Blog Posts Related to the Native American Community

Expanding Opportunities for Tribal Communities

Ed. note: This is cross-posted on the U.S. Department of Labor's blog. See the original post here.

Since Labor Secretary Tom Perez arrived one year ago this week, he has referred to the Department of Labor as the “Department of Opportunity.” He believes it’s our mission to expand opportunities by ensuring that all Americans are treated fairly at work, that they are safe while on the job, and that they have access to the training and employment resources to achieve their goals. And he’s made this a priority for Native Americans and Alaska Natives, who often face unacceptably high levels of unemployment in their communities and tribal nations.

Earlier this week, Secretary Perez traveled to Alaska to meet with leaders from the Cook Inlet Tribal Council to see how our investments − through grants from the department’s Division of Indian and Native American Programs − are creating opportunity for native peoples. Gloria O’Neill, who has served as president of the council since 1998, shared how the funding has helped expand social services for her community: Today, more than 12,000 individuals benefit annually from a wide array of programs, including child and family services, education, employment and training services, and programs helping formerly incarcerated individuals successfully transition back into their community.

Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience Announces Tribal Climate Resilience Program

Today, at the fourth and final meeting of the White House State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, the Administration announced the new Tribal Climate Resilience Program to help tribes prepare for climate change. 

As part of this new initiative, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell will dedicate $10 million in funding for tribes and tribal organizations to develop tools to enable adaptive resource management, as well as the ability to plan for climate resilience. The program will offer nationwide climate preparedness planning sessions and provide funding for tribal engagement and outreach within regional and national climate communities.

“Building on the President’s commitment to tribal leaders, the partnership announced today will help tribal nations prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change on their land and natural resources,” said Secretary Jewell.

The Department of the Interior and Environmental Protection Agency will also partner to create a new subgroup on climate change under the White House Council on Native American Affairs, which will share data and information and coordinate Administration efforts to assist tribes in climate resilience and mitigation efforts.

“Tribes are at the forefront of many climate issues, so we are excited to work in a more cross-cutting way to help address tribal climate needs,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.  “We’ve heard from tribal leaders loud and clear: when the federal family combines its efforts, we get better results - and nowhere are these results needed more than in the fight against climate change.”

Task Force members Chairwoman Karen Diver of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Mayor Reggie Joule of the Northwest Arctic Borough were tasked by the President with providing recommendations on climate preparedness and resilience specific to tribes. They led a national effort consisting of listening sessions, conference presentations, and agency webinars, to collect a multitude of tribal input on how to make tribal communities more prepared and resilient in the face of climate change. These recommendations will form the basis for their final recommendations to the Administration.  

We look forward to continuing our work with Indian Country on this important topic and thank Chairwoman Diver and Mayor Joule for their tireless efforts leading to today’s announcement of this crucial new program.

Raina Thiele is the Associate Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. Susan Ruffo is the Associate Director for Climate Preparedness in the Council on Environmental Quality. 

The President and First Lady's Historic Visit to Indian Country

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama attended the Cannon Ball Flag Day Powwow in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, on June 13, 2014. Official White House Photo by Pete Souza (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

On Friday, June 13, President Obama made a historic trip to Indian Country when he traveled to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Nation in Cannonball, North Dakota. This trip marked his first visit to Indian Country since taking office, and one of the few trips to an Indian reservation by a sitting President. Accompanied by the First Lady, the President met with Native American youth, tribal leaders, and attended the tribe’s annual Flag Day celebration where he spoke to Indian Country.  

The President first announced his plans to visit the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe on June 5 in an Indian Country Today op-ed that described his goals for strengthening economic development and educational achievement in Indian Country.

Since taking office, President Obama and his Administration have worked closely with tribal leaders, and last year he created the White House Council on Native American Affairs to ensure cross-agency coordination and engagement with Indian Country. The President has also hosted five annual White House Tribal Nations Conferences, an event where he invites leaders from all federally recognized tribes to engage in direct talks with high-level Administration officials.

As the President said in North Dakota, “Today, honoring the nation-to-nation relationship with Indian Country isn’t the exception; it’s the rule. And we have a lot to show for it.”