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 President of the United States of America maintains the ultimate authority to appoint all ten Regional Administrators of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) without the advice and consent of the United States Senate; and
WHEREAS, legislation is under consideration that would require Regional Administrators of the EPA to be appointed by and with the advice and consent of the United States Senate; and
WHEREAS, such legislation would diminish the Presidential authority to select, authorize and appoint Regional Administrators of EPA; and
WHEREAS, such legislation ultimately would cause political burden on Indian Country, Treaty Rights, jurisdictional integrity of tribal lands and the protection of tribal environments, natural resources, sacred places, cultural activities, subsistence practices and tribal lifeways, and the necessary protective measures of the health of tribal communities.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby oppose legislation that would require Presidential appointments of EPA Regional Administrators to obtain Senate consent; 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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.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 2012 Mid-Year Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at The Cornhusker Hotel from June 17-20, 2012 in Lincoln, Nebraska, with a quorum present.