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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2014)
SILETZ NewS Delores Pigsley, Tribal Chairman Brenda Bremner, General Manager and Editor-in-Chief Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians Vol. 42, No. 4 Siletz News Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380-0549 April 2014 Presorted First-Class Mail U.S. Postage Paid - Permit No. 178 Salem, OR Courtesy photo by Alicia Keene Maddy Metcalf puts up a shot during a game in the 4 th -6 th grade division during the Siletz Community Coed Basketball Tournament in March. See more photos, including those of the champion and runner-up teams, on page 10. President’s Indian Affairs budget request includes Tribal consultation; promotes strong Tribal economies, communities and families WASHINGTON – President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2015 budget request for Indian Affairs, which includes the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), is $2.6 billion – a $33.6 million increase above the FY 2014 enacted level. Informed by consultation with Tribes and reflective of Tribal priorities, Inte- rior’s 2015 budget continues the focus on improved self-determination for Tribal nations, safety of Indian communities, trust resource management and post-secondary, elementary and secondary education. Among the major highlights, the bud- get proposal fully funds contract support costs that Tribes incur as managers of programs serving American Indians and proposes a new Tiwahe Initiative, which integrates social services and job training programs to address the interrelated issues of poverty and child and family welfare. The President’s Opportunity, Growth and Security Initiative would further invest in economic development and education in Indian Country to promote strong, resil- ient Tribal economies and dramatically improve educational opportunities. Strengthening Tribal Nations Initiative The Strengthening Tribal Nations Initiative is one of the Department of the Interior’s key priorities. The FY 2015 request includes $26.5 million in pro- gram increases for four areas: Advancing Nation-to-Nation Relationships, Support- ing Indian Families and Protecting Indian Country, Supporting Sustainable Steward- ship of Trust Resources and Advancing Indian Education. The request also proposes a total of $922.6 million in Tribal Priority Alloca- tions, an increase of $19.3 million over the FY 2014 enacted level. Advancing Nation-to-Nation Relationships The FY 2015 budget request for Contract Support, including the Indian Self-Determination Fund, is $251 mil- lion, a $4 million increase over the FY 2014 enacted level. The FY 2015 budget request fully funds estimated 2015 con- tract support costs. Public Law 93-638, the Indian Self- Determination and Education Assistance Act, allows federally recognized Tribes to operate federal programs themselves under contract with the United States. Tribes rely on contract support funds to pay the costs of administering and managing contracted programs. The avail- ability of contract support cost funding is a key factor in a Tribe’s decision and abil- ity to assume responsibility for operating federal programs. To facilitate Tribal 638 contracting, the request includes an additional $1.2 million to increase services provided by the depart- ment’s Office of Indirect Cost Negotia- tions, which negotiates indirect cost rates with non-federal entities, including Tribal governments, that contract with Interior in accordance with federal regulations. To further enhance the nation-to-nation relationship, Indian Affairs continues its comprehensive look at federal acknowl- edgment regulations with the intent of publishing a proposed rule in 2014. The FY 2015 budget also proposes language to clarify the Secretary of the Interior’s authority to take land into trust and to amend the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 to reduce significant delays in processing fee-to-trust applications. Supporting Indian Families and Protecting Indian Country The FY 2015 budget proposes an $11.6 million increase for the Tiwahe Initiative. Tiwahe is Lakota for “family.” The initiative provides a comprehen- sive and integrated approach to address the interrelated problems of poverty, violence and substance abuse in Ameri- can Indian communities. Through this initiative, social services and job training programs will be integrated and expanded to address child and family welfare, job training and incarceration issues, with the goal of promoting family stability and strengthening Tribal communities. The BIA’s Housing Improvement Program will continue to provide services that result in more functional dwellings and institute changes to alleviate over- crowding in Indian homes. See Budget on page 19.
