The National Congress of American Indians
Resolution #PHX-16-028
TITLE: Include Tribes as Eligible for Funding under the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act and the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act
WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and
WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and
WHEREAS, in 1937, Congress enacted the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, commonly referred to as the Pittman-Robertson Act, and in 1950, Congress enacted the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act, commonly referred to as the Dingell-Johnson Act; and
WHEREAS, these Acts were created to provide a funding stream to the states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories for the management and restoration of fish, wildlife, and their habitats by collecting an 11 percent federal excise tax on sporting firearms, ammunition, hunting and fishing, and archery equipment and a 10 percent federal excise tax on handguns; and
WHEREAS, since the enactment of the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson Acts, more than $17 billion has been awarded to eligible entities for conservation; and
WHEREAS, for nearly 80 years, tribal governments have been ineligible to receive Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson funds for conservation on tribal lands; and
WHEERAS, many tribal governments operate fish and wildlife programs and regulate hunting and fishing within their lands and areas but do not receive any money is the state’s award formula to conduct conversation activities on tribal lands; and
WHEREAS, tribal nations are sovereignty governments whose citizens pay the same excise taxes, and should be eligible to receive the same fish and wildlife grants as their state counter parts in order to properly fund conservation programs on tribal lands.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Congress of American Indians calls upon Congress to amend the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act and the Sport Fish Restoration Act to secure a set aside or equivalent guaranteed equitable share of the funds to ensure parity with state governments to engage in conversation programs on tribal lands; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.
CERTIFICATION
The foregoing resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at the 2016 Annual Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Phoenix Convention Center, October 9th- 14th 2016, with a quorum present.