The National Congress of American Indians
Resolution #PHX-16-021
TITLE: Native American Employment and Training Council Support for NCAI Empowering Tribal Workforce Development Report
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, the National Congress of American Indians has produced the report “Empowering Tribal Workforce Development: Indian Country’s Policy Recommendations for the Federal Government;” and
WHEREAS, this report was put forth for comments at the Division of Indian and Native American Programs Native American Employment and Training Council meeting held on August 25-26, 2016 in Reno, Nevada; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 166(i)(4)(C), the purpose of the Native American Employment and Training Council (NAETC) is to advise the Secretary of Labor on the operation and administration of the Indian and Native American programs authorized under Section 166 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) serving American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians in a manner consistent with the principles of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 USC 450 et seq.) and the federal trust responsibility to tribal nations and the government-to-government relationship between the Federal government and tribal governments; and
WHEREAS, the NAETC is established by federal law to provide advice to the Secretary of Labor on behalf of representatives of Section 166 grantees and that the Secretary shall consult with the entities described in subsection (c) to include Indian tribes, tribal organizations, Alaska Native entities, Indian controlled organizations serving Indians, or Native Hawaiian organizations; and
WHEREAS, in addition, the NAETC shall advise the Secretary on the implementation of other programs providing services to Indian and Native American youth and adults under WIOA; and
WHEREAS, that via resolution number 01-8-25-2016 adopted on August 26, 2016, the NAETC agreed and recommended that the Department of Labor support the policy recommendations contained in the report entitled “Empowering Tribal Workforce Development: Indian Country’s Policy Recommendations for the Federal Government” produced by the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI); and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Congress of American Indians urges the Administration, Congress, the Department of Labor and other federal agencies as well as independent Authorities to consider and adopt the key policy recommendations contained in the report supportive of tribal nations, Native organizations, and tribal colleges and universities as they design, refine, and strengthen their workforce development efforts; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAETC be included in efforts to support the initiatives identified in this report; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Chairperson of the NAETC and the President of NCAI is herein authorized and instructed to deliver this resolution to the Administration, Congress, federal agencies and independent Authorities as appropriate to advance implementation of these recommendations; and
BE IT FINALLY 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 Convention of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Phoenix Convention Center, October 9 to October 14, 2016, with a quorum present.