support additional staff positions, parent and youth support services, family stabilization programs, and culturally grounded prevention initiatives. The need is significant.
▶ 2:17:52According to the 2020 census, children of the crow creek sioux reservation are the poorest in the united states. Nearly all 600 students of the crow creek tribal school qualify for title one services. Investing in prevention reduces downstream costs in child welfare, justice systems and emergency services, and reliance on costly interventions, strategic investments in public safety and infrastructure and family
▶ 2:18:23Prevention services will strengthen our ability to care for our people and build safer communities for our children. With reliable federal partnerships, we can move closer to the goal that federal indian policy has long promised true tribal self-determination. Thank you for your consideration. I am happy to answer any questions. >> thank you. Chairman. Chairman comes out another marine number five.
▶ 2:18:55>> number five. >> good morning. >> uh, ranking member, uh, chief or chairman l.z. I believe. Yes. Semper fi. Um, today I want to, uh, go a little bit, uh, different route and just talk about some things.
▶ 2:19:16But first of all, I just like to, uh, um, say for the record that, uh, you know, my tribe, the oglala sioux tribe, um, is a large land base, uh, federally recognized treaty tribe, and which has 54,000 members and 3.3 million acres of land. And.
▶ 2:19:40There's a, there's a lot of issues that are going on that are going on with, uh, uh, within my tribe and with all large land based tribes. And I also like to, uh, I'm also the chairman of the great plains tribal chairmen's association. Um, and, uh, for the great plains region, uh, which is 17 tribes in the great plains.
▶ 2:20:09So I also want to, uh, speak on, on some of the large tribes behalf also because we all share the same, um, uh, problems and, uh, lack of resources and needs.
▶ 2:20:26One thing I've, I've noticed, uh, um, at the beginning of this administration, this is my second administration coming into office is, um, and I appreciate the, the, the funding that was increased. But I want to say for the record and tell you, uh, the ranking members here that that is not enough. That is not enough.
▶ 2:20:51And currently, uh, my, the, in law enforcement, I'm also here to speak on law enforcement because I, I do believe that's one of our priorities, uh, not only within my tribe, but the great plains region where we're severely underfunded, under-resourced, undermanned, and, and it's causing a huge amount of crime.
▶ 2:21:21Um, and other issues within our reservation boundaries. So that's very important. Um, that, uh, we need to address that the elephant in the room, so to speak.
▶ 2:21:36And, you know, um, I had to do some research and, and, and, uh, some, some of the conclusions I came, came up with, um, you know, uh, in the 90s, um, there was a, um, I guess, uh, congress, congress had a problem because he realized, uh, law enforcement and, uh, indian country was in trouble.
▶ 2:22:05Um, so they created this, what they call a circle project, which consisted up to five tribes. They did a, uh, basically a pilot project on and within that, uh, pilot project, um, it, uh, I guess in the 90s congress, um, decision and pushing large land based tribes into doj funding, um,
▶ 2:22:39Was the result of law enforcement going from, we had, we had 113 officers down to 30 in 1 year, um, because of the, the, how that was set up. And, you know, when oga's ojs was created, um, and when, uh, doj went away, the doj funding bia was left, that was the only funding left.
▶ 2:23:08And today that, uh, that's currently the base, uh, the base funding, uh, that's in place, uh, right now. So it kind of got rid of the cops. Grant. Um, which is, uh, greatly needed because it did benefit the tribes back in the 90s before, uh, uh, the, the cops grant ran out.
▶ 2:23:34So, and I need to stress that that, uh, the, the base funding needs to be reset because that is the, the root of the problem. And we all need to understand that, you know, I sat here and listened to all these tribes giving us the same problems with our law enforcement and other programs. But we gotta look at the structure.
▶ 2:24:00You know, that's, uh, that's great. When, when congress gives us a pot of money. But that's how but how is that pot of money being divided? And me, I truly believe that, uh, we shouldn't be. Putting all the, all the tribes together and and, uh, fight over this pot of money because we're all different.
▶ 2:24:33You large tribes are different than smaller tribes. All their funding goes their geographical, geographical location. And where they come from or land based, all those things need to be taken into consideration.
▶ 2:24:55But when you put us together and tell us to fend for ourselves and come up here and lobby and we do lobby, it doesn't work for us. It doesn't work for us, because you have smaller tribes representing large tribes, and they don't even have the funding we do or the programs we do. When I say my programs.
▶ 2:25:22I mean when you have self-determination tribes over, over, um. Um. That are, that are, uh, when you have those tribes, the self-determined tribes, uh, over the other tribes, the, it, it's looked at different differently.
▶ 2:25:49But when they sit on these boards, we're drowned out when we express our, our concerns. And so our needs are never met. And we have to suffer. Ultimately, our tribal members suffer.
▶ 2:26:09So that's, that's, uh, that's the thing I like to, uh, change is, is this is one of the reasons why we pulled out one of the largest organizations in this nation, nci, is because we don't have a voice at that table. Large tribes do not have a voice at that table.
▶ 2:26:32They're all represented by mostly casino tribes who are, who have, um, funding and tribes like some of our tribes in the great plains, we struggle. How do we compare to that? That's what needs to be looked at.
▶ 2:26:54And that's what I wanted to come here today and express because we're federally recognized, large land based treaty tribes, the united states government has a treaty obligation to uphold. And right now it's severely underfunded and under resourced.
▶ 2:27:20And we need to hold the united states accountable based on our treaties.
▶ 2:27:32You know, yesterday I had the opportunity to tour the us, uh, the museum and look at the 1868 treaty, the 1851 treaty, and the 1825 treaty, very powerful to see our our ancestors signatures.
▶ 2:27:52They're marked by an x, very powerful to see our leaders stand up and take a stand for us so we can sit here and talk today and fight, continue fighting for our people. And to see that is, to me, is probably going to be a once in a lifetime deal.
