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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.
How Native American Members of Congress Voted for House Speaker
The House of Representatives voted on Friday to re-elect Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) to be House Speaker for the 119th Congress. Johnson with 218 votes to Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who received 215 votes.
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There three Nartive Americans elected to the House of Representatives in the 119th Congress: Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK-2nd District), who is a tribal citizen of the Cherokee Nation; Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK-4th District), who is a tribal citizen of the Chickasaw Nation; and Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS-3rd District), who is a tribal citizen of the Ho-Chunk Nation.
The Native Americans voted down their party lines. Represenatives Brecheen and Cole voted for Johnson. Rep. Davids voted for Jeffries.
$6.4 Million from the Infrastructure Law for Wildlife Crossings in Santa Ana Pueblo
U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) welcomed $6,372,354 from the Infrastructure Law — legislation passed by Democrats in the N.M. Congressional Delegation — for the Pueblo of Santa Ana to design wildlife corridors complete with wildlife exclusion fencing, overpasses, and underpasses, along 7.6 miles of US-550 and 19 miles of Interstate-25.
Building overpasses and underpasses specifically designed to give animals a place to cross busy highways has proven to be an effective way to reduce dangerous vehicle-wildlife collisions.
This investment is funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, which was secured by Heinrich in the Infrastructure Law.
IHS Announces Native Hearts Initiative
On December 12, 2024, Indian Health Service IHS Chief Medical Officer Dr. Loretta Christensen announced the newest IHS National Clinical Strategic Initiative, Native Hearts. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and represents a major health disparity resulting in premature death among American Indian and Alaska Native people. IHS advocates a comprehensive strategy to reduce CVD-related morbidity and mortality across Indian Country. As part of our Native Hearts Strategic Initiative, IHS will support federal, tribal, and urban Indian organization programs as they develop and implement strategies to ensure the guideline-based diagnosis and management of coronary heart disease, heart failure, hypertension, and atrial fibrillation.
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