Native News Weekly (March 19, 2023): D.C. Briefs

The Intertribal Agriculture Council highlighted bills that were introduced in Congress during the past two weeks that could affect Tribes and Tribal producers:

 

H.R.1604 - To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to modify requirements for a meat food product of cattle to bear a "Product of U.S.A." label, and for other purposes.

Introduced: 03/14/2023

Sponsor: Rep. Rosendale Sr., Matthew M. [R-MT-2]

Cosponsors: Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17], Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3], Rep. Boebert, Lauren [R-CO-3], Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15]

Summary: No bill text as of 03/16/2023

 

H.R.1532- To authorize any Indian Tribe to lease, sell, convey, warrant, or otherwise transfer real property to which that Indian Tribe holds fee title without the consent of the Federal Government, and for other purposes.

Introduced: 03/10/2023

Sponsor: Rep. Hageman, Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large]

Cosponsors: N/A

Summary: No bill text as of 03/16/2023

 

H.R. 1495/ S.719 - A bill to amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to establish a precision agriculture loan program, and for other purposes.

Re-Introduced: 03/08/2023

Sponsors: Rep. Feenstra, Randy [R-IA-4]/ Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE]

Cosponsors: Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4], Rep. Guest, Michael [R-MS-3], Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1]/ Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]

Summary: No 118th Congress bill text as of 03/16/2023. The 117th Congress bill text establishes a loan program within the Farm Service Agency to assist agricultural producers in purchasing precision agriculture equipment, such as geospatial mapping, data management and analytics software, and network connectivity products and solutions.

The Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee (TTAC) met at the U.S. Department of Treasury on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 for its 10th meeting. Opening remarks were made Chief Marilynn "Lynn" Malerba (Mohegan), the treasurer of the United States

 

TTAC's subcommittee on dual taxation reported they held a re-consultation about their report on February 28, 2023. Comments are being accepted until March 31, 2023.

 

Meeting minutes will be available of the TTAC meeting on the Department of the Treasury's TTAC page where previous TTAC meeting minutes are locatd. 

 

30 Tribes & Organizations Awarded Total of $3 Million in Tribal Tourism Grants from Indian Affairs

The Indian Affairs Office of Indian Economic Development announced on Thursday, March 16, 2023 that more than $3 million in Tribal Tourism Grant Program funding to 30 federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations. The grants, which range in value from $30,000 to $150,000, are funded for one-year.

“Empowering Tribal Nations to build their economies through the Tribal Tourism Grant Program is part of Indian Affairs’ mission to support Tribal self-determination and sovereignty,” Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland (Bay Mills Indian Community) said. “Revitalizing Tribal economies is key to our goal of making lives better for people in Tribal communities as we work to undo the harms caused by policies of the past.”

The Tribal Tourism Grant Program supports tribal economic development and fulfills the mission of the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act, also known as the NATIVE Act, by providing funding for tribes to conduct feasibility studies to help them make informed decisions about potential tourism projects.

Tribe or Tribal Organization	City	State
Haida Corporation	Hydaburg	Alaska	$150,000
Hualapai Tribal Council	Peach Springs	Arizona	$150,000
Muscogee (Creek) Nation	Okmulgee	Oklahoma	$149,423
Village of Kaktovik (AKA Barter Island)	Kaktovik	Alaska	$149,270
Mesa Grande Business Development Corporation	Ramona	California	$149,212
Penobscot Indian Nation	Indian Island	Maine	$149,010
Blackfeet Tribe	Browning	Montana	$125,388
Bay Mills Indian Community	Brimley	Michigan	$125,000
Spirit Lake Tribe	Fort Totten	North Dakota	$125,000
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma	Durant	Oklahoma	$125,000
The Chickasaw Nation	Ada	Oklahoma	$124,122
Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas	Livingston	Texas	$120,291
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center	Albuquerque	New Mexico	$113,251
Crow Tribe of Indians	Crow Agency	Montana	$112,771
Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness	Bangor	Maine	$105,000
Leech Lake Reservation Business Committee, Inc.	Cass Lake	Minnesota	$104,515
Burns Paiute Tribe	Burns	Oregon	$102,300
Oneida Indian Nation	Oneida	New York	$101,762
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation	Mayetta	Kansas	$82,764
Northern Arapaho Tribe	Ethete	Wyoming	$78,701
Rosebud Sioux Tribe	Rosebud	South Dakota	$75,190
Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana	Elton	Louisiana	$72,672
Nansemond Indian Nation	Suffolk	Virginia	$71,720
Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians	Hayward	Wisconsin	$63,000
Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California	Oroville	California	$55,066
Sitka Tribe of Alaska	Sitka	Alaska	$54,708
Nez Perce Tribe	Lapwai	Idaho	$49,408
Elk Valley Rancheria, California	Crescent City	California	$48,600
Chippewa Cree Tribe	Box Elder	Montana	$45,755
Native Village of Chenega	Anchorage	Alaska	$30,916

 

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to Deliver National Statement at UN 2023 Water Conference 

The United States Mission to the United Nations announced Wednesday, March 15, 2023, the U.S. delegation to the UN 2023 Water Conference, to be held March 22-24, 2023, at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) and Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Representative of the United States to the United Nations, will serve as Heads of Delegation to the conference. Secretary Haaland will deliver the national statement on behalf of the United States on Wednesday, March 22.

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield will deliver remarks on Thursday, March 23 at the United States-hosted event, “Stronger through Water” on the margins of the UN 2023 Water Conference.

For more information, visit: https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/water2023