Infrastructure
For generations, the federal government – despite abiding trust and treaty obligations – has substantially under-invested in Indian Country’s infrastructure. While the United States faces crumbling infrastructure nationally, there are many in Indian Country who lack even basic infrastructure, such as running water and passable roads. Indeed, there are hundreds of billions of dollars in unmet infrastructure obligations across Indian Country to include housing, transportation, judicial, health care, and communication, among other forms of infrastructure. The United States must commit to assist in the rebuilding of the sovereign Tribal Nations that exist within its domestic borders. Much like the U.S. investment in the rebuilding European nations following World War II via the Marshall Plan, the legislative and executive branches should commit to the same level of responsibility to assisting in the rebuilding of Tribal Nations, as our current circumstances are, in large part, directly attributable to the shameful acts and policies of the United States. In the same way the Marshall Plan acknowledged America’s debt to European sovereigns and was utilized to strengthen our relationships and security abroad, the United States should make this strategic investment domestically. Strong Tribal Nations will result in a strengthened United States. At the same time, any infrastructure build-out, in Indian Country and beyond, must not occur at the expense of Tribal consultation, sovereignty, sacred sites, or public health.
Testimony
2025
2023
- Testimony for the Record of the House Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs Hearing on “Unlocking Indian Country’s Economic Potential” – March 15, 2023
- Testimony for the Record of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing “The Future of Tribal Energy Development: Implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law” – April 12, 2023
- 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
- 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
- Testimony for the Record of Senate ENR Hearing to “Examine Federal Offshore Energy Strategies and Policies” – October 26, 2023
2021
2020
Comments
2025
- Comments on DOI Workforce Efficiency Initiative and Emergency Permitting Procedures – July 7, 2025
- Comments to USACE on Implementation of the 2024 WRDA, Docket ID No. COE-2024-0004 – April 30, 2025
- Comments to DHS on Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act NPRM – January 15, 2025
- Comments to CEQ on NEPA Regulatory Authority – March 27, 2025
2024
- Comments to USACE on Rescission of Appendix C Regulations – April 9, 2024
- Comments to Permitting Council on its Draft Tribal Consultation Policy and Plan – April 8, 2024
- Comments to DOI on BABA – July 15, 2024
- Comments re: Treasury NPRM on Elective Pay and Joint Ownership Arrangements – May 10, 2024
- Comments to the FCC on Adoption of a MEP Event Code for the Emergency Alert System – May 20, 2024
- Comments to BOEM on Draft EA for Commercial Wind Lease Issuance on the Gulf of Maine – July 23, 2024
- Comments on Clean Electricity Low-income Communities Bonus Credit Program, 26 USC § 48E(h) – October 18, 2024
- Comments to DOI on Self-Governance Regulations Implementing the PROGRESS Act – August 20, 2024
- Comments to FERC on Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy Petition for Rulemaking – November 18, 2024
- Comments to NTIA on Proposed Buy America Waiver – October 15, 2024
- Comments to DOI on Proposed Interagency BABAA Public Interest Waiver – December 20, 2024
2023
- Comments to FPISC re: Funding Transfers to Tribes for FAST-41 Projects – March 10, 2023
- Comments to DOI re: IRA Funding – January 18, 2023
- Comments to FEMA on the Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA) – January 9, 2023
- Comments on FPISC Draft ERIF Application – July 17, 2023
- Comments on Treasury Proposed Supplementary Broadband Guidance for Tribal Governments – June 9, 2023
- Comments to IHS re: IIJA Funding Year 2 – April 28, 2023
- Comments to the FCC on NPRM to Revise Regulations of the E-Rate Program – April 28, 2023
- Comments on NTIA National Spectrum Strategy – April 17, 2023
- Comments to CEQ on Proposed NEPA Phase II Revisions – September 29, 2023
- Comments to Treasury on Elective/Direct Payment of IRA Credits – August 18, 2023
- Comments to CEQ & OSTP on “Ocean Justice Strategy Tribal Consultation” – August 25, 2023
- Comments to DOE on FRN for Tribal Rebates Program – September 15, 2023
- Comments to Treasury on the 2023 Interim Final Rule for the FRF Program – October 13, 2023
- Comments to DHS on Draft Sec. 106 NHPA Nationwide Programmatic Agreement – October 20, 2023
- Comments to the FCC on Tribal Nation Access to Spectrum Licenses – November 30, 2023
2022
- Comments to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) re: Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) Appropriations through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) – January 31, 2022
- Comments to DOI re: implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) – February 4, 2022
- Comments to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NITA) re: Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program – March 18, 2022
- Comments to ACHP re: Draft Exemption from Historic Preservation Review for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) – June 3, 2022
- Comments to the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (FPISC) on the “Draft Recommended Best Practices on Enhancing Early Tribal Engagement” – May 13, 2022
- Comments to WHCNAA re: BABA – October 21, 2022
- Comments on USACE Modernization of Army Civil Works Priorities, Docket ID No. COE-2022-0006 – August 2, 2022
2021
- Comments on DOI Workforce Efficiency Initiative and Emergency Permitting Procedures – July 7, 2025
- Comments to USACE on Implementation of the 2024 WRDA, Docket ID No. COE-2024-0004 – April 30, 2025
- Comments to DHS on Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act NPRM – January 15, 2025
- Comments to CEQ on NEPA Regulatory Authority – March 27, 2025
Letters
2024
2022
- Letter to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Expressing Concerns about Limitations on the Use of Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) Funds – February 16, 2022
- Letter to Majority Leader Schumer re: Tribal Nation Inclusion in Inflation Reduction Act – August 5, 2022
2021
- Letter Urging the Preservation of Indian Country Funding in Reconciliation Bill – October 26, 2021
- Joint Tribal Partner Organizations Letter to Senate Leadership in Support of Budget Reconciliation Spending for Tribal Programs – August 19, 2021
- Joint Tribal Partner Organizations Letter to House Leadership in Support of Budget Reconciliation Spending for Tribal Programs – August 19, 2021
2020
No items found
Other
2022
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