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Blog Posts Related to the Native American Community

Learn more about the work President Obama is doing with the Native American community.

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The President and First Lady's Historic Visit to Indian Country

President Obama makes a historic trip to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Nation in Cannonball, North Dakota, where he and the First Lady meet with Native American youth, tribal leaders, and attend the tribe’s annual Flag Day celebration. This trip marks his first visit to Indian Country since taking office, and one of the few trips to an Indian reservation by a sitting President.
June 20, 2014 at 1:00 PM ET by Raina Thiele

An Update on the President’s My Brother’s Keeper Initiative

My Brother’s Keeper is President Obama's initiative to help ensure that boys and young men of color in America have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Since announcing the initiative in February, the public response has been overwhelming.
April 9, 2014 at 10:50 AM ET by Broderick Johnson and Jim Shelton

USDA Continues Reaching Indian Country Through the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working hard to provide food security for Native Americans living on Indian reservations.
March 26, 2014 at 5:52 PM ET by Leslie Wheelock

Sun Rises on Tribal Energy Future in Nevada

Last Friday was a momentous day for the Moapa Band of Paiute in Nevada- joined by executives of First Solar, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and numerous dignitaries, including U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, tribal leaders and community members broke ground on the 250-megawatt Moapa Southern Paiute Solar Project on the Moapa Indian Reservation -- making it the first utility-scale solar project on tribal land.
March 24, 2014 at 5:27 PM ET by Tracey A. LeBeau

National Tribal Day of Action To #GetCoveredNow

Today is the National Tribal Day of Action for Affordable Care Act Enrollment. Over 65 events are being hosted in tribal communities across the nation and President Obama wants to ensure that every American Indian and Alaska Native has the information they need to take advantage of new health care options available under the health care law.
March 24, 2014 at 4:32 PM ET by David Agnew

Join us on March 24th for a "Tribal Day of Action" for Affordable Care Act Enrollment

March 24th is the National Tribal Day of Action on Affordable Care Act enrollment - a perfect opportunity for Indian Country to rally with community partners in health to organize an Affordable Care Act enrollment event.
March 21, 2014 at 7:50 AM ET by Raina Thiele

Expanding Opportunity in Indian Country

Earlier today, Secretary Vilsack published an op-ed in Indian Country Today discussing USDA’s efforts to improve access to capital for Tribal citizens. You can read the original op-ed here.
March 20, 2014 at 10:09 AM ET by Secretary Tom Vilsack

President's budget promises big benefits for Tribal Lands

Last week, I had a chance to visit with the National Congress of American Indians to talk about President Obama's transportation budget proposal and what it means for our tribal lands. And the news was very good.
March 19, 2014 at 8:46 AM ET by Victor Mendez

NTIA Brings Broadband Opportunities to Alaska

Broadband offers Alaskan communities a way to connect with the wider world and access everything from online classes to healthcare services to job opportunities. It also offers Alaska Natives a way to preserve their indigenous culture for future generations and share it with a global audience.
March 11, 2014 at 12:26 PM ET by Anne Neville

Continuing the Progress with Tribal Communities

Today, we are releasing the synopsis from the 2013 Tribal Nations Conference and the 2013 White House Tribal Nations Conference Progress Report.
March 6, 2014 at 4:50 PM ET by Jodi Gillette

Moving Forward to Protect Native American Women: Justice Department Announces VAWA 2013 Pilot Project for Tribes

In 2013, President Obama signed the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), recognizing a tribe’s inherent right to protect women previously left vulnerable by gaps in the law. Three American Indian tribes will participate in the Department of Justice’s Pilot Project to implement the new law.
February 6, 2014 at 12:38 PM ET by Lynn Rosenthal, Jodi Gillette, and Raina Thiele

Narrowing the Digital Divide in the Navajo Nation

With a $32 million grant from NTIA’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority is bringing a modern wireless communications system to a region that has been all too frequently bypassed by amenities that most Americans take for granted.
January 8, 2014 at 12:28 PM ET by Jean Rice

Interior's Land Buy-Back Program: Strengthening our Nation-to-Nation Partnership

Last year, the Department of the Interior established the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations to implement important land consolidation requirements set forth in the historic Cobell Settlement Agreement. That agreement provided for a $1.9 billion fund to consolidate lands that have become fractionated, over time, across Indian Country.
December 20, 2013 at 11:06 AM ET by Kevin K. Washburn

Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience Hosts Inaugural Meeting