▶ 2:28:16And that's what I'm here for, is to make sure that we follow. And what put our ancestors or what our ancestors put in there for us, so we can continue for the next generations for our children.
▶ 2:28:41And congress needs to understand that we're here, we're alive, and we're not leaving. And our membership is growing and growing, but the funding is not. So that's why I wanted to stress today, you know, we have treaty rights. We have treaty obligation. But when when funding gets involved, we tend to forget treaty obligation.
▶ 2:29:10And that needs to change. Thank you. >> thank you, Mr. president. Uh ranking member. >> well, thank you all for your testimony and thank you, president stark. Um, so, you know, um, there's one thing you really learned on this committee, um, seeing the over 500 tribes across the country is just how different they are, how seriously different their needs are. And all too often we try to do a kind of one size fits all or really just an inadequate approach to funding.
▶ 2:29:42And it doesn't take into consideration the great differences that you have and even the differences between treaty tribes and direct service tribes. I think it's something that's just very little understood and coupled that with the inadequate funds, you know, we just don't begin to come close to meeting the resources of things like, um, law enforcement. You know, we're probably under 20% of what the actual need is out there. And, um, just so many of our programs just don't work. Right.
▶ 2:30:08And, um, I'm, I'm just, I'm just sorry that we don't get closer to doing the right thing. And I hope every year we, we try to get a little closer, but it's just such inadequate funding. And you can't start with such a low base, as many of you said. And thanks for pointing out some of the challenges of direct service tribes. I'm really worried right now about the, um, the cuts in staffing.
▶ 2:30:30I mean, it was already horrendous, you know, 2 or 3 years ago, hearing about how long it took to, to do the things that needed to be done or to get the funding there, or just to make the payments of things that should go out at ihs or other places. And then in this last year, we've just experienced a deep cuts in staffing. And I don't know how anything gets done over there. I'm looking forward to our hearings this year with bia b b a h. It's just really inadequate. So thank you for bringing some of that to our attention.
▶ 2:30:59It doesn't solve the problem, but I know we'll have a focus on it this year and ask for, you know, as you were, you know, detailing some of the things just much closer scrutiny of what's getting done in the staffing levels over there. I think we just have to crack down on that right now especially. And, um, really feel for you in building of the new school. Congratulations on being able to build it. But I know that happens all too often right now between, you know, material shortages, tariffs, just everything that the costs are much higher than people anticipated.
▶ 2:31:27So, um, I hope we're in a position to make sure that you get that funding. We just got to office of inspector general report on the schools and it's just not good. It's not good. How inadequate. I mean, I don't have to tell anyone how inadequate it is. And when you talked about roads, someone was talking one of the earlier panels about the inadequacy of the roads and just the idea of, you know, kicking the kids off the bus and, you know, making them walk up a muddy hill. It's just it's a graphic display of how bad it is out there.
▶ 2:31:56So, um, I'm not solving anybody's problem today, but I really, it means a lot to have you talk about it and, you know, such detailed terms. It really, it helps us to think about how we, how we go through this budget cycle this year. So thank you all very much. >> thank you. Thank you, miss pingree. Uh, gentlemen, thank you for being here. I, I had a quick question for you, chairman lengkeek. You've done a lot of work in, uh, in, in counseling to prevent suicide. Yes, sir.
▶ 2:32:26Um, with your description of your, I'm assuming, is that just for your reference that you're, that you do that, uh. >> yes, sir. Thank you for that question.
▶ 2:32:40Uh, for many years, I have, uh, worked exclusively just on the crow creek sioux reservation, but recently here have been appointed to some positions where I'm, uh, I'm helping on a national level now, um, the chairman of the, uh, ihs national suicide prevention committee. So. >> and are you seeing a, uh, an increase in the need for that kind of, uh, of, uh, counseling? >> yes, yes. >> increase. >> definitely huge increase.
▶ 2:33:11>> and since you are able to see the top level, what's, what's, is there one thing that's causing that? Or is it can you, can you say it's despair? >> multiple layers, multiple dynamics? Despair. >> okay, um. >> a lot of it goes back to if I may, sir, um, a lack of education, a lack of prevention, um, lack of resources, of course.
▶ 2:33:38And, uh, um, the ability to, uh. I'll stop right there. >> okay. Well, I appreciate you doing that. And I, uh, you know, I want to speak for, uh, on behalf of chairman simpson, who really does take this to heart. He had to step out. And as you look around this table, there are a lot of names, but not a lot of members. I just want to point out to those who are here who've done this year after year, thank you for coming up. Coming on your own time.
▶ 2:34:07It's very difficult to get out here. And that in spite of the fact that there's a majority and minority group here, that the members of this subcommittee are united without exception. I think I can say that, shelley, that we are united without exception in the understanding that we, uh, actually feel, uh, a very strongly about the issues that every tribe who comes before us and brings.
▶ 2:34:34And I would say that I think most of us feel and agree that we got off to a rough start a year ago with specifically what you were talking about on a new administration, on some of the things that that, uh, occurred with cost cutting that, uh, that, that didn't sync up with treaty obligation, doesn't matter what country you have a treaty with, you're obligated. It's not an option.
▶ 2:35:03And like ryan zinke said, I think you guys are sitting here before. It's not an option. It's not, uh, discretionary. Now, I don't I'm not going to speak on behalf of chairman simpson on should it be mandatory spending. But I do agree with chairman zinc that it should be coming from certainly on the law enforcement from the doj fund, that that should just be. We owe that. And if you're not able to patrol, how many. How many law enforcement officers?
▶ 2:35:3350, 54,000 tribesmen, tribal members. Right. How many law enforcement officers do you have now? Did you say 30. >> 30. >> 30 for 54,000 people and 3 million acres? Yes. That's a disgrace. Yes, it's an absolute disgrace. So it doesn't help when you go back home and say, well, we made an impact and they said, it's a disgrace and you still only have 30. So I just want you to know everybody on this committee, there's not enough money for you.
