Land

Tribal land base is a core aspect of Tribal sovereignty, cultural identity, and represents the foundation of our Tribal economies. USET SPF member Tribal Nations continue to work to restore our homelands, which are fundamental to our existence as sovereign governments and our ability to thrive as vibrant, healthy, self-sufficient communities. As our partner in the trust relationship, it is incumbent upon the federal government to prioritize and defend the restoration of our land bases. This includes a Congressional “fix” to the Supreme Court’s decision in Carcieri v. Salazar, which has severely limited the Secretary of the Interior’s ability to take land into trust for Tribal Nations pursuant to the Indian Reorganization Act, by only extending such authority to those Tribal Nations “under federal jurisdiction” in 1934.

Our member Tribal Nations ultimately seek full ownership, jurisdiction, and management over our homelands without federal government interference and oversight. The federal government’s objective in the trust responsibility and obligations must be to support self-determining Tribal governments and facilitate a robust trust land acquisition program that provides a streamlined, expedient, and equitable process to establish and increase Tribal land bases.