Culture and Heritage
While the practice of spiritual and ceremonial traditions and beliefs varies significantly among USET SPF Tribal Nations, our spirituality is overwhelmingly place-based. From the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ Nanih Waiyah mounds to the ceremonial stone landscapes of New England, each member Tribal Nation has specific places and locations that we consider sacred. These places are often the sites of our origin stories, our places of creation. As such, we believe that we have been in these places since time immemorial. Through these sites, we are inextricably linked to our spirituality, the practice of our religions, and to the foundations of our cultural beliefs and values. Our sacred sites are of greatest importance as they hold the bones and spirit of our ancestors and we must ensure their protection, as that is our sacred duty. As our federal partner in this unique government-to-government relationship, it is also incumbent upon all branches of the U.S. government to ensure the protection of these sites.
Testimony
2023
- USET SPF Testimony for the Record of Senate ENR Hearing to "Examine Federal Offshore Energy Strategies and Policies" - October 26, 2023
- USET SPF Testimony for the Record of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Hearing on “Safeguarding American Jobs and Economic Growth: Examining the Future of the Offshore Leasing Program” - July 27, 2023
- USET SPF Testimony for the Record of the Senate ENR Hearing to “Examine Opportunities for Congress to Reform the Process for Permitting Electric Transmission Lines, Pipelines, and Energy Production on Federal Lands” - July 26, 2023
2021
- Testimony of Dr. Casey Thornbrugh, United South and Eastern Tribes, before the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis for the Hearing, “Tribal Voices, Tribal Wisdom: Strategies for the Climate Crisis” - November 18, 2021
- Testimony of United South and Eastern Tribes Sovereignty Protection Fund For the Record of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing, “A call to action: Native communities’ priorities in focus for the 117th Congress” - March 24, 2021
2020
Comments
2024
- USET SPF Comments to DOI on Gathering Survivor Narratives of Federal Indian Boarding Schools - April 11, 2024
- USET SPF Comments to USACE on Rescission of Appendix C Regulations - April 9, 2024
- USET SPF Comments to DOI on Updating Climate Adaptation Plan - April 5, 2024
- USET SPF Comments to DHS on its Revised Draft Sec. 106 NHPA NPA for CRS Undertakings - February 27, 2024
- USET SPF Comments to USPTO on Genetic Resources, Indigenous Knowledge, and Traditional Cultural Expressions - February 23, 2024
2023
- USET SPF Comments to BSEE on Drafting an EJ Strategy and Action Plan - November 16, 2023
- USET SPF Comments to DHS on Draft Sec. 106 NHPA Nationwide Programmatic Agreement - October 20, 2023
- USET SPF Comments to Treasury on the 2023 Interim Final Rule for the FRF Program - October 13, 2023
- USET SPF Comments on WHCNAA Draft Sacred Sites Best Practices Guide - September 29, 2023
- USET SPF Comments to CEQ on Proposed NEPA Phase II Revisions - September 29, 2023
- USET SPF Comments to EPA on Proposed Revisions to its Tribal Consultation Policy and Tribal Treaty Rights Guidance - July 21, 2023
- USET SPF Comments to FPISC re: Funding Transfers to Tribes for FAST-41 Projects - March 10, 2023
- USET SPF Comments to Department of Education Regarding Native Language Resource Center - February 10, 2023
- USET SPF Comments on NAGPRA Proposed Rule - January 31, 2023
2022
- USET SPF Comments to CEQ/OSTP on Ocean Climate Action Plan - December 15, 2022
- USET SPF Comments on DHS Handling of Sacred Items - December 15, 2022
- USET SPF Comments to WHCNAA re: TRR MOU - October 21, 2022
- USET SPF Comments on White House Indigenous Knowledge Guidance - October 11, 2022
- USET SPF Comments on Nature-Based Solutions Report - September 15, 2022
- USET SPF Comments to ACHP re: Draft Exemption from Historic Preservation Review for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) - June 3, 2022
- USET SPF Comments to White House OSTP and CEQ on Developing Guidance for Federal Agencies Integrating ITEK - May 5, 2022
- USET SPF Comments to NOAA re: Tribal Consultation Handbook and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) Guidance Policies and Procedures - February 24, 2022
- USET SPF Comments to DOI re: implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) - February 4, 2022
2021
- USET SPF Comments on DOI Indian Boarding School Initiative - December 16, 2021
- USET SPF Comments to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) re: Proposed Revisions to the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) Regulations and NEPA 2020 Final Rule - November 22, 2021
- USET SPF Comments to DOI on Proposed Revisions to NAGPRA - September 30, 2021
- USET SPF Comments: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Creation of the Office of Public Participation - April 23, 2021
- USET SPF Comments to NTIA on Tribal Broadband Connectivity Grant Program - February 11, 2021
2020
- USET SPF Comments on Proposed NEPA Revisions - March 10, 2020
Letters
2024
- USET SPF Letter re: Chairman Schatz's Recent Remarks on NAGPRA and Visionary Ideas - February 23, 2024
2023
- USET SPF Letter to Leader Schumer re: Tribal Appointment to U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission - November 16, 2023
2021
- USET SPF Letter to Marburg Auctions Regarding October 9, 2021, Auction of Cultural Items - October 8, 2021
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USET SPF Letter of Support: STOP Act HNR 117th Congress – May 19, 2021
2020
- USET SPF Support for STOP Act - June 22, 2020
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