▶ 2:36:00We want there to be more because that is when we talk about missing. And one of the most important things to chairman simpson is missing and murdered indigenous people. And the travesty that that is and the, the, the, the lack of syncopation between the rez and not the rez on how we deal with those issues and justice, we are united on it.
▶ 2:36:27I hope that we make progress year after year after year. I'm again, it's never enough, but we're united on it. And, uh, we're all emotional about it. And we want we are all on this committee because we care. >> well, thank you chairman. I definitely appreciate that.
▶ 2:36:53And, and it's good to acknowledge that that you acknowledge that, you know, it does mean something when we hear that because sometimes we don't get to hear that, especially from a committee. Um, but one thing I wanted to point out was, you know, we did declare a state of emergency and this and it rolled into this administration and our stats are still the same.
▶ 2:37:16So, um, it definitely needs to be looked at and of course, to treat the obligation treaties are the supreme land of the law. Consultation needs to happen also when when those decisions are made. Thank you. >> one final comment. >> yes, sir. >> thank you. Uh, one final comment, please.
▶ 2:37:36The crow creek sioux tribe did declare a state of emergency on public safety in 2023, on the heels of, uh, a murder and a lot of other violent acts that were going on on the reservation. So I declared that state of emergency. And here recently, I just declared another state of emergency on the health and wellness of our children. Recently here looking at data, getting ready for appropriations and consultations and things.
▶ 2:38:04I was looking at the agency for children and families. And in that data, it's, uh, it had crow creek sioux tribe listed as a high risk environment for children. In fact, it's the highest risk environment for children in the united states.
▶ 2:38:19I firmly believe the federal government and the tribes put their heads together and come up with solutions centered around prevention and education would probably take, uh, um, would probably take this even further to be more effective and efficient, uh, for our future generations. So thank you. >> you bet. Well, I think we do need to prioritize this as a nation.
▶ 2:38:41And I honestly, I think that culturally, I think the american people are starting to pay more attention to something that's been long ignored, uh, in a very, uh, in a, in a more positive way. And, you know, when zinc leaves, I'm going to talk about him behind his back, but when he leaves congress, I would like to see him take an bigger role. That's that the administration could find create for him. Um, to, to, to we have czars for a lot of things. And indian affairs is one of them.
▶ 2:39:09And it's you as you go throughout the country trying to solve these problems. I'm way over time, but, uh, you guys deserve it. You can't accomplish what you need to get across to us in five minutes. And I appreciate that. And I'm sorry, it's limited to five minutes. You guys are a treasure, uh, to your nations and your treasure to the united states as a whole. So thank you for being here. Thank you, sir. Appreciate you. Thank you. I appreciate your committee.
▶ 2:39:35Next up, we have, uh, chairman steve sitting bear from standing rock sioux tribe in north dakota, and lana street, the chairperson from spirit lake tribe in north dakota. >> the blue light is on.
▶ 2:40:04Thank you. >> and frank. Frank, are you still in here?
▶ 2:40:25Hey, I would like to get some information from you on the rates of service members from the from the indian nation is higher than any other ethnic group in the united states. I'd like to know how we can get more police officers from the tribes. More people serve the united states than serve the tribes. Yes. So let's find a solution. Thank you, thank you. Thank you all very much for being here. We're way behind timeline.
▶ 2:40:53And again, thanks for all the patience for the people in the back. We're going to try to get the train moving again. Um, so we'll start with steve. Okay, so when you see this yellow is, uh, when it starts flashing red, your five minutes are up. I'm not going to gavel you, but just just be prepared. We can ask more questions if, uh, if you all stop at five minutes. So please go ahead, chairman. Thank you. Uh, I'm. >> betty, I'm. I told you my shop and I want to say good morning. Uh.
▶ 2:41:21Representative elsie and members of the subcommittee. My name is steve sitting bear. I am the chairman of the standing rock sioux tribe. We have about 16,000 members living on and off our reservation. Our reservation exists both in north and south dakota. Our ancestors signed treaties with the united states in 1851 and 1868.
▶ 2:41:48We seated vast lands and resources so that this country could pursue its dreams, and the united states, in return, promised protection and services. The homelands we reserved are about the size of delaware and rhode island combined. The united states is failing to live up to our treaties after decades of chronic underfunding.
▶ 2:42:13We lack the basic infrastructure that every government needs to secure and provide a homeland. Despite all of this, we are moving forward. I am launching a agribusiness initiative to promote sustainable economic development, healthy traditional foods, food security, and food sovereignty. This includes reestablishing standing rock farms and ranch to cultivate high value crops and manage our bison herds.
▶ 2:42:42For too long, most of the agricultural revenue from our land leaves the reservation, and 2022 usda reported that there was 270 million in agricultural revenue from the two counties overlapping our reservation. Usda also reports that 47 million of this is reported as net profit.
▶ 2:43:08We don't see that profit. We get some value from the grazing and hay leases. Bia approves. But most of this revenue leaves the reservation to benefit others. It is time for the bia, usda, and other federal agencies to support tribal economic self-determination.
▶ 2:43:34Even with this vision, we can't get the land data we need to plan for resource management and economic development. Five months ago, right after I swore in, I asked the bia for the location and status of the lands we own and could use for development.
▶ 2:43:56I also asked for the the data on land buyback, how much land was purchased back, and where is this land? I'm still waiting for that response. Our tribal council has been asking these same questions long before I took office. I'm going to show you guys something.
▶ 2:44:21This is a map of standing rock. This is the legacy of the federal government's failed allotment policies. In the late 1800s, the government divided up tribal lands into individual parcels. Our tribal lands were homesteaded by non-indians, and some lands were taken by the government.
