Navajo Nation Washington Office

It is with great pleasure to announce that Navajo Nation Council Delegate Amber Kanazbah Crotty and Department of Health and Human Services Deputy Commissioner at the Administration for Native Americans Hope MacDonald LoneTree have been selected as members of the Not Invisible Act Commission. LoneTree previously served as a Council Delegate on the 20th and 21st Navajo Nation Councils.

The announcement of commission members was made during the U.S. Department of Interior’s virtual event highlighting National Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day. The event was hosted by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco to discuss the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People and the importance of the establishment of the Not Invisible Act Commission.

According to Secretary Haaland, “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their communities, but the MMIP crisis is one that communities have faced since the dawn of colonization.” Secretary Haaland led the efforts to pass the Not Invisible Act of 2019 during her time in Congress and has reaffirmed her commitment in addressing this issue by working with the Department of Justice and other Federal agencies.

The Not Invisible Act of 2019 was signed into law on October 10, 2020, with the intent focused on creating a reduction in violent crimes targeting American Indians and Alaska Natives. “A lack of urgency, transparency, and coordination has hampered our country’s efforts to combat violence against American Indians and Alaska Natives,” said Secretary Haaland. “In partnership with the Justice Department and with extensive engagement with Tribes and other stakeholders, Interior will marshal our resources to finally address the crisis of violence against Indigenous peoples.” 

Delegate Crotty and Deputy Commissioner LoneTree will be joined by 35 other commission members consisting of a mixture of law enforcements officers, Federal partners, Tribal leaders, and family members of missing and murdered people and survivors from across the country. The purpose of the commission is to make recommendations to the Department of the Interior and Department of Justice to improve intergovernmental coordination and establish best practices for state, Tribal, and Federal law enforcement, to bolster resources for survivors and victim’s families, and to combat the epidemic of missing persons, murder, and trafficking of Native Americans and Alaska Natives.

Among its mission, the Commission will:  

• Identify, report and respond to instances of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) cases and human trafficking,
• Develop legislative and administrative changes necessary to use federal programs, properties, and resources to combat the crisis, 
• Track and report data on MMIP and human trafficking cases, 
• Consider issues related to the hiring and retention of law enforcement officers, 
• Coordinate Tribal-state-federal resources to combat MMIP and human trafficking offices on Indian lands, and  
• Increase information sharing with Tribal governments on violent crimes investigations and other prosecutions on Indian lands.  



The Commission has the authority to hold hearings, gather testimony, and receive additional evidence and feedback from its members to develop recommendations to the Secretary and Attorney General.

The Supreme Court building

On Monday evening, the news website Politico released a leaked copy of a draft decision for Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which not only upholds a Mississippi law banning abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy, but also overturns Roe v. Wade and leaves decisions about when abortions can be banned entirely to state governments. Democrats and other pro-choice advocates in the abortion debate immediately gathered outside the Supreme Court building next to the Capitol to protest the decision. On Tuesday, Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the authenticity of the draft, but reiterated that it was not yet a final decision and called for an investigation into the source of the leak. The leak is unprecedented in modern history; prior leaks hinted at rumors or conversations among justices behind closed doors but have never included releasing an entire unpublished opinion. The 98-page opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, also raises questions about the precedence it will set for other decisions such as those allowing gay marriage or the right to contraceptives. 

The opinion goes to the heart of one of the most contentious issues in American politics today, which unsurprisingly divides many communities, including Indian Country. Many Native Americans come from deeply religious backgrounds, adhering to both traditional and Christian beliefs that all life is sacred and viewing abortion as similar to murder. But others argue that the government should not be permitted to interfere with the reproductive choices of a woman, citing in particular a time during the 1970s when thousands of Native women were sterilized by IHS doctors without their consent. 

It is worth noting that the leaked document is an early draft. Typically in the Supreme Court an early vote is taken to determine the outcome of a case, and one of the justices voting with the majority is assigned to write a majority opinion. In this case that appears to have been Justice Alito. While it is rare for justices to change their minds after the initial vote is taken, they will frequently demand changes to the initial draft of the opinion for the majority, and if the changes are insufficient to satisfy the reasoning of all of the justices in the majority, some may break away to sign onto a concurrence or even to switch positions entirely. Though it seems certain that the Court will uphold the Mississippi law in question, the full extent of the opinion will not be known until the Court publishes a final version which may not happen for another month or two.

