Key Takeaways
- •Rep. Simpson (R, ID-2) committed to maintaining advanced appropriations for tribal healthcare while the subcommittee explores transitioning the Indian Health Service to a mandatory funding model.
- •Michael Conners (Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe) reported that a General Motors Superfund site is still leaching toxins into tribal drinking water despite the EPA declaring the cleanup finished.
- •Rep. Pingree (D, ME-1) questioned Mike Natchees (Ute Indian Tribe) about law enforcement commission applications pending since 2022, which Natchees stated prevents tribal officers from having federal arrest authority.
- •Rep. Simpson (R, ID-2) and Rep. Pingree (D, ME-1) agreed that federal funding for tribal law enforcement is woefully inadequate to address the threat of drug cartels on reservations.
- •The subcommittee must resolve how to fund multi-billion dollar tribal water settlements, such as the Fort Belknap agreement, without reducing discretionary appropriations for other essential tribal government programs.
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Hearing Analysis
Overview
This hearing focused on the federal government’s trust and treaty obligations to American Indian and Alaska Native nations, specifically regarding the fiscal year 2027 appropriations for the Department of the Interior, the Indian Health Service (IHS), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Tribal leaders emphasized a critical shift in priorities, moving beyond traditional healthcare concerns to highlight urgent crises in law enforcement, water rights settlements, and infrastructure. Witnesses argued that current discretionary funding models are insufficient and unpredictable, calling for a transition to mandatory funding to ensure the stability of essential services ranging from public safety to education.
Key Testimony & Policy
Witnesses presented a unified front in requesting significant increases for tribal programs, with Michael Conners, Chief of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, specifically calling for $27.1 billion for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), and $63 billion for the IHS. A recurring theme was the success of tribal self-governance under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act. Jonah Hill of the Oneida Nation noted that while self-governance allows tribes to deliver services more efficiently, federal funding often covers less than 10% of actual operating costs.
Public safety emerged as a top priority due to the infiltration of drug cartels and the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP). Mike Natchees, Vice Chairman of the Ute Indian Tribe, testified that his 4.5-million-acre reservation is served by only three BIA-funded officers, forcing tribal police to work without backup. Similarly, Mike Comes At Night of the Blackfeet Nation highlighted that his tribe’s prosecutors are paid only $16 per hour, leading to a backlog of 4,000 criminal cases. Multiple witnesses, including Laurel Ann Yellowhorse of the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, praised the Tiwahe initiative for its family-centered, holistic approach to social services and recidivism reduction.
Infrastructure and environmental justice were also central to the testimony. Cody Shambo of the Fort Belknap Indian Community urged the passage and funding of the Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Settlement Act, valued at $1.3 billion, to resolve century-old water rights claims. In New York, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe requested full funding for the removal of a General Motors Superfund site, noting that the current EPA "cap and contain" remedy allows toxins to leach into tribal drinking water. Education witnesses, including Eugene DeCora of the Winnebago Tribe, advocated for increased investment in tribal colleges like Little Priest Tribal College and Haskell Indian Nations University, which face massive deferred maintenance backlogs.
Notable Exchanges & Partisan Dynamics
Chairman Michael Simpson (R, ID-2) and Ranking Member Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1) maintained a bipartisan tone, agreeing that the federal government has historically failed to meet its financial obligations to tribes. Rep. Simpson noted a distinct shift in testimony this year, with law enforcement needs now rivaling healthcare in urgency. He expressed shock at the jurisdictional complexities that hinder justice on reservations, particularly regarding the 6,000 indigenous people who go missing or are murdered annually.
Rep. Ryan Zinke (R, MT-1) engaged in a detailed exchange with Mike Natchees regarding the "bureaucratic bottleneck" in oil and gas permitting. Rep. Zinke questioned why the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) maintains oversight of tribal energy resources, suggesting that sovereign tribes should have the authority to streamline their own permitting processes. Rep. Betty McCollum (D, MN-4) focused on the "how clean is clean" debate regarding EPA Superfund sites and the unique challenges faced by Native veterans. Jestin Dupree of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes highlighted a specific failure where the IHS owes $3 million to Northeast Montana Health Services for Purchased/Referred Care (PRC), resulting in tribal members being harassed by debt collectors for bills the federal government is legally required to pay.
Organizations Mentioned
- Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA): Discussed extensively regarding chronic underfunding of law enforcement, staffing shortages, and delays in processing Special Law Enforcement Commissions (SLECs). - Indian Health Service (IHS): Tribal leaders requested $63 billion in funding and a shift to mandatory spending to ensure continuity of care and address delinquent payments to private providers. - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Mentioned regarding the management of Superfund sites in New York and the State Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) programs for water quality. - Blackfeet Nation: Testified about the severe disparity in road maintenance funding, receiving roughly $672 per mile compared to the state’s $7,884 per mile. - Ute Indian Tribe: Highlighted the intersection of water rights and energy development, noting that lack of water storage threatens their status as Utah's largest oil and gas producer. - Haskell Indian Nations University: Identified as having a $100 million deferred maintenance backlog while serving students from 147 different tribal nations. - Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska: Discussed the challenges of transitioning to tribal-led law enforcement and the 5-hour round trip required to reach the nearest BIA detention facility. - Fort Belknap Indian Community: Focused on the $1.3 billion water settlement and the success of the Tiwahe-funded Soaring Eagle recidivism program.
What's Next
The subcommittee will use this testimony to draft the FY 2027 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Key follow-up items include investigating the IHS's delinquent PRC payments and the BIA's backlog of SLEC applications. Chairman Simpson indicated continued support for advance appropriations for IHS as a bridge toward potential mandatory funding. Tribal leaders also signaled they would continue pushing for the passage of specific water settlement acts and the Haskell Improvement Act in the coming months.
Transcript
Good 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. 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. Indian 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. I'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. When 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 members are 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. The hearings can be viewed in its entirety on the committee's website and an official hearing transcript will be provided at gpo.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 Buck-Hahn, on her well-earned retirement. She has been a dedicated and passionate colleague, especially on some of the on 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. [Laughter.] Now I'd yield to Ranking Member Pingree for any opening statement she might have.
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