American Indian Policy Institute
Supporting Tribal sovereignty through examination, exploration, & elevation.
AIPI Indigenous People's Day Talk By President Crow
American Indian Policy Institute executive director named to Diverse magazine’s list of 25 Top Women in Higher Education in 2021
AIPI Joins Watts College
AIPI Watts College Welcoming Event | Sept 2019
117th Congressional Report Card: 2nd Session
The American Policy Institute (AIPI) tracks proposed legislation and other congressional actions through the Monthly Policy Update in order to inform readers of important actions affecting Indian Country. This year the 117th Congress convened for its 2nd session on January 3, 2022. AIPI tracked 193 bills in this session. Five bills were signed into law. Five bills passed one chamber and not the other, along with eight resolutions agreed to in their respective chambers. This legislative summary covers all the bills tracked between January and November 2022. AIPI tracks bills affecting Indian Country as a whole or several Tribal Nations in a given region. These bills include changes to laws, regulations, and significant appropriations to new and existing Tribal initiatives. Generally, AIPI does not track bills that make specific changes for individual Tribes, such as bills placing land into trust. Read the full summary here.
November 2022 Policy Update
This month’s Federal Policy Update included nineteen key legislative actions that took place this past month. S.Res.845, "A resolution recognizing National Native American Heritage Month and celebrating the heritages and cultures of Native Americans and the contributions of Native Americans to the United States" was submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent on November 17, 2022. Additionally, S.5087, “A bill to amend the Not Invisible Act of 2019”, was introduced on November 15, 2022. This bill would amend the Not Invisible Act of 2019 to extend and provide additional support for the activities of the Department of the Interior and the Department of Justice Joint Commission on Reducing Violent Crime Against Indians. Please see the full November Policy Update for a complete list of this month’s legislative actions.
November featured four Federal Register notices affecting Indian Country. This month’s notices include announcements for key advisory boards. The New Mexico Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will be meeting on Thursday, December 15 to hear testimony on education adequacy for Native American students. The Department of Justice’s Task Force on Research on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women will also be meeting on Tuesday, December 13. The last important notice is directed to Tribal Nations in Arizona and involves repatriation under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Please see the full November Federal Register Update for more information on these and other important notices.
During this past month, one Congressional Committee meeting took place that included legislation or initiatives affecting Indian Country. The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held a business Meeting to consider S. 3168, S. 3308 & S.4104 and Legislative Hearing to receive testimony on S. 4870, S. 4896 & S. 4898. Multiple bills covered in this meeting, including S.5087, a bill to amend the Not Invisible Act of 2019. The amendment would extend, and provide additional support for, the activities of the Department of the Interior and the Department of Justice Joint Commission on Reducing Violent Crime Against Indians, and for other purposes. Please see the full November Congressional Committee Update for more information on this month’s hearing.
October 2022 Policy Update
This month’s Federal Policy Update included nine key legislative actions that took place this past month. The Tribal Connect Act of 2022 introduced, read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. This bill would establish the Tribal Essential Community-Serving Institution Program, which provides opportunities for Indian Tribes to request broadband internet access service at essential community-serving institutions located on Tribal land and authorizes support for the development of infrastructure to provide the services requested. Another newly introduced bill, the Tribal COPS Act, would direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a grant program to increase the capabilities of Tribal law enforcement agencies through compensating law enforcement officers employed by the Indian Tribe, providing training, providing housing stipends, procuring equipment, and procuring, operating, and maintaining facilities. Please see the full October Federal Policy Update for a complete list of this month’s legislative actions.
This month’s Federal Register Update highlights includes important notices to fill positions on federal advisory committees. The Treasury's Tribal Advisory Committee as well as BLM’s Regional Resource Advisory Councils are looking to fill positions where Tribal representatives are eligible to apply. Please see the full October Federal Register Update for additional information as well as other important notices affecting Indian Country.
During this past month, no Congressional Committee Meetings took place that included legislation or initiatives affecting Indian Country.
September 2022 Policy Update
This month’s Federal Policy Update included 19 bills and resolutions affecting Indian Country that were newly introduced or had other activity. The Digital Equity Foundation Act (the Foundation) was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation by the Senate. This bill establishes the Foundation for Digital Equity with the goal, among others, of supporting the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. Additionally, the Foundation may support a grant made under the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program if there are not adequate appropriations to support such a grant. Please see the full September Federal Policy Update for a complete list of this month’s legislative actions.
This month’s Federal Register Update highlights includes at notice for The Establishment of the Tribal Homeland Security Advisory Council (THSAC) and Solicitation of Inaugural Members. The goal of the THSAC is to provide recommendations on policies, programs, and initiatives that have implications for Tribes and Tribal Nations. Applications to join the THSAC will be accepted until 11:59 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, on October 10, 2022. Another key notice this month was a final rule regarding partition, disaggregation and leasing of spectrum. The final rule outlines specific incentives for Tribal Nations to voluntarily participate in the Enhanced Competition Incentive Program (ECIP). The ECIP will promote greater competition in the provision of wireless services, facilitate increased availability of advanced wireless services in rural areas, facilitate new opportunities Tribal Nations to increase access to spectrum, and bring more advanced wireless service including 5G to underserved communities. Please see the full September Federal Register Update for additional information as well as other important notices affecting Indian Country.
There were 4 important Congressional Committee Meetings this past month to hear information on several pieces of legislation affecting specific Tribes, as well as initiatives affecting all of Indian Country. One meeting of note was a Hybrid SCIP Oversight Hearing held by the House Natural Resources Subcommittee for Indigneous People of the United States. This meeting examined the sovereignty implications of the Supreme Court's ruling in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta. The meeting consisted of three separate panels. For more information, see the full September Policy Congressional Committee Meeting Update.