From Alabama to Guam, from Los Angeles to Philadelphia, state, local, and tribal leaders are on the front lines of dealing with extreme weather, sea level rise, and other impacts of climate change.
December 16, 2013 at 5:00 PM ET by David Agnew, Nancy Sutley

2013 White House Tribal Nations Conference: Promoting Prosperous, Resilient Tribal Nations

The White House Tribal National Conference is an opportunity to connect tribal leaders across the country directly with President Obama and his Administration.
November 14, 2013 at 5:09 PM ET by Secretary Sally Jewell, Sally Jewell

President Obama Meets with Tribal Leaders Ahead of the White House Tribal Nations Conference

Ahead of his remarks at tomorrow’s White House Tribal Nations Conference, President Obama met today with a dozen tribal leaders to discuss job creation and economic development in tribal communities.
November 12, 2013 at 4:35 PM ET by Charlie Galbraith and Jodi Gillette

President Obama to Host the 2013 White House Tribal Nations Conference

On Wednesday, President Obama will host representatives invited from 566 American Indian and Alaska Native tribes at the 2013 White House Tribal Nations Conference.
November 12, 2013 at 11:21 AM ET by Charlie Galbraith and Jodi Gillette

Health, Innovation and the Promise of VAWA 2013 in Indian Country

Because of the successful 2013 Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which President Obama signed into law on March 7, 2013, tribal courts and law enforcement will soon be able to exercise the sovereign power to investigate, prosecute, convict, and sentence those who commit acts of domestic violence or dating violence or violate certain protection orders in Indian country, regardless of the defendant’s Indian or non-Indian status.
September 6, 2013 at 6:30 PM ET by Valerie Jarrett and Tony West

The Affordable Care Act and American Indians and Alaska Natives

The Affordable Care Act to increase access to quality health coverage for American Indians and Alaska Natives.
August 22, 2013 at 5:09 PM ET by Dr. Yvette Roubideaux

Healthy Baby, Happy Baby: The Indian Health Service Announces Designation of Two Baby-Friendly Hospitals

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is a global program that was launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 1991 to encourage and recognize hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding and mother/baby bonding.
July 26, 2013 at 11:20 AM ET by Yvette Roubideaux

Strengthening Health Care in Indian Country

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently visited leaders and members of the Navajo Nation in Arizona to discuss health care.
July 19, 2013 at 6:24 PM ET by Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Kathleen Sebelius

SBA Signs Symbolic Alliance with the Native American Contractors Association

The U.S. Small Business Administration and the Native American Contractors Association (NACA) have signed a strategic alliance memorandum to widen our reach to Native American entrepreneurs and boost entrepreneurship opportunities.
July 10, 2013 at 9:12 AM ET by Christopher L. James

Strengthening our Federal Partnership with Tribal Nations

President Obama signed an Executive Order establishing a White House Council on Native American Affairs, which will help to continue to strengthen our federal partnership with Tribal Nations.
June 27, 2013 at 1:30 PM ET by Secretary Sally Jewell

Responsibility to Future Generations: Renewable Energy Development on Tribal Lands

David Agnew meets with leaders of the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians and the Moapa Solar Project.
June 25, 2013 at 6:18 PM ET by David Agnew

Celebrating and Supporting Native Fathers

ACF’s vision for fatherhood is that every parent is actively engaged in his child’s healthy development, and intellectual, emotional and financial well-being. Strengthening and supporting families is the mission critical effort to all of the programs that ACF operates from Head Start to TANF, to the Office of Child Support.
June 10, 2013 at 3:09 PM ET by Lillian Sparks

Building Opportunities in Indian Country: Congratulations to the Graduates of Navajo Technical College

Dr. Biden addresses a class of graduates at Navajo Technical College in Crownpoint, New Mexico.
May 22, 2013 at 9:00 AM ET by Dr. Jill Biden

Celebrating Two Years of Let’s Move! in Indian Country

May 8, 2013 at 11:45 AM ET by Jodi Gillette

Quinault Indian Nation

Ed Johnstone describes the importance of the Quinault Indian Nation.
April 30, 2013 at 1:10 PM ET by Edward Johnstone

Getting It Right for Indian Country

The Federal Government is consulting with tribal leaders and stakeholders to improve the federal disaster assistance process.
April 8, 2013 at 2:37 PM ET by Craig Fugate

ACHP Adopts Plan to Support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

March 20, 2013 at 3:45 PM ET by Milford Wayne Donaldson