Native Americans
Tribal Sovereignty and Self-Determination
The courts and Congress have long acknowledged a trust relationship between the federal government and American Indian tribes. Unfortunately, the federal government's trust responsibility has not always been upheld as it should. Though today's tribes face many challenges, from providing basic infrastructure and services to accessing adequate health care and ensuring personal safety, there are many opportunities for cooperation to improve the quality of life for tribal members on and off reservations. I believe that through a strong government-to-government relationship, the federal government can uphold its commitments.
Indian Health: Addressing Disparities and Acute Need for Care in Indian Country
Throughout my time in Congress, I have strongly supported improving Indian health care, not only as a trust responsibility of the federal government, but also to address the large health disparities and service gaps many American Indians experience.
These gaps negatively affect Indian patients, who often aren't referred to doctors unless their medical conditions threaten "life or limb," which means that non-life-threatening medical needs like knee replacements or routine care for diabetes often go untreated. To help address these issues, I supported the Indian Health Care Improvement Reauthorization and Extension Act of 2009 as an original co-sponsor. The legislation authorized much-needed improvements to health services and facilities, expanded access to other federal health programs and will improve behavioral and urban Indian health. Permanent reauthorization of this legislation will mean greater access to health resources to address the important needs in Indian Country.
Tribal Law and Order
Tribes across the United States face some of the highest crime rates in the nation, from two to 20 times the national average. Many of these crimes go unprosecuted by federal officials, leaving tribes unable to properly address the perpetrators due to lack of resources and legal barriers. As a co-sponsor of the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010, I supported more tribal control over criminal matters and more accountability within the federal government to address crimes committed on reservations. Fortunately, this bipartisan legislation was passed by unanimous consent in the U.S. Senate and, after passing in the U.S. House of Representatives, President Obama signed the Tribal Law and Order Act into law on February 29, 2010. This was a breakthrough for Native Americans who have been crime victims but haven't been able to see justice served.
Providing greater opportunities for tribal self-government will allow communities to better respond to tribal members' needs. The law specifically targets domestic and sexual violence, 75 percent of which goes unprosecuted in Indian Country. Providing a safer community for American Indian women is an important part of ensuring a healthy environment for families and children to flourish. Supporting tribal law enforcement is not just a federal trust responsibility, it also helps reduce crime in surrounding states and non-tribal communities.
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Pine River Indian Irrigation Project Act (S.1264)
In 1870, the Bureau of Indian Affairs began to build and operate an irrigation system that now comprises 175 miles of canals and ditches to deliver water to tribal and non-tribal users. Unfortunately, after decades ofneglect and deferred maintenance, the system is failing many of its users and putting more than 12,000 acres of agricultural land at risk. In order to find a solution that helps all users of the system, I introduced the Pine River Indian Irrigation Project Act. The bill would require the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to assess the current condition of the Project and then take appropriate action to rehabilitate it. It is important that we protect and make efficient use of one of Colorado’s most valuable resources: water. This is why I pushed the Senate Indian Affairs Committee to conduct a hearing on this important issue. The hearing took place on April 29, 2010. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to bring adequate attention to this important issue.