1. POLICY: NAFOA To Testify at Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
Next Wednesday, February 12th, NAFOA will be testifying as part of an Oversight Hearing to “Examine Native Communities’ Priorities for the 119th Congress” before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA). The hearing, which will be the SCIA’s first of the 119th Congress, will include testimony from a number of different tribal organizations.
Last week, the Committee officially selected Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) as the new Chairman and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) as the Committee’s Vice Chair. “I want to thank my colleagues for being a part of the Indian Affairs Committee. I’ve had the opportunity to speak with folks about their priorities, and I think we share a desire to accomplish good things and make good use of the Committee to serve the people that we represent, said Chairman Murkowski.
2. ADVOCACY: Tribal Organizations Urge Administration to Respect Tribal Sovereignty and Uphold Trust and Treaty Obligations Amid Executive Actions
Washington, D.C. – A coalition of Tribal organizations representing Tribal Nations and their citizens and communities is calling on the Administration to ensure that recent executive actions do not undermine the unique sovereign political status of Tribal Nations as sovereign nations with which the federal government has trust and treaty obligations, or disrupt federal funding that flows from those relationships for essential Tribal programs.
Following the issuance of multiple executive orders and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directives, concerns arose over freezes on federal funding that Tribal Nations and Tribal organizations, including urban Indian organizations, rely on to provide critical healthcare, economic development, education, and social services to Tribal communities. While OMB has since rescinded the initial memorandum, questions remain about how federal agencies will interpret and implement the Administration’s executive orders and policies moving forward.
Tribal Nations are not special interest groups—they are sovereign governments with a unique legal and political relationship with the United States and with their own Tribal communities. The trust and treaty obligations of the federal government are political and debt-based in nature. Tribal Nations’ sovereignty and the federal government’s delivery on its trust and treaty obligations must not become collateral damage in broader policy shifts.
Source: National Congress of American Indians
3. MUST READ: Tribal Leaders Commend Secretary of Interior for Their Exemption from Order Slashing DEI Programs
Since President Donald Trump took office, tribal nations across Indian Country have questioned whether the new administration will uphold treaty and trust responsibilities.
Several executive orders and actions by Trump added fuel and fear to the situation, including: Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity Revoking the ‘White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Native Americans and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities The Office of Management and Budget’s federal funding freeze memo — which was later rescinded — did not exempt tribal nations, amplifying the uncertainty and causing many tribal governments and organizations to issue their own statements clarifying the U.S.’s federal trust responsibility to Indigenous sovereign nations. Wichita and Affiliated Tribes Vice President Tasha Mousseau went so far as to say President Trump ‘waged an attack on tribal nations, our citizenship and our sovereignty.’
However, a recent Secretary Order from the Department of the Interior recognized the sovereignty of Native nations by separating them from programs related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Gender Ideology Extremism. They had worried programs for tribal nations would be wrapped up with other efforts. The move has provided some tribal leaders optimism as they navigate new U.S. leadership.
Source: KOSU
4. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: The Tribal Leadership Academy at Dartmouth
Application Deadline: May 16, 2025
The Tribal Leadership Academy (TLA) at Dartmouth College provides a place for up to 25 newly elected or appointed tribal governmental leaders to engage with each other and with experienced faculty presenters on governance matters of vital importance to tribal nations.
The 2025 Edition of the TLA will operate from July 28 – August 1, 2025, on the Dartmouth College campus in Hanover, New Hampshire. Each day hosts two sessions, with ample time for discussion, team-building, and time for reflection.
Source: Dartmouth College
5. JOBS: Payroll Director, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Accounting, the Director, Payroll will provide strategic leadership and oversight of all aspects of payroll shared services operations for the multi-entity multi-state organization with over 10,000 team members, including Tribal Members. The Director, Payroll is responsible for aligning payroll systems and operations with the entities overall business strategies, closely collaborating with Finance, Accounting, Legal, Human Resources and operational leaders to drive strategy and effectively mitigate financial, legal, compliance and operational risk. The Director, Payroll plays a critical role in safeguarding payroll accuracy, maintaining confidentiality, and driving continuous improvement in payroll policies and procedures.
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