The U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs will hold a hearing entitled “Voting Matters in Native Communities” on Wednesday, Oct. 27 at 2:30 p.m. – EDT. The Committee is chaired by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaiʻi).
Chairman Schatz and the Committee will hear from tribal leaders and Native voting rights advocates about ongoing challenges to exercising the right to vote in Indian Country and consider the less-formally documented Native Hawaiian voter experience.
Want more Native News? Get the free daily newsletter today.
Prior to the oversight hearing, the committee will hold a business meeting on H.R.1688, the Native American Child Protection Act.
WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021
WHAT: Schatz to lead Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing.
WITNESSES:
- The Honorable Janet Davis, Chairwoman, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Nixon, Nevada
- The Honorable Fawn Sharp, President, National Congress of American Indians, Washington, D.C.
- The Honorable Julie Kitka, President, Alaska Federation of Natives, Anchorage, Alaska
- Professor Patty Ferguson-Bohnee, Director, Indian Legal Clinic, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona
- Ms. Jacqueline De León, Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund, Boulder, Colorado
- Mr. Nāʻālehu Anthony, Community Advocate and Principal of Palikū Films, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
WHEN: Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at 2:30 p.m. EDT / 8:30 a.m. HDT
HOW TO JOIN: Access the live stream here.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Tribal Nations Contribute $23.4 Billion to Oklahoma’s Economy
Church Play Depicting Navajo Medicine Man Causes an Uproar on Navajo Nation
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