▶ 2:44:47We were left with a checkerboard of individual parcels and highly fractionated lands. Some parcels have 1000, even 1000 owners. The tribe owns many fractionated interests in these lands, but we don't know where. We can't manage and plan for what we cannot see. Our staff is trained to use the federal land database times, but we are still denied access by the bia.
▶ 2:45:15More than 100 years after allotment ended, we are still struggling to get basic land data. We need the subcommittee to modernize bia land management. We need realty staff with expertise, experience and the technical resources to make our land data easily accessible. Without this basic information, we cannot achieve economic self-determination.
▶ 2:45:44Our land, our hands are tied behind our back with no way to move forward. We are the best stewards of our own lands, but we cannot plan for a future while we're being kept in the dark. The united states has the treaty and trust responsibility to support the highest and best use of our lands and resources. Instead, we get failed policies and chronic underfunding. This extends to the promises the united states made to our ancestors in treaty.
▶ 2:46:13Healthcare is just one example. Our hospital was built in 1962. It is a 60 year old patchwork of modular units where the roofs leak and the boiler fails in the winter, when a medical helicopter lands at night, our nurses run out into the street to guide the pilot with their cell phone lights.
▶ 2:46:35We need a new facility, but a building is only as good as the people inside of it. Our facility is failing and that is only half of the battle. We are facing severe staffing crisis, with nearly half of our positions vacant. We're asking for the funding to fill 265 new positions and the housing required to retain them. Law enforcement is another example.
▶ 2:47:07We have only 7 to 12 officers to cover 2.3 million acre reservation. As I'm speaking here today, we have officers being detailed off standing rock to other areas of the country. On a typical shift, we have just two officers on patrol for an area the size of rhode island and delaware. Recruitment is a constant problem.
▶ 2:47:36Our recruits must travel 1200 miles to new mexico just to attend police mark amodei police academy. The subcommittee must fund a bia police academy in the great plains so we can train and retain our own people. Our detention center is another example. The bia recommended condemning our detention center five years ago, but here we are today, still using it at three times capacity.
▶ 2:48:04Instead of contracting to send detainees away from their families and communities, bia should spend that money to build a safe and secure detention center on standing rock. Finally, the federal government's treaty commitment to educate our youth is being met with total neglect. Our rock creek grad school is not safe and it's losing students.
▶ 2:48:31There is no fire sprinkler system, failing ventilation and a heating system that leaves them in the cold. Part of the building is over 120 years old, and 2020 bia rated its condition as poor, but there has been zero follow up since. Bia estimates that we need 21 million to fix this, including 7.8 million for immediate emergency repairs.
▶ 2:48:59We are not asking for luxury. We're asking for a roof that doesn't leak and a school that won't catch fire. The bia can't give us the information we need to do our own planning. Federal rules and regulations tie us up in red tape.
▶ 2:49:22We can't exercise the authority that every government relies on our lands, our jurisdiction, our funding sources, and our authorities are as checkerboarded as that map on tying our hands should be easy, but the federal government only makes things more complicated. The administration wants to supercharge 638 contracting, but congress won't provide the full funding that we need to take over these programs.
▶ 2:49:50Tribal governments could raise tax revenues, but we are surrounded by state and federal governments that tax our people, our lands and activities on our reservations. Everyone knows there is no law enforcement on our reservations, but no one will restore tribal government authority so that we can enforce the law. Our sovereignty, self-determination, creativity and leadership are locked.
▶ 2:50:16We're locked up in a maze of more than 100 years of failed federal policies, oversight, and fractionation of our lands, resources, and authorities. 50 years later, we still lack meaningful self-determination. We try to take action, but we have to navigate a maze of fractionation, red tape, limited authority.
▶ 2:50:39The standing rock sioux tribe is not asking for a handout. We are here to collect on a debt by the united states. We live in the wealthiest nation on the planet. This country can pay its bills. Our 1851 and 1868 treaties are the supreme law of the land, but the united states seems to have forgotten the promises made in those treaties.
▶ 2:51:08It is time for the united states to make good on its word. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. Today. I'm available to answer any questions. >> chairperson street. >> mike carey david scott to assist. Oh good morning. I told you a little bit. Press it once. Okay. Thank you.
▶ 2:51:39>> good morning. >> there you go. >> okay. I'm better. You know, I'm, uh. Good morning. Um, subcommittee. I thank you for the opportunity to speak on behalf of my nation today. Um, my name is alana street, the chairperson of the spirit lake nation in northeastern north dakota. Uh, we have provided you with a written testimony already.
▶ 2:52:06Um, but I thank you for the opportunity to be here today, uh, to speak my statement today will focus on several spirit lake specific funding requests as well as other programmatic requests. Our treaty of 1867 promises that our spirit lake reservation will serve as a livable, permanent home. Treaty based funding for indian nations and tribes is essential to our spirit lake native people and communities.
▶ 2:52:32The spirit lake nation consists of 8000 tribal members. It's about 450mi and 250,000 acres. Checkerboard tribe as was stated earlier, um, we, uh, experience a 2020 7.2% poverty rate and our life expectancy expectancy for our men is 47
▶ 2:53:02Years old and 56 years old for our women, and sometimes even younger with our addictions and, you know, with our social problems and health care that we health issues that we experience on our, on our tribal nation, um, currently at spirit at spirit lake, we are seeking the return of our lakebed, um, our lakebed was part of our original 1867 treaty.
▶ 2:53:29Um, our treaty mandates that competent health led health care, our treaty mandates competent physician led health care, but we continue to have poor health, diabetes, heart disease, violent crime, homicide, suicides, poor housing, poor nutrition, and poverty. Currently at spirit lake, we we do need a new healthcare clinic to accommodate these conditions.
