- 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.
Tribal Energy Fairness Act Introduced
U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and John Curtis (R-Utah) today introduced the Tribal Energy Fairness Act, bipartisan legislation aimed at expanding Tribal access to federal energy programs by removing unnecessary barriers and making technical fixes.
“Tribes deserve a fair shot at energy development, particularly on their own lands,” said Sen. Schatz. “This bipartisan bill will provide Tribes with the flexibility they need to access existing federal programs to lower costs, boost reliability, and strengthen their energy sovereignty.”
“Unnecessary red tape and outdated restrictions are holding back access to energy development opportunities,” said Sen. Curtis. “By removing these bureaucratic barriers, our legislation levels the playing field for Tribal communities—ensuring fair access to programs that strengthen grid resilience and support other critical energy projects.”
The bill addresses longstanding technical issues for Tribes in two key Department of Energy (DOE) programs. First, the legislation would eliminate the “double benefit restriction” under the Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program, allowing Tribes to use other federal funds alongside a loan guarantee to cover up to 100 percent of project costs. It would also remove the cost-match requirement and permanently authorize DOE to provide technical assistance to potential loan awardees. Second, the bill would remove a requirement that Tribes sub-grant Grid Resilience awards to utility providers and would eliminate the cost-share requirement, making it easier for Tribes to directly access and benefit from resilience funding.
The Tribal Energy Fairness Act reflects technical assistance provided by DOE and incorporates feedback from Tribal leaders and advocates. Schatz previously introduced the bill at the end of the 118th Congress and filed it as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The issues it addresses have been repeatedly raised during Committee oversight hearings, roundtables, and meetings with Tribes.
The legislation is backed by Tribal organizations and energy advocates working to expand energy access and resilience in Native communities.
Energy Executive Chosen to Lead EPA Tribal Affairs
Usha-Maria Turner was selected to lead EPA's Office of International and Tribal Affairs. Turner joined the agency in an advisory role earlier this month, according to her LinkedIn. She has spent the past two decades in policy roles at various energy companies, most recently at Oklahoma-based companies Chesapeake Energy and OGE Energy.
HHS Annual Tribal Budget Consultation Set for April 22-23 in Washington, DC
If you plan to attend the ATBC in-person one or both days at the Hubert H. Humphrey Building, please register here:
- https://hhsgov.zoomgov.com/
survey/NwBHVuDOW7eG79Aw__f- MSzFKJFApwwsTd- w1y0688mCsBzx3XA.s7r9D8axy- Ivvvwc/view?id= y7cTLruARA6VgFOiUNjUog#/ sharePreview
- https://hhsgov.zoomgov.com/
survey/fPOrZTXmJX_ v41dg1TiV1EsGqnxppA_ vjTtcyYfan4HWZhJd54I. 1kgqPsmlbpNsxED6/view?id= pzzUicnOQBWR3JuB3VWT8Q#/ sharePreview
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
Native News Weekly (June 15, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Photographs of the Homecoming of the Three Fires Powwow
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
