Oklahoma Tribal leaders unite amid federal uncertainty

Written By: Allison Herrera

(OKLAHOMA) The United Indian Nations of Oklahoma held their quarterly meeting amidst the backdrop of uncertainty over federal programs tribal nations rely on after the new administration vowed to reduce the size of government.

Read this story on Osage News here. 

During the daylong meeting on March 20, leaders of 31 tribal nations met to discuss budgeting priorities such as language programs, health care and money for legal fees as tribal leaders anticipate legal battles.

The meeting comes on the heels of a federal funding freeze that was later reversed, a reduction in staff at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education and the Indian Health Service, planned closures of BIA offices around the country and inclusion of tribal nations in slashing of programs meant to eliminate diversity equity and inclusion programs (DEI) across the board.

Comanche Nation Chairman Forrest Tahdooahnippah told the audience that his citizens were worried about the federal funding freeze and the potential to return to termination era policies.

“We’re ready to fight … as we ready to go on the offense and run on the defense, in the budgeting process, we’ve dedicated a lot more money than maybe we would have otherwise to just legal fees,” he said.

A panel on energy on Indian lands featured Osage Nation Assistant Principal Chief RJ Walker. He talked about the Nation’s ongoing legal battles with Enel over the wind farm.

He told the audience that the wind farm was a “hindrance on our ability to produce oil and gas in one of the most productive areas within our reservation.”

He said that there are challenges with the new administration, citing the layoff of Osage Agency Superintendent Adam Trumbly, whose job was later restored.

He said he was encouraged by Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum’s comments about wanting to work with Indian Country.

“There are benefits that as an energy-producing tribe, that we see as opportunities for us to utilize, so whether it be Democrat, Republican, or whomever, we’re going to do what is best for the Osage Nation,” Walker said.

Tribal leaders also addressed some of the federal funding cuts and closures.

One federal grant that leaders singled out as being under threat was the Living Languages Grant, which was implemented in 2023 to revitalize Indigenous languages that are endangered.

Ben Barnes, Chairman of the Shawnee Tribe said that’s one of the programs they believe is under threat under this new administration.

“What it means for us as a nation is in our budgetary processes, what we need to do to build that gap to deliver on the core promise of language preservation,” Barnes said.

“It seems like the entire climate is one that creates a lot of anxiety amongst our tribal members,” said Comanche Nation Chairman Tahdooahnippah.

“We’re really trying to prioritize ways to help our tribal members feel calm, feel like it’s not the end of the world. There’s not going to be termination, and that’s obviously a really hard thing to do,” he said.

One of the keynote speakers was Department of Interior Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior Scott Davis. Secretary Burgum was invited to speak.

Davis, who joined the meeting via Zoom, answered dozens of questions from the audience about cuts and being exempted from anti-DEI measures enacted by the new administration.

He emphasized the importance of nation-to-nation engagement, stabilizing education systems, and addressing law enforcement issues. Key questions from tribal leaders included funding concerns, exemptions for IHS, and the continuation of the White House Council on Native American Affairs. Davis assured ongoing efforts to support tribal sovereignty, energy development, and language preservation.

Chief Barnes asked Davis directly about potential cuts to the language preservation programs.

Davis acknowledged their importance but didn’t list anything specific about the programs being spared from future cuts.

Davis was also asked why web pages honoring Navajo Code Talkers and Ira Hayes were taken down from the Department of Defense and other military websites. Members of the audience reminded Davis that tribal nations are a political class, not an ethnic group.

“I share those views,” he said.

“I’m going to make sure those are intact and make sure that those laws and policies are in place as we continue to channel through this administration,” Davis told the audience.

The websites honoring Hayes and the Code Talkers were restored.

Attorney General Gentner Drummond also spoke to the audience. Drummond announced his run for Governor earlier this year and has promised to restore relationships with tribal nations. He singled out the issue of tobacco and motor vehicle tag compacts, which has been a big point of contention between tribal nations and Governor Kevin Stitt.

“McGirt appeared to the state as a setback. You and I know in this room that McGirt was simply a finding by the United States Supreme Court of the law as it existed,” Drummond said,

“We as a state failed you. We failed you in the 1920s, the 1930s, into the 40s and 50s, and the fact that the United States Supreme Court recognizes sovereignty of the tribes with regard to criminal justice matters is not a setback for the state of Oklahoma. I tell my district attorney partners, we now have an additional level of law enforcement benefiting everyone in southeastern Oklahoma,” Drummond told the audience.

He singled out tribal nations’ health care industries and the benefits he believes they bring to the local economies.

Drummond was also questioned on taxes and the need for a motor vehicle compact that serves the unique needs of each tribal nation, not a one-size-fits-all solution.

Assistant Principal Chief Walker told Drummond he feels like Governor Sitt is leveraging one compact against the other.

“It doesn’t seem like it’s fair, and they are two separate issues, and not every tribal nation wants to agree to a motor vehicle compact. We do need the tobacco tax compact, and it’s right, and it’s fair to the state, and it’s fair to the tribal nations,” Walker said.

Drummond then made a campaign promise.

“I will tell you this: my commitment to you as governor will be if the Osages want seven different compacts negotiated independently on each of these issues, then we will do that,” Drummond said.

The meeting ended with a rally to increase Native voter turnout in the upcoming elections for Governor and for the midterms.

Chairman Bobby Gonzales of the Caddo Nation reminded tribal leaders and citizens that at the end of the day, tribal nations will still be here.

“We’re gonna be here long after President Trump, or whoever the President is, is gone. We’ve been here for 300 years as Native Americans, having relationships with the United States government to build government-to-government trust responsibilities,” Gonzales said.