SCHATZ: TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ILLEGALLY BLOCKING FUNDING OWED TO NATIVE COMMUNITIES
May 14, 2025
WASHINGTON — A new tracker revealed that the Trump administration is blocking or freezing more than $430 billion in federal funding owed to communities across the country — including nearly $316 billion for national programs that support Indian Country and Native communities. The data reflects just how widespread the damage is — with funding for public safety, housing, disaster recovery, child care, transportation, infrastructure, and education either delayed or terminated, and whole agencies and offices closed down, cutting off vital services.
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SCHATZ, MURKOWSKI URGE HHS TO HALT CUTS THAT JEOPARDIZE TRIBAL, NATIVE HAWAIIAN HEALTH, CHILD CARE PROGRAMS
Senators Called For Immediate, Legally-Required Consultations With Native Leaders
May 13, 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaiʻi), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, warned U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. that his reorganization efforts, including job and budget cuts, will harm programs serving Native communities. They also demanded the Secretary immediately convene consultations to seek meaningful input from American Indians, Alaska Natives, and the Native Hawaiian Community, in accordance with the HHS’ own Tribal consultation policy and the Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act.
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Padilla, Schatz, Wyden Lead Push Warning Trump Admin of Harmful Impacts of SAVE Act, Anti-Voter Executive Order in Native Communities
May 13, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight over elections, Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) led 11 Senators in sounding the alarm on the devastating impacts of President Trump’s anti-voter “election integrity” executive orderand the SAVE Act on Native American voting rights. In a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, the Senators specifically warn about the challenges Native communities will face with the proposed requirements of documentary proof of citizenship andrestrictions on mail-in voting.
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SCHATZ MARKS MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN AWARENESS WEEK, CALLS FOR MORE URGENCY TO ADDRESS ONGOING CRISIS
May 6, 2025
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Merkley, Schatz, Murkowski Sound the Alarm Over Staffing Shortages at the Indian Health Service
May 6, 2025
Washington, D.C. – Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Senate Indian Affairs Vice Chairman Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Senate Indian Affairs Chairman and Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) demanded urgent action from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to ensure the Indian Health Service (IHS) has the necessary resources and staffing to fully deliver health care services for American Indians and Alaska Natives, as required by federal law.
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MURKOWSKI, SCHATZ HONOR NATIONAL DAY OF AWARENESS FOR MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND RELATIVES
May 5, 2025
Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA), and Brian Schatz (D-HI), Vice Chairman of the SCIA, released the following statement recognizing National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR).
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SENATE PASSES MURKOWSKI, SCHATZ BIPARTISAN RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF ISDEAA
April 7, 2025
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution led by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA), and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), Vice Chairman of the SCIA, Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA). In addition to Chairman Murkowski and Vice Chairman Schatz, the resolution is co-sponsored by Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), John Curtis (R-UT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hoeven (R-ND), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Tina Smith (D-MN), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK).
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SCHATZ STATEMENT ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S DISRESPECT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS, INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE
April 7, 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, released the following statement on offers that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made to senior leaders across the Department to transfer to unspecified jobs in remote locations at the Indian Health Service (IHS), in an apparent attempt to oust them.
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MURKOWSKI, SCHATZ LEAD OVERSIGHT HEARING ON FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
April 3, 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaiʻi), Vice Chairman of the Committee, led an oversight hearing entitled “Native American Education – Examining Federal Programs at the U.S. Department of Education”.
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SCHATZ, CURTIS INTRODUCE TRIBAL ENERGY FAIRNESS ACT TO LOWER COSTS, STRENGTHEN TRIBAL ENERGY SOVEREIGNTY
Bipartisan Legislation Removes Barriers and Boosts Tribal Access to Federal Energy Resources
March 27, 2025
WASHINGTON – 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.
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Department of the Interior Announces Completed Land Transfer from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for Spirit Lake Nation
March 17, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of the Interior today announced that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has completed the transfer of 680 acres of land to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to be held in trust for the Spirit Lake Nation in Benson County, North Dakota.
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INDIAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ADVANCES 25 BILLS TO FULL SENATE
March 6, 2025
Washington, DC –U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaiʻi), Vice Chairman of the Committee, led a business meeting of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in Washington, DC, to consider 25 bills before the Committee.
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MURKOWSKI, HEINRICH, SCHATZ, PETERS INTRODUCE BILL TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL VETERINARY SERVICES IN RURAL, TRIBAL COMMUNITIES
FEBRUARY 21, 2025
Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA) and Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), with the support of U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Vice Chairman of SCIA, and Gary Peters (D-MI) as original co-sponsors, reintroduced S.620, the Veterinary Services to Improve Public Health in Rural Communities Act. The bill, which Senator Murkowski originally introduced in June 2024, authorizes the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Indian Health Service (IHS) to provide Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations with veterinary services, including spaying and neutering of domestic animals. These services aim to help prevent and control severe and life-threatening zoonotic diseases (infections that spread between people and animals), in rural, Tribal communities. Studies show that Native children have the highest rate of dog bite injuries in the nation, and the highest rate of dog bite hospitalizations occur in rural Alaska and the Navajo Nation.
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