TITLE: State Departments of Transportation Memorandums of Understanding with Tribes
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,, tribes and Tribal Employment Rights Offices (TERO) work with State Departments of Transportation to increase American Indian and Alaskan Natives employment on highway construction projects both on and near reservations; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration has issued guidance that allows State Departments of Transportation to include Indian Preference in employment on federal-aid transportation projects; and
WHEREAS, as an example, the Oregon State Department of Transportation has entered into agreements with multiple tribes in Oregon; and the purpose of the agreements are to establish procedures to be followed by all parties to ensure that Indian Preference provisions are implemented on the federal aid highway projects located on or near a tribal lands; and these agreements have led to providing living wage jobs to American Indians and Alaskan Natives.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) encourages the State Departments of Transportation to enter into agreements with Tribes in their state to include Indian Preference and other TERO requirements on federal aid transportation projects located on or near 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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.