NPR

Tribal Leaders: Infrastructure Bill Should Include Indian Country Priorities

"Tribal infrastructure is American infrastructure," the president of the National Congress of American Indians said in response to Trump's proposal for investing in U.S. infrastructure.
Tribal leaders worry that they will be left out of discussions surrounding major decisions affecting tribes and their land, like that of the Navajo Nation which covers parts of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico.

Native American leaders are once again pushing for a seat at the decision-making table, saying this week that tribal nations have been overlooked for "too often and too long."

Their latest concern comes with President Trump's proposed infrastructure plan. The president sent it to Congress on Monday, saying he aimed "to help build a better future for all Americans."

That same day, President Jefferson Keel of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) told the annual gathering of tribal leaders that, "in 2018, no infrastructure bill should pass unless it includes Indian Country's priorities."

Trump urged Congress to act quickly on an infrastructure bill that would stimulate the economy, shorten the

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR2 min readCrime & Violence
After Two Boeing 737 Max Crashes, Families Are Still Seeking Answers From DOJ
More than five years after two 737 MAX crashes killed 346 people, families of the victims are still pushing the Justice Department to hold Boeing accountable. They're frustrated by the response.
NPR5 min read
Netflix's 'Baby Reindeer': A Dark, Haunting Story Bungles Its Depiction Of Queerness
The new series, based on creator and star Richard Gadd's one-man show, depicts queer sexuality as something that happens to people.
NPR1 min readInternational Relations
Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry Has Resigned As A Transitional Council Takes Over
Haiti's de facto prime minister, Ariel Henry, has formally stepped down and a new transitional council has been sworn in. Finance chief Michel Patrick Boisvert is the new interim prime minister.

Related Books & Audiobooks