- Details
- 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.
House Bills Introduced to the 119th Congress
- H.R.41 - To provide for the recognition of certain Alaska Native communities and the settlement of certain claims under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and for other purposes.
- H.R.42 - To amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to exclude certain payments to aged, blind, or disabled Alaska Natives or descendants of Alaska Natives from being used to determine eligibility for certain programs, and for other purposes.
- H.R.43 - To amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to provide that Village Corporations shall not be required to convey land in trust to the State of Alaska for the establishment of Municipal Corporations, and for other purposes.
- H.R.103 - To provide Members of Congress lawful access to certain Indian land to assess the security of the international boundary between the United States and Mexico located on that Indian land, and for other purposes.
- H.R.165 - To direct the Secretary of the Interior to complete all actions necessary for certain land to be held in restricted fee status by the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and for other purposes.
- H.R.226 - To take certain Federal lands in Tennessee into trust for the benefit of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
HHS Tribal Consultation Announcement
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is inviting Tribal leaders to a virtual Tribal consultation on Proposed Modifications to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Security Rule to Strengthen Cybersecurity for Electronic Protected Health Information.
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would revise the Security Rule to better protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information. It proposes robust cybersecurity standards to address:
- Significant changes in technology
- Changes in breach trends and cyberattacks
- HHS’ Office for Civil Rights’ enforcement experience
- Other cybersecurity guidelines, best practices, methodologies, procedures, and processes for protecting electronic protected health information
- Court decisions that affect enforcement of the Security Rule
The consultation will take place on February 6 from 2:00 - 3:30pm ET. Public comments on the proposed regulation are requested by March 7 via www.regulations.gov (Docket ID number HHS-OCR-0945-AA22). Tribal leaders are requested to register here.
Administration for Native Americans
According to a Federal Register notice set to be published January 13, the Administration for Native Americans (ANA) is seeking a three-year extension of its Project Outcome Assessment Survey, with comments due by February 12. The survey, which helps evaluate the effectiveness of ANA grant-funded projects, has been revised based on feedback from grantees to eliminate redundant data elements and clarify requirements.
The survey is completed once at the end of each project grant period and helps ANA meet congressional requirements to evaluate project impacts. Respondents include tribal governments, Native American nonprofit organizations, and tribal colleges and universities. Officials estimate the survey takes about six hours to complete, with approximately 85 respondents annually, according to the notice.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Seattle Seahawks Tackle Preservation Projects at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center for Annual Day of Service
Native News Weekly (June 15, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
