Authors: United States Senate

Publication Year: 2008

Journal: United States Congressional Library

Keywords: SCIA, Senate Committee of Indian Affairs, FY 2009, Federal responsibilities, trust responsibilities

Abstract:

This letter responds to your request for the Senate Indian Affairs Committee's views and estimates on the President's Fiscal Year 2009 budget request for Indian programs. This Committee shares the President's commitment to reducing the federal deficit and balancing the budget. However, the government-to-government relationship between the United States and Indian tribal governments and the federal trust responsibility require support adequately reflecting these obligations. Moreover, our oversight of conditions and issues facing Indian Country has enabled us also to see significant challenges. Many, if not most, American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments face inadequate access to health care, economic opportunity, education, housing, and law enforcement services, all key elements of healthy communities. Thus, we are concerned about the potential impact of the number of proposed reductions in or elimination of funding for certain Indian programs. We urge that the budget resolution instead provide funding over the budget request that will promote the well-being of whole Native American communities, particularly in the areas of health care, housing, public safety and justice, and education.

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