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- By Native News Online Staff
WASHINGTON — In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other news released from Washington, D.C. that impacts Indian Country recently.
Hearing Held on Draft Legislation to Strengthen Justice and Safety for Native Children
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaiʻi), the committee’s vice chair, led a legislative hearing examining draft legislation aimed at improving justice and safety for Native children.
The hearing, titled “Justice and Safety for Native Children: Examining Title II of the Draft Native Children’s Commission Implementation Act,” focused on provisions designed to strengthen support systems for Native children, youth, and families.
“Native children deserve systems that are responsive, coordinated, and grounded in the strength of Tribal values so that they can thrive,” Murkowski said. “This discussion draft reflects years of work and listening by the Committee and is rooted in the recommendations of the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Native Children’s Commission. Today’s hearing showcased the improved outcomes when Tribes have the authority and flexibility to develop culturally grounded services, which this legislation will support for more Native families and communities.”
Schatz emphasized the federal government’s obligations to Tribal Nations in addressing public safety.
“Doing everything we can to ensure public safety in Indian Country is just one of our trust and treaty obligations,” Schatz said. “I’m glad bipartisan Committee staff worked together to listen and learn from Native communities from across the country, including Hawaii, on how Chair Murkowski’s draft legislation may support their unique public safety needs, particularly for children and families.”
Title II of the draft Native Children’s Commission Implementation Act, authored by Murkowski, focuses on improving justice, safety, and support services for Native children and families. The proposal would establish a Tribal Advisory Committee on juvenile justice, require a Department of Justice and Bureau of Indian Affairs study on missing American Indian and Alaska Native children, codify programs such as the Alaska Native Victim Services Program, and support domestic violence prevention, victim services, and family-centered interventions.
The following witnesses testified at the hearing:
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The Honorable Lonna Street, chairwoman, Spirit Lake Tribal Council, Fort Totten, North Dakota
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The Honorable Joan Johnson, council member representing Gros Ventre At Large, Fort Belknap Indian Community, Harlem, Montana
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Anita Fineday, former commissioner, Native Children’s Commission, Brainerd, Minnesota
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Lori Jump, executive director, StrongHearts Native Helpline, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
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Mark Patterson, chair, Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission, and former administrator, Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility/Kawailoa Youth and Family Wellness Center, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Lumbee Tribe Added to Official List of Federally Recognized Tribes
The Department of the Interior has added the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina to the official list of federally recognized tribes, formalizing the tribe’s government-to-government relationship with the United States and carrying out federal recognition enacted into law in December 2025.
The updated list was published in the Federal Register by Interior’s Office of Indian Affairs following President Donald J. Trump’s signing of legislation granting full federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe.
During the first week of his second term, Trump issued a memorandum declaring it U.S. policy to support full federal recognition of the Lumbee Tribe, including eligibility for full federal benefits.
“Recognition of the Lumbee Tribe demonstrates that President Trump is keeping his promises to Indian Country,” said Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Billy Kirkland. “This list documents the tribes that have a government-to-government relationship with the United States, supporting tribal sovereignty and underscoring our commitment to upholding the nation’s obligations to tribes.”
The annual list of federally recognized tribes, published in the Federal Register, now includes 575 American Indian and Alaska Native tribal entities. It is maintained by the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Office of Indian Services, Division of Tribal Government Services.
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