▶ 2:54:00We applied for the joint venture funding, but we were denied. So we plan to use the section 105 l of the indian self-determination act to build one, and we are requesting congress to keep that program fully funded. It currently is one of the only tools for tribes in our situation. We need two $2 million for our b I e school road.
▶ 2:54:27Our tribal school is a tribally controlled by on our reservation school that serves 443 k through eight students. This route is the only one into the school and it is in terrible shape. It's a danger to our school children and to the community continuously needing repairs to our school busses. We also need to add another kindergarten classroom next year, but no available space exists to accommodate this need.
▶ 2:54:56In our school, there are several essential programs, including our face program, alternative school, and our middle school culture classroom. They're all housed in portable units outside of our main building. And for us, that's a concern, especially when we experience 40 and 40 below weather in north dakota for more than 5 or 6 months at a at a time.
▶ 2:55:19We also need a new roof, a major building upgrade to provide our students with an equal education opportunity. As tribes, we should be eligible for impact aid funding to pay for classroom instruction.
▶ 2:55:37Currently, at our tribal school, uh, we we lack funding to provide, um, we lack funding for those students who are deemed non beneficiary because they don't meet the requirements for enrollment. And so we end up funding them, you know, from, uh, I guess from an mta account basically.
▶ 2:56:02To program our program, um, is, uh, initiative that the spirit lake tribe was able to become a part of, um, back initially when the initiative became available, um, in our language means dakota or in our, in our language means family. And the program brings together families.
▶ 2:56:28Uh, the, the program is a community based initiative, provide culturally appropriate community support for native families by integrating tribal practices, cultural norms, values, and traditions into social service programs. Roughly about 3.5 billion annually um is needed to meet minimum requirements across indian country. For law enforcement.
▶ 2:56:55Uh, congress needs to enact an indian country violent crime fighting act to codify president trump's lady justice task force. We need joint bia and doj funding for annual tribal master law enforcement plans. In fy 26, funding was less than 600 million. Indian country needs about 950 million. For fiscal year 27. We need the funding to save lives. We need more tribal police officers.
▶ 2:57:23Recently we had a young lady on spirit lake lose her life. We currently have two tribal police officers at any given time on spirit lake, and that is only because there's officers detailed from the, uh, turtle mountain tribe, which is roughly about 80 miles away. She did everything she needed to do. She called 911, uh, waited for a police officer to respond.
▶ 2:57:51However, when you're only working with one officer who at the time was on on the east end part of the reservation, he didn't make, you know, make it in time. She actually called 911 because she was being, um, surrounded by coyotes. And so she went into the water and it was early october. And at that time, you know, it's cold in north dakota already.
▶ 2:58:20And so she, she, she succumbed to, to the water because the officer didn't respond, couldn't respond on time because we only had one officer on. And so these are the issues that we, you know, we in indian country face because we lack law enforcement officers in our community.
▶ 2:58:35Um, our other bia programmatic requests include 27, 27 billion for indian affairs programs in fiscal year 27, which is the recommendation of the tribal, the tbc um, the tbc committee. Robust increases are needed for all federal funded programs and additional funding to address public safety and justice in tribal communities.
▶ 2:59:02The economic and social well-being of our citizens and all those who visit or do business in our communities. The backlog of school, community and government infrastructure, construction and maintenance, taking land into trust and addressing cultural protections within tribal and federal lands.
▶ 2:59:23In 2024, bia submitted a report to congress estimating a minimum base level of service to all federally recognized tribal nations, including 1.72 billion in needed for tribal law enforcement programs, 1.5 billion is needed for tribal courts, and 285 million is needed to adequately fund existing detention centers.
▶ 2:59:44So overall, more than 3.5 billion is needed for public safety and justice in indian country, bia received 39.9 million for the bia road maintenance program in fiscal year 24, and bia has a deferred maintenance backlog of approximately 400 million. Additionally, the annual funding levels for this program have been relatively flat, especially when compared to the increasing level of deferred maintenance roads needs.
▶ 3:00:14This program is critical to the safety of all those driving on the approximately 29,100 miles of roads and 1100 bridges in indian country that are often overseen by bia. We support pbgc's fiscal year 26 recommendation of 400 million for the bia road maintenance program to address deferred maintenance needs in indian country.
▶ 3:00:39An indian education by programmatic funding nationwide for fiscal year 27 needs over $3 billion. This covers 169 elementary and secondary schools, 14 dorms and post-secondary institutions serving roughly 40,000 students. For operations. For fiscal year 27 needs are 1.9 billion in fiscal year 27.
▶ 3:01:05Elementary and secondary needs roughly 1 billion for elementary and secondary. Post-secondary and management should remain at least at 26 fiscal year funding level of 100 million. Funding challenges are the 7500 per pupil amount for native students, compared to a 25,000 national average per pupil. Congress needs to close this gap.
▶ 3:01:32We also need funding for our voc rehab services building. We need increased funding to serve growing numbers of native adults with disabilities. We need more counselors and job placement specialists, especially those trained in culturally grounded rehabilitation. We need funding for transportation solutions for clients in rural and remote areas like that. We all experience in our tribal nations.
▶ 3:02:02We need expanded training and technical assistance for the voc rehab, and we also need to address housing. Housing is much, much needed. And in indian country and and much underfunded. Currently at spirit lake, we currently have around 400 people on our waiting list. I thank you today. Thank you committee for hearing my testimony and I do stand for questions.
▶ 3:02:32>> thank you. Ranking member pingree. >> well, thank you both. Really appreciate your testimony and and the horrendous challenges that you're facing, many of which we have been hearing about over the last couple of days. So we will certainly be doing our best to try to increase some of the funding for law enforcement, indian health, indian education. I mentioned earlier, there's just a new report out yesterday from the inspector general about the things you're just talking about, about horrendous. The conditions are.
