March 2021
March 17, 2021
NCAI Statement on House Passage of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021
On March 17, 2021, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1620, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021, with bipartisan support.
March 15, 2021
NCAI Applauds the Historic Confirmation of Congresswoman Debra Haaland as Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) applauds the historic confirmation today of Rep. Debra Haaland as President Joe Biden’s Secretary of the Department of the Interior (Interior).
January 2021
January 26, 2021
Statement from the National Congress of American Indians on Presidential Memorandum on Consultation with Tribal Nations
Today’s Memorandum reaffirms the policy announced in the Presidential Memorandum of November 5, 2009 and recognizes the federal trust and treaty obligations to tribal nations.
January 14, 2021
National Congress of American Indians Announces Investment from Lumina Foundation to Support its Tribal Civics Education Initiative and Education for Native Researchers
Today, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is pleased to announce its partnership with Lumina Foundation to support the expansion of tribally-designed and driven K-12 curriculum in public schools, as well as funding to support opportunities for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) college students who choose to pursue research careers.
December 2020
December 14, 2020
NCAI Commends Decision by Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Franchise to Change Its “Indians” Name
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) commends today’s announcement by the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise in Cleveland to retire its “Indians” name and mascot, which the team has used for more than a century.
November 2020
November 24, 2020
The Center for Native American Youth and the National Congress of American Indians Announce the Creative Native Call for Art Winners
(CNAY) is proud to announce the winners of the third annual Creative Native Call for Art in partnership with the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). Creative Native is a call for art launched in 2018 to support Native American artists ages 5-24. For the second year, NCAI and CNAY have partnered to expand this opportunity and platform for Native artists. The 2020 prompt focuses on the strength and resilience of Native youth: Native youth are medicine. Where do you get your strength from?
November 23, 2020
National Congress of American Indians announces $1 million grant from Google.org
The National Congress of American Indians is proud to announce its continued partnership with Google.org. Through this partnership, NCAI will oversee the Small Business Stabilization Grant – a $1 million investment in Indian Country.
November 4, 2020
NCAI Condemns Formal Withdrawal by the United States from the Paris Agreement; Reaffirms Tribal Nations’ Commitment to the Accord
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) condemns the United States’ decision today to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. The Paris Agreement – a global accord designed to reduce the risks and impacts of climate change – features roughly 200 countries as signatories; the United States today becomes the first country to formally withdraw from it. In response, NCAI, the largest and oldest national organization comprised of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments and their citizens, reaffirms its formal commitment to support the Paris Agreement.
October 2020
October 21, 2020
Civil Rights Leaders Call on Congress to Ensure an Accurate, Transparent, Equitable Census
While the Trump administration rushed to end data collection early last week, the 2020 Census is not over. Civil rights leaders and census experts held a press briefing Tuesday in partnership with Ethnic Media Services to urge Congress to pass an extension to the statutory deadlines for the Census Bureau’s data for apportionment and redistricting by 120 days each, as the Trump administration requested last April. Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate to extend these deadlines to provide the Census Bureau the time it needs to ensure a fair and accurate 2020 Census.
October 19, 2020
NCAI Denounces the Continued Destruction of Sacred Sites and the Disturbing Treatment of Peaceful Protestors on Tohono O’odham Homelands
NCAI stands with the Tohono O’odham Nation and calls for the Administration to immediately stop border wall construction and perform the necessary consultation and environmental impact surveys that would protect and preserve land that holds sacred and irreplaceable significance to the Tohono O’odham people and their culture.
October 16, 2020
NCAI Calls for Immediate and Thorough Investigation of Access to Care for Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Members with COVID-19
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is extremely troubled to learn Cheyenne River Sioux tribal members infected with COVID-19 are being sent from South Dakota more than seven hours away to Minnesota to access appropriate hospital care, at a time when South Dakota is reporting that almost 20 percent of the COVID-related deaths in the state have been Native people. While the State of South Dakota claims to have adequate bed capacity, Native patients are being diverted to other states.
October 13, 2020
Native Organizations Condemn U.S. Supreme Court Order Ending the 2020 Census Early and Validating an Undercount of Historic Proportions of American Indians and Alaska Natives
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the Trump Administration’s application to stay a federal court order that required the U.S. Census Bureau (Bureau) to honor its commitment to complete the 2020 decennial Census count on October 31, 2020. The stay is in place until the appeals are resolved. Effectively, the Supreme Court’s order ends the 2020 Census.
October 13, 2020
The Count Must Continue: American Indian and Alaska Native Households are Still Well-Below the National Rates Indicated in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Statements About Census Completion Rates
The U.S. Census Bureau recently informed tribal nations that their reservations and communities are “completed” or are nearing “completion” of the 2020 Census. Unfortunately, the Census Bureau has not explained clearly what those statements mean. This misinformation has caused many tribal nations to mistakenly believe that all of their tribal citizens have been counted, yet Indian Country still remains undercounted.
September 2020
September 10, 2020
Statement on Kansas City Chiefs Announcement of Game Day Rituals
NCAI views the Kansas City Chiefs' announced modifications as positive yet modest initial steps in a long and ongoing educational process that ultimately will lead to comprehensive change, change that respects the humanity, diversity, resiliency, and vibrancy of tribal nations, cultures, and peoples.
August 2020
August 27, 2020
Protect ICWA Campaign Partners Applaud Lawsuit Challenging Data Collection Withdrawal in the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) Final Rule
Today we applaud the broad coalition of tribal nations and foster and LGBTQ+ youth organizations who filed a lawsuit challenging the 2020 Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) Final Rule. The 2020 Rule rolled back state foster care agency data reporting requirements and undermined the ability of tribal governments, states, policymakers, and advocates to understand the unique experiences and needs of specific populations, and establish effective interventions to keep children safe and end decades of overrepresentation of Indian children in state foster care systems.