Past News Items

Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan today announced his intention to appoint Jana McKeag, a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, to the newly created National Indian Gaming Commission.

The greening of 9,320 acres of arid land in northwest New Mexico will be a part of the Navajo Indian Tribe's celebration of the American Bicentennial Year. Federal funds totaling $2 million have been made immediately available to assist with on-farm development costs to make possible a March 1976 beginning of operations for the Navajo Irrigation Project. The project will ultimately include more than 110,000 acres.

On behalf of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Indian Education, I extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the late-Senator John McCain’s family. We appreciate their selfless willingness to share his short time on this earth with us to make our Nation better. We will miss his voice, but his spirit will live with us forever.

Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan and Secretary of Agriculture Clayton Yeutter today directed federal officials to suppress all natural fires in national parks and wilderness areas until individual fire management plans for the areas are determined to be in compliance with new federal recommendations.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs Morris Thompson has appointed Phyllis Cross, a Mandan-Hidatsa, and Intergovernmental Relations Officer for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Her appointment was effective March 30.

Ms. Cross has been Special Assistant to the Regional Director for Indian Affairs, Region VIII, in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. She had previously served as Special Assistant to the Regional Director for the Regional Council.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke today announced that he has named John Tahsuda III, a member of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, as DOI’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs (PDAS). The appointment was effective September 3, 2017. The PDAS serves as the first assistant and principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs in the development and interpretation of policies affecting Indian Affairs bureaus, offices and programs.

The Cherokee Indian Tribe of Oklahoma and the Suquamish Tribe of Washington are the first recipients of grants awarded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs under a new economic development initiative started this year, Interior Assistant Secretary Ken Smith announced today. The initiative provides federal funding as seed money to attract private sector investments on reservations.

Proposed regulations to, govern the administration of Bureau of Indian Affairs adult education programs are being published in the Federal Register, Acting Deputy Commissioner Martin Seneca said today.

The proposed regulations provide a definition of the term "adult education" and give guidelines for the administration of funds and programs including the contracting of the programs.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, Deputy Secretary Mike Connor and other senior Interior Administration officials will embark on a two-week nationwide tour to highlight progress the nation has made during the last eight years to: protect our nation’s lands, waters and wildlife; restore the nation-to-nation relationship with Native Americans and Alaska Natives; engage the next generation; and invest in sound science to inform decisions related to energy development, conservation and our changing climate.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is publishing in the Federal Register October 14, a proposed rule to establish procedures for the preparation of a roll of Mohave Indian descendants enrolled as members of the Colorado River Indian Tribes. The Mohave Indians placed on this roll would share with the members of the Fort Mohave Indian Tribe an award of $468,358 from the Indian Claims Commission.