▶ 3:03:01And thank you for sharing that story about the woman who perished. That's just awful to think of someone being that far from law enforcement. But I know we hear it all the time that with underserved reservations, you can do everything you're supposed to do and still not make it. So thank you. We certainly will work on that. And I appreciate you sharing this map with us. Um, I would have to get a graduate education to begin to understand how complicated these situations are that you're dealing with on the reservation.
▶ 3:03:29And I really appreciated hearing about the plans you want to make to have an agribusiness and do more, um, you know, uh, growing and take back some of the leases that have been used. So I can't dig into it all now, but maybe another time I could, um, begin to understand a little bit better about how we could help with that. It's something I also serve on the agriculture committee. So it's one of my joint interests is how do we, um, help those communities that really want to get back into growing their own food or doing more of it?
▶ 3:03:58And it sounds like you've got some huge challenges to face. I just can't I mean, I know it's true when we hear about it all the time, but the idea that you can't access the information and the data that you need just to do what you're trying to do is a horrendous situation. And it just seems like something that we ought to be able to make some progress on. So, um, I'd love to talk to you more about that. We won't, won't try to do it today, but if we could connect up later, that'd be great. Yeah. Thank you both really for your testimony. Appreciate it very much, chairman.
▶ 3:04:27>> I think I think if you get your the information that you requested five months ago to, to this committee, uh, we can get that to, uh, your, uh, because you span north and south dakota, right? You rest so we can get that to them and we can spur a little put, we can put a little spur to the horse to try to accelerate that. And that should be digitized. It should be far simpler in today's world to access whether or not you can, what you can develop on whether you can or can't.
▶ 3:04:57And, uh, that's just ridiculous. Um, a year ago, you had, uh, a multiple murder. Three were murdered. Can you in a in a minute, tell me what occurred there. >> so it all stemmed from lack of law enforcement. We had we have tribal security, uh, that we, we try to fund ourselves through our own tribal, our local budgets.
▶ 3:05:24And, um, there was a dui driver, uh, law enforcement couldn't respond. And so our tribal security had attempted to respond, um, with, uh, no, I guess no luck. And so being frustrated with, you know, with what had transpired, um, he was frustrated knowing that his, his father, his grandfather was a law enforcement officer from, you know, back in the 80s.
▶ 3:05:51And, um, it was so stressful for him and he was so distraught that, uh, he went home and he took the lives of his mother, his niece and his sister, um, his niece and his sister. Uh, the mother survived the shooting. And so she, she was the sole survivor of that shooting.
▶ 3:06:15And, um, you know, there again, our lack of law enforcement, um, you know, we and underfunding and, um. >> okay. >> well, thanks, thanks for sharing that. That's a real world, uh, story of, of good. Had there been more law enforcement, it might not have happened at all. Uh, and it, and it could have certainly been limited. So thank you, thank you for, for sharing that tragic story. Okay. Thank you all very much for being here.
▶ 3:06:46We got work to do. Thanks finally for the morning session, we've got, uh, chief jeff wilcox from the united keetoowah band of cherokee indians in oklahoma. Uh, chairman jacob keys from the iowa tribe of oklahoma and, uh, chairman rick celestine of alabama-coushatta tribe of texas. Welcome, gentlemen. >> I cut myself shaving this morning.
▶ 3:07:17>> oh, no. I get you a medic. >> thank you all for being here. Remember, green and yellow are good red. When it starts flashing the five minutes up, we want to get, uh, get through this. So we've got some time for questions. If it's okay, I'm just going to sit here and bleed in front of you for a little bit.
▶ 3:07:42Uh, you know, when you're bald, you cut yourself shaving every once in a while, and it's not on the face, but, uh, don't mind me. Um, we're glad you're here. Uh, it's good to see you again, rick. It's, uh. It seems like a year went way too fast. Um, and I hope we've made some progress, and I hope that, uh, that your your testimony, uh, is good. So, jeff, we're going to start with you. Welcome. Go ahead. All right. Appreciate that.
▶ 3:08:09>> so chairman lsley, ranking member pingree and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is jeff wakaki, and I am chief of the united keetoowah band of cherokee indians in oklahoma. The ukb is a federally recognized tribe headquartered on our cherokee reservation in northeast northeastern oklahoma.
▶ 3:08:27We have been federally recognized since 1946 and have struggled to receive the rights and benefits to which we are entitled as a legal successor in interest to the extinct historic cherokee nation and the treaties our ancestors entered on behalf of the entire cherokee people, we are entitled to provide health care services directly to our people under isda.
▶ 3:08:50In the early 2000, the cherokee nation of oklahoma assumed key ihs programs related to the tahlequah service unit, including purchase, referred care and control of hastings indian hospital without our consent. This was a direct violation of federal law, which requires that when one tribe seeks to assume a program for a shared geographic area, all other tribes in that area must consent.
▶ 3:09:19Ihs unlawfully awarded a 638 contract to cno for clinical services and prc. Despite knowing that we have never given consent. As a result, our members have been underserved and denied healthcare services despite being entitled to receive care. As I said last year, this was not a technical oversight. It was a breach of trust.
▶ 3:09:43After reviewing this history, ihs confirmed that we are entitled by law to operate our own tribal health system and proposing and proposed securing it under the new tribe's funding budget line. And it's fy 24, 25 and 26 budget requests. Ihs is. Responsibility is clear. It must provide health care to all federally recognized tribes, regardless of how long they have been recognized.
▶ 3:10:12The new tribe's funding budget exists for this exact reason. Ihs now seeks to correct its error. This error resulted in an isda contract, which transferred 5.6 million in non-recurring funding to the ukb for 2024, because prc was the only program transferred in the 2024 contract, the entire 5.6 was allocated to prc in 2025.
