Native News Weekly (July 7, 2024): D.C. Briefs

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By Native News Online Staff

July 07, 2024

WASHINGTON — In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other news released from Washington, D.C. that impacts Indian Country recently.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland Meets with New York Tribal Leaders

 Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland traveled to New York durng the lastweek of June to meet with Tribal leaders and community members to highlight the Interior Department’s progress in strengthening Indian Country. Her visit underscored the transformational investments in Indian Country made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and the Biden-Harris administration’s historic progress to empower Tribal sovereignty, self-determination and prosperity. 

Secretary Haaland met with Tribal leaders from the Cayuga Nation, Oneida Indian Nation, Seneca Nation of Indians, Shinnecock Nation, Tonawanda Band of Seneca and Tuscarora Nation.

Throughout her visits, Secretary Haaland underscored the Department’s commitment to strengthening Indian Country. The President’s Investing in America agenda is deploying record investments to provide affordable high-speed internet, safer roads and bridges, modern wastewater and sanitations systems, clean drinking water, reliable and affordable electricity, good paying jobs and economic development in every Tribal community. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law alone invests more than $13 billion directly in Tribal communities across the country. 

OASH Announces Tribal Consultation on the Syphilis and Congenital Syphilis Outbreak

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) will hold a Tribal consultation on August 5 to discuss the syphilis and congenital syphilis outbreak impacting Indian country. OASH is soliciting feedback and recommendations from Tribal leaders and Tribal health professionals about actions HHS can take to support Tribal efforts to reduce the number of syphilis and congenital syphilis cases among American Indian and Alaska Native populations. The consultation will also discuss the work of the National Syphilis and Congenital Syphilis Syndemic Federal Task Force, a cross-agency collaborative effort that includes the participation of HHS, the Indian Health Service, and other Departments and offices. 

The virtual consultation will take place on August 5 from 1:00 - 2:30pm ET and requires prior registration via Zoom (accessible here). OASH invites Tribal comment broadly and, to facilitate discussion, has prepared a series of questions for specific feedback. Please see this Dear Tribal Leader Letter for full details. 

Written comments will be accepted through September 5 to STI@hhs.gov using the subject line, "Tribal Consultation." Please contact the OASH Sexually Transmitted Infections team at STI@hhs.gov with any questions related to the consultation. 

IHS Outlines its Approach to Contract Support Costs (CSC) Following the Becerra v. San Carlos Apache Decision

As reported recently, the U.S. Supreme Court held in this case that the IHS must pay eligible CSC incurred by Tribes and Tribal organizations that expend program income (third-party reimbursements) under their Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act contracts and compacts, Pub. L. 93-638. In this Dear Tribal Leader Letter and enclosure , the IHS outlines its approach to responding to the decision, including interim guidance and information regarding implementation pathways. The agency plans to hold a Tribal consultation on this critical topic next month.

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