News from around the Nations

VA AND INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE ANNOUNCE NATIONAL REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT

WASHINGTON--December 6, 2012--American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans will soon have increased access to health care services closer to home following a recent Department of Veterans Affairs and Indian Health Service (IHS) joint national agreement. As a result of the national agreement, VA is now able to reimburse the IHS for direct care services provided to eligible American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans. While the national agreement applies only to VA and IHS, it will inform agreements negotiated between the VA and tribal health programs. VA co-payments do not apply to direct care services provided by IHS to eligible American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans under this agreement. To view the national agreement, please visit: http://www.va.gov. To find out additional information about American Indian and Alaska Native Veteran programs, please visit: http://www.va.gov/tribalgovernment and http://www.ihs.gov/.

DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE, DEFENSE, ENERGY, AND INTERIOR SIGN MEMORANDUM TO COLLABORATE TO PROTECT INDIAN SACRED SITES

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2012—Four cabinet-level departments joined the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to improve the protection of Indian sacred sites. The MOU also calls for improving tribal access to the sites. It was signed by cabinet secretaries from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior as well as the chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

The MOU will be in effect for five years and requires participating agencies to determine inter-agency measures to protect sacred sites. It also sets up a framework for consultation with tribes, creation of a training program for federal employees, creation of a website that includes links to federal agency responsibilities regarding sacred sites and the establishment of management practices that could include collaborative stewardship of those sites.

ENERGY DEPARTMENT ISSUES TRIBAL RENEWABLE ENERGY PURCHASE GUIDANCE AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

Efforts to Promote Energy Production and Economic Development on Tribal Lands

December 5, 2012-WASHINGTON – At the White House Tribal Nations Conference, the Energy Department announced two new initiatives aimed at driving increased energy production and sustainable economic development in Indian Country. Secretary Chu has issued a policy statement and guidance to give preference to Indian tribes when the Department’s facilities contract to purchase renewable energy products or by products, including electricity, fuel sources and renewable energy certificates. The Energy Department also announced training and education resources to help America’s Tribal Nations advance local renewable energy project financing and development. The Department has developed a new renewable energy education and training program and these free courses will be available through regional workshops and the Department’s National Training & Education Resource at http://www.nterlearning.org.

NWAC JOINS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ON DECEMBER 10TH FOR WRITE FOR RIGHTS

Ottawa, ON (December 10, 2012) – The global human rights movement Amnesty International has long partnered with the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC). This year, we are working together to keep public attention on missing and murdered Aboriginal women as part of Amnesty’s annual Write for Rights event which took place on December 10th, International Human Rights Day.

This year Write for Rights featured the NWAC petition calling for a National Public Inquiry. It also featured a letter-writing appeal in support of our longstanding demand for a comprehensive and coordinated National Action Plan to address all the factors that put Aboriginal women at risk. Write for Rights is meant to build critical mass around crucial human rights concerns in Canada and around the world. Amnesty International has also provided letter-writing tips and other helpful resources on its website. Already, more than 21,000 people have registered to write letters and sign petitions!

The website is http://www.writeathon.ca/

You can find the letter-writing appeal and the petition under the heading “View Cases for Letter Writing” or you can go directly to them at: http://www.writeathon.ca/?page_id=4501

AFN CHIEFS COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION REPRESENTATIVES MEET WITH MINISTER JOHN DUNCAN, CANADA LAUNCHES CONSULTATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF FIRST NATION EDUCATION ACT

December 6, 2012 (Ottawa, ON) – Representatives of the Chiefs Committee on Education (CCOE) welcomed the opportunity to meet with Minister John Duncan. The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) has been meeting this week for their Annual Special Chiefs Assembly, December 4-6, 2012 in Gatineau, Quebec.

Education has once again been an important topic of discussion for our leaders and our peoples. Every First Nation must have the opportunity to present its path forward and to work to advance their education as they determine to achieve excellence in lifelong learning, fully supportive of our languages and culture. Any potential changes in the policy or legal framework requires that Canada fulfills its duty to fully consult with First Nations. This meeting provided an opportunity to present our views and this is the right place to start. Through respectful dialogue, we must put our kids first and create every opportunity for their success as is owed to them. We must do this work together and we must do so immediately.

On December 11, 2012 Minister Duncan announced the start of the Government’s intensive consultations with First Nations on the development of a First Nation Education Act. The consultation process consists of two key stages. First, between December 2012 and April 2013, First Nation parents, educators, leaders and others are invited to participate in regional consultation sessions and to explore the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada’s website, where information about First Nations education can be found, as well as opportunities to provide input for consideration in the drafting of legislation.

Input gathered during this initial phase will help to inform the drafting of legislation. During the second phase, the draft legislation will be shared with all First Nation communities across Canada, as well as with provincial governments and other stakeholders, for feedback.

THE FOURTH WHITE HOUSE TRIBAL NATIONS CONFERENCE

By Lacey Arquette

On December 5, 2012 in Washington, DC at the Interior Department headquarters, the fourth White House Tribal Nation Conference was held. In attendance, 566 federally recognized tribes along with Obama and head members of his administration. For the years Barack Obama has been President, he has made it his duty to help American Indians all over America, a commitment he made when he was elected. The conference allows American Indians the opportunity to communicate with President Obama and address their issues and concerns. Some of the issues that Obama talked about were the economy, and ways to create more employment. Obama suggested making investments in roads, high speed rail and high speed internet, that way it will open our eyes to what’s out there. Another concern was health care; a lot of Native American lives are cut short because of illnesses like diabetes or pneumonia, and can’t afford the proper health care. Obama stated, “I signed health reform legislation in the law, which authorizes the Indian Health Care Improvement Act-permanently.” It’s going to make it possible for Indian tribes and tribal operations to provide healthcare for their employees, and also make it affordable for everybody. The next issue was improving education for the younger generation, by rebuilding schools on reservations and parents taking the time to know what the children are learning. Obama also talked about increasing aid for native students that go to college and making college loans more affordable. One of the issues affecting all nations is crime and violence in the communities. Obama stated, “I was proud to sign the Tribal Law and Order Act into law, which is going to help tribes combat drugs and alcohol abuse.” This will help law enforcement connect to criminal databases and gain greater strength to punish and prosecute criminals. These are just the basic concerns and how Obama intends to help resolve these issues that many Native Americans are dealing with. Obama stated, “As your President, we’re going to keep working together to make sure that the promise of America is fully realized for every Native American.”