▶ 3:10:40Again, ukb received 5.6 million in non-recurring funding, this time receiving 4.6 million for prc and 1 million for hospitals and clinics. We await award for 2026 of 5.6 million in non-recurring funding, which will be allocated across the programs negotiated for in 2026.
▶ 3:11:08While another tribal official has falsely alleged that our prc funding is disproportionate to what other tribes receive, the full story is that we are entitled to 5.6 million annually for health care. Once we begin operating the additional programs, the 5.6 million will be allocated across those programs, just as it was in 2025.
▶ 3:11:30Recurring funding is necessary to allow the ukb to build upon our current successes and make substantial investments in furtherance of our health care system. Our request for recurring funding has been met with bipartisan support in both chambers. Unfortunately, we have not been included in the fy 24, 25 or 26 enacted budgets.
▶ 3:11:56We have already proven our ability to operate high quality health programs under esta, successfully managing behavioral health and substance abuse services throughout our reservation. With an annual ihs funding amount of $99,000, our track record of efficient operations and prudent management is self-evident by our ability to transform that meager funding into a behavioral health system, which now operates across seven
▶ 3:12:26Locations and provides services to more than 1800 patients. While employing a workforce of nearly 100 in rural northeast oklahoma. We look forward to replicating this success throughout our tribal health system.
▶ 3:12:41Yesterday, you heard from one tribal leader who urged you to inflict harm upon a sister tribal government how a tribal official who professes to be a sovereignty warrior could openly oppose critical health and education funding to another federally recognized tribe, is beyond me and disrespects all tribes. His words have nothing to do with fiscal responsibility.
▶ 3:13:08Providing health care funding for the ukb will have no impact on funding to any other tribe, especially cno, and will only increase access to care on the oklahoma cherokee reservation. On behalf of the united keetoowah band, I urge you to correct this moral and legal error and enact the ihs request to fund the ukb on a recurring basis with a. >> thank you, chief chairman.
▶ 3:13:38Keys. >> good. Can you hear me? All right. Hallway p jacob. Keys and key. Marko.j. Juan vargas. Aid. Na na ahi. Hawaii key one. Say good morning to the subcommittee. My name is jacob keys.
▶ 3:14:06I'm the chairman of the iowa tribe of oklahoma. We are the og which means people of the grace. No. Our reservation homelands are between oklahoma city and tulsa. We're a small tribe. Just over 950 tribal members, but we're the largest employer in our rural area, which is a very rural area.
▶ 3:14:25Uh, we operate many businesses, a couple gaming properties, um, fire department, police department, but we're also in the middle of building a $40 million health facility that will also have a childcare center and a doj center. For less than a month away from opening a new gaming facility with caesars called harrah's, oklahoma. Um, we'll have 400 new jobs when that casino opens.
▶ 3:14:55So keep in mind that's in the poorest county in oklahoma. We'll build a new hotel next year. They'll add another couple of hundred jobs. So we'll reinvest those gaming funds not only into our tribal community, but the surrounding community. We're great oklahomans. One of our most important investments is our nationally known gray snow eagle house. The aviary provides rehabilitation and long term care for injured eagles and other birds from across the united states.
▶ 3:15:24We've rehabilitated hundreds of bald and golden eagles and have released 55 eagles back into the wild through rehabilitation, education, research and sanctuary. We're working to preserve this culturally significant species for the next seven generations. This all began with a small us fish and wildlife grant. Today, the aviary is completely funded by our tribe from our general fund, which primarily comes from our gaming revenues.
▶ 3:15:54I point that out because this is a prime example of how a small federal program can make a lasting impact. But my testimony today is focused on programs that support tribal economic development and healthcare. But first, I need to address the administration's reckless firings, reductions in force, and attempts to cut and consolidate indian affairs programs. The iowa tribe of oklahoma has a government to government relationship with the united states.
▶ 3:16:22Our ancestors negotiated treaties and agreements and ceded vast amounts of lands and resources in exchange for programs and services promised by the united states. Our tribe paid for these programs and services up front. I want to point out that we're also designated as a purple heart tribe. We're very proud of all of our veterans, our gray snow warriors.
▶ 3:16:48I point that out because some of that payment up front was with blood. The united states is failing to uphold its end of the deal. Bia, b I, e and ihs employees touch every part of our lives and every tribal project. They're already underfunded and understaffed. Each employee is already doing the work of four people.
▶ 3:17:15Losing just one federal employee can bring our economic development projects to a halt, or threaten life saving health care estimate, eliminating staff without any consultation or transition plan violates the united states treaty and trust responsibilities, funding and staffing indian programs and services must be mandatory. Treaty programs and services cannot be subject to political changes.
▶ 3:17:44The indian health service is an important example of this. This subcommittee has done a lot to provide advanced appropriations, increase funding, and protect ihs. But ihs is still chronically understaffed and underfunded. If we lose one employee, our healthcare system stops working. It's time to make ihs appropriations mandatory.
▶ 3:18:10Mandatory funding would ensure stable and predictable funding for the health care we were promised in our treaties. Ihs also receives significantly less funding than other federal health care programs. Recent estimates say that ihs needs about $76 billion to >> fully be funded again. United states must uphold its end of the deal. Even after surviving decades of broken promises and failed policies, the iowa tribe is strong and growing.
▶ 3:18:38We're using economic development to provide services to our members and many others in our rural area. We're making investments in jobs, law enforcement and health care that will support our tribe, but also the surrounding community. This is really important to me. Before being elected, I started my own business. I'm a tribal entrepreneur and a businessman. I believe that we make our own opportunities and that by helping others, we help ourselves.
▶ 3:19:04I also know that there are a lot of doors that are closed to tribal members, business investment and financing in our rural area is simply not available. The federal government has a trust responsibility to help overcome those barriers. We need programs like the bia guaranteed loan program. With just $13 million, the loan guarantee program can support and guarantee 200 million in funding for tribal businesses.