UCLA Royce Hall. Photo courtesy of Fermin Leal, EdSource Today

On April 22, 2022, University of California (UC) President, Michael V. Drake, announced in a letter to the Chancellors of the UC the launch of the University of California Native American Opportunity Plan – a new program focused on expanding student diversity and making education more accessible for Native American undergraduate and graduate students. Drake indicated that “The University of California is committed to recognizing and acknowledging historical wrongs endured by Native Americans”. According to Stett Holbrook, Senior Communication Strategist, the program is estimated to cost $2.4 million during the 2022-2023 academic year and will be covered by a “combination of existing State and University financial aid programs.”

Over the last few years, we have seen public institutions of higher learning becoming more involved in expanding access to quality education by adopting online learning and focusing on ways to reduce barriers to education for low-income families. These movements are especially important for Native American students who have faced educational disparities for decades. Education for Native Americans students is of the upmost importance as it teaches them resiliency, fosters positive identity development, and promotes growth.

Fort Lewis College is another example of how institutions of higher learning make education more accessible by providing tuition waivers for Native American students that meet eligibility criteria. Similarly, Northern Arizona University recently announced plans to allow Undergraduate Arizona resident students with a household income of $65,000 or less to attend NAU tuition-free with scholarships and Financial Aid, beginning in Fall 2023. Approximately 50% of Arizona households meet this criteria with a larger percentage coming directly from Native American reservations.



As institutions continue to reduce barrier to education, we are hopeful that our Native American scholars will take advantage of these opportunities to achieve their educational aspirations.

United Nations Holds Annual

Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Photo courtesy of the United Nations Department of  Economic and Social Council

Request for Nominations to the Institute of American Indian Arts Board of Trustees

The Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development provides scholarly study of and instruction in Indian art and culture and establishes programs which culminate in the awarding of degrees in the various fields of Indian art and culture. The Board consists of thirteen members appointed by the President of the United States, by and with the consent of the U.S. Senate, who are American Indians or persons knowledgeable in the field of Indian art and culture. This notice requests nominations to fill two expiring terms on the Board of Trustees.

Notice of Office of Management and Budget Listening Session and Request for Information

The Office of Management and Budget seeks input from the public concerning the Build America, Buy America Act's requirement that any infrastructure projects funded with Federal financial assistance use only construction materials produced in the United States. Written submissions must be received by May 23, 2022. 

Notice of Public Meetings 

The US Commission on Civil Rights and the New Mexico Advisory Committee will hold a series of meetings regarding their project on education disparities for Native American students. The first meeting will be held on May 25, 2022. 

Notice of Nomination Solicitation 

The National Park Service is soliciting nominations for the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review Committee. The Secretary of the Interior will appoint members from nominations submitted by Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, or traditional Native American religious leaders and national museum organizations or national scientific organizations.  The nominations must be received by June 13, 2022.

Ending the HIV/HCV Epidemics in Indian Country

The Indian Health Service is accepting applications for a cooperative agreement for the Ending the HIV and HCV Epidemics in Indian Country Program. The application deadline date is June 17, 2022.

Upcoming Events

Movement as Medicine

March 2022 - August 2022

NCAI is committed to providing American Indian and Alaska Native youth opportunities to assist in their continued development as the next generation of leaders. NCAI is fulfilling this vision by providing students ages 8-24, physical/behavior health curriculum, youth leadership development, and healing through movement. They have established partnerships with Indigenous Lotus, Native Health Initiatives, and We R Native to enhance movement in our daily lives.

National Tribal Public Health Summit

May 9-12, 2022

This summit is one of the premier American Indian and Alaska Native specific public health annual gatherings elevating public health policy and its impact on Tribes. It serves as a forum for practitioners, researchers, and policy experts to mobilize in the arenas of public, behavioral, and environmental health. The summit highlights emerging, promising, best, and evidenced-based practices, developed by Tribes for Tribes.

Living Earth Festival:

Saving Sacred Spaces

Ongoing through

May 15, 2022

Across the country, sites sacred to Indigenous communities are at risk due to environmental changes, population growth, tourism and natural resource extraction. As part of the National Museum of the American Indian's Living Earth celebrations, several community members, including Angelo Baca (Diné/Hopi), discuss their efforts to protect sites of cultural significance. 

AISES USAA Scholarship

Deadline to submit

May 31, 2022

In partnership with USAA, the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) is pleased to announce the USAA Scholarship for undergraduate Native Veterans pursuing any STEM degree. Along with providing the critical financial support that undergraduate Native Veteran students need to successfully complete their STEM degrees, USAA is also sending some of their scholars to the 2022 AISES National Conference.