▶ 3:19:34The administration tried to zero out this program. We need more access to investment and capital, not less. When I started my business, the intention was not for it to be known as a native owned business. But when I started to gain attention for that, I noticed that I had tribal members and other natives in our community come to me and express how they were inspired, that somebody like them, that came from where they came from, could start a business.
▶ 3:20:04I grew up in little ax, oklahoma. For my remote control was a pair of pliers. And the idea of having $1 million to start my business honestly just seemed like it was not for somebody like me. So I urge that we fight to keep this program available. The iowa tribe of oklahoma is not holding back. We're growing our economy and building our infrastructure.
▶ 3:20:30I appreciate the subcommittee for your support on these programs, and thank you for the opportunity to testify today. >> thank you. >> rick. >> chairman. >> check now. Hello, ranking member. Ranking member pingree, congressman ellzey. Thank you for this opportunity to testify today. My name is ricky silverstein.
▶ 3:20:58I am the chairman of the alabama-coushatta tribe of texas. First, I would like to thank the subcommittee with the invaluable help of congressman luttrell and congressman ellzey. And this subcommittee report language was included in the fiscal year 2026 bill, calling attention to the long standing funding inequity affecting our tribe's law enforcement. As a result of this language, we have had constructive discussions with the bia.
▶ 3:21:23Despite these positive discussions, it is clear that we have exhausted our administrative actions and are now asking congress to act directly. I would like to. I would like to provide some historical context. The alabama-coushatta tribe has a long history in what is now deep east texas and has called this area home since the 1700s. In the 1850s, the texas legislature purchased land in polk county that forms our reservations to this day.
▶ 3:21:55Congress granted us federal recognition in 1928, but that recognition was terminated in 1954. In 1987, after years of uncertainty, congress restored our federal recognition through the historic pueblo and the alabama and tribes of texas restoration act. That act is central to the issue before you today. Before 2013, our tribe received p.l. 638 funding from the bia to support our tribal police.
▶ 3:22:21Then, in 2013, the bia southern plains regional director concluded that because the restoration act conferred criminal jurisdiction over our reservation to texas, there was no remaining federal criminal jurisdiction and therefore no basis for 638 law enforcement funding. Here's the legal reality our restoration act placed our tribe under the 1968 optional version of public law.
▶ 3:22:50280, not the 1953 mandatory version. The mandatory mandatory version extinguished federal jurisdiction in six specific states. Texas is not one of them. The optional version, which applies to us, preserves concurrent federal jurisdiction. The department of justice says so is explicitly in the us attorney's manual and, critically, the bia's own southwest regional office has already deemed the pueblo. Who has.
▶ 3:23:19Who was restored under the same restoration act, eligible for the 638 law enforcement funding. They are receiving that funding today. We are not. There is no principle legal basis for treating us differently. I want the subcommittee to understand that this is not just our problem.
▶ 3:23:42There are at least nine federally recognized tribes across the country and the opt in public law, 280 states that are similarly not receiving bia law enforcement services or funding. They are legally entitled to the bia's interpretation has created a systemic funding gap not just for our tribe, and congress is uniquely positioned to close it.
▶ 3:24:06We're asking the subcommittee to include include report language in the fiscal year 2027 interior appropriations bill. That, number one, confirms that the eligibility adopted in public law 280 trials for pl 93. 638 law enforcement funding number two appropriate $7 million in the public safety and justice account for these tribes.
▶ 3:24:30And number three directs the bia to identify all eligible trials within 30 days and begin allocating funds without delay. With my remaining time, I would like to briefly note two additional priorities. I tribe continues to seek legislation that explicitly codifies our coverage under the indian gaming regulatory act. We simply want to be treated the same as every other federally recognized tribe, and we are.
▶ 3:24:59Congress to examine the rapid growth of prediction markets and the serious threat they pose to tribal gaming revenues and the governmental services those revenues fund. Alabama josh harder people are are a resilient and proud nation. We have been patient. We have worked through the proper channels for over 12 years. We are not asking for anything we are not legally entitled to.
▶ 3:25:22We're simply asking congress to ensure that the federal government government lives up to its responsibilities to our tribe a little more. And thank you. And I am happy to answer any questions. >> thank you. Chairman. Ranking member pingree. >> yeah, thank you all. Um, obviously very different testimony, very different issues. Um, thank you, uh, chairman for bringing up the, um, prediction markets.
▶ 3:25:47Uh, the chair isn't in the room right now, but we were talking about that earlier this morning and the challenges that's presenting to indian gaming. It's just one of those things that's kind of like exploded. And I think we have to take that very seriously, um, for, for tribes around the country. So thank you for, for that and bringing up some of the other concerns that you have. Um, and, uh, chairman keys, um, interesting story about your tribe and, and the business success that you've had.
▶ 3:26:14And I really appreciate you making a point of something that's been concerning me quite a bit is the understaffing and the fact that there have been some huge changes and maybe some consolidation. And honestly, this committee doesn't know that much about it because we haven't really been fully informed ourselves. So it'll be a big priority this year, I think, in appropriations is just to make sure we have a better handle on what was already an understaffed, uh, group of departments, and now is probably much more severely so.
▶ 3:26:42And I can just imagine how that's impeding the work that you do. So, um, thank you for reminding us of that and bringing it to our attention. Um, and also we understand there are some really serious issues there and some challenges that you've brought before us. And I promise I'll take a little more time to pay attention to them. But I know you have some real concerns. So thank you for bringing that to us. Appreciate it. Yield back. >> thank you ma'am. Thank you all for being here. It's great to see you.
▶ 3:27:11Uh, we're going to adjourn now. Thanks to all the witnesses for being here. We're going to adjourn, or we're going to adjourn until 1 p.m. Committee stands adjourned.