IFC INL 1-83, Summer 2007 INDIAN I A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS MAKES BIG DIFFERENCE IN INDIAN COUNTRY ^ Although budgets for programs affecting tribal to receive the funds necessary for significant change in communities and Alaska Native villages are Indian communities and Alaska Native villages. i not being doubled, some members of the 110th I Congress are recognizing the need for increased Reports^ Events Reveal Tremendous Needs j funding for these programs. In a markup session. House Appropriations Committee Chair David Adequate funding is crucial to address pressing prob¬ i Obey (WI) characterized the perennial low fund¬ lems such as those confronting the mentally ill, vul¬ ing of Indian health programs as “an absolute nerable women, and victims of crime. Too often, little national disgrace and a moral abomination.” attention means little funding. ''The low funding of Indian health programs is "an Rape: An Amnesty International report found that absolute national disgrace and a moral abomination. ” native women are 2.5 times more likely to be raped or —Rep. David Obey (WI) sexually assaulted than females in the U.S. in general, and are often assaulted by non-native men. In Alaska, New leaders in Congress have advocated for slight “there may not be a law enforcement official to report but essential increases for social services, cultural a crime to, and women from isolated villages may not retention programs, housing, and education. As part have the means to travel to a town,” the report noted. of the Older Americans Act, the native caregiver sup¬ A third of native villages that are inaccessible by road port program could receive a 3 percent increase over have no police presence. the current funding level. As part of the Health and Human Services Department budget, the native lan¬ guage preservation education bill, passed last year, "Why is it that Paris Hilton gets 24/7 news coverage, could receive $3 million in implementation money. and a report documenting an epidemic of sexual vio¬ lence on Indian reservations is barely mentioned and The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a $3 gets no follow-up?” million increase for the Indian Housing Block Grant —Paul Charlton, former U.S. Attorney, and a $5 million increase for 25 reservation-based commenting on the Amnesty report tribal colleges and universities. Overall, the House Appropriations Committee has approved an increase Suicide: In March, the president of the Rosebud of $39 million for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and reservation in South Dakota declared a state of emer¬ $204 million for the Indian Health Service over cur¬ gency over native youth suicide. In a reservation popu¬ rent funding levels. lation of 13,000, more than 240 suicide attempts and six deaths occurred during 2006 and 2007. No proposed funding increase will be secure until House and Senate appropriators meet in conference to Adequate appropriations will make a big difference in reconcile differences in their separate bills. Your con¬ many areas and, if the present momentum continues, tinued advocacy is still important if these programs are some additional money may be forthcoming. ■ Page 2 FCNL Indian Report, Summer 2007 INSIDE SCOOP ON INDIAN HOUSING; AN INTERVIEW WITH A MAJOR HOUSING ADVOCATE Wendy Helgemo (Ho-Chunk) is the director of govern¬ strated resourcefulness in their ability to resolve housing mental affairs at the National American Indian Housing needs with limited resources. They have been able to use Council, a non-profit organization that provides techni¬ federal money to leverage funds with private developers cal assistance to tribal housing authorities and assists its and to develop housing projects such as elder care and members in reaching their goals of providing decent, assisted living. safe, sanitary, and affordable housing in Indian commu¬ nities and Alaska Native villages. She brings a voice on However, relative to most communities, native communi¬ American Indian housing issues to Congress and to the ties still deal with housing crises, especially in remote Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) areas. In tribal areas, 14.7% of homes are overcrowded which administers the programs. FCNL legislative compared to 5.7% of the general population. In our cul¬ assistant Liz Welton interviewed her for FCNL’s Indian ture, people won’t turn their relatives out into the streets, Report. so approximately 90,000 families are under-housed. Also, the home ownership rate on reservations is only FCNL: How do housing problems ajfect the quality of 41%, compared with a U.S. average of 70%. life for low income reservation families? FCNL: The Native American Housing and Self- Wendy Helgemo: If you don’t have clean water, there can Determination Act (NAHASDA), which passed in 1996, be gastrointestinal disorders. If you don’t have a safe or is up for reauthorization this year. Why is reauthoriza¬ adequate kitchen, you won’t cook and it will keep you tion so essential? from having a good diet. If your home is overcrowded, (continued on page 3) children won’t be able to sleep or study. This spills over into performance in school. If you have conditions of People Living in Inadequate Housing impoverishment, they can exacerbate other problems such as domestic violence, child abuse, and substance abuse. 60 General U.S. Public FCNL: How does Indian housing and infrastructure On Reservations compare with the rest of the nation? Despite a $6 hillion federal investment in the past decade, the situation still 50 Alaska, Arizona, and appears dire. Ne\w Mexico with high native populations Wendy Helgemo: The state of Indian housing has 40 improved. Tribes have made great progress and demon- _o Z3 o. The Indian Report is a publication of the Friends Committee on o National Legislation (FCNL). FCNL policy emphasizes upholding Q_ treaty rights, insuring the fulfilment of the federal trust responsibility, 30 ^ and assuring the right of Native American communities to self- determination. We seek to be guided by the views of Indian tribes, communities and organizations across the country. Author: Pat Powers, Liz Welton 03 Editor: Liz Hofmeister Q_ 20 -j Production/circulation: Caroline Anderson Desktop publishing: Carole Thieme Friends Committee on National Legislation 245 Second Street NE 10 Washington, DC 20002-5795 phone: 202-547-6000 • 800-630-1330 • fax: 202-547-6019 Legislative Action Message: 202-547-4343 email: [email protected] O web site: www.fcnl.org Printed on recycled paper with soy-based ink. 0 Produced using 100% wind power energy. Source: National American Indian Housing Council FCNL Indian Report, Summer 2007 Page 3 (continued from page 2) Community Opportunity is headed by Maxine Waters (CA), another strong advocate. We testified before that Wendy Helgemo: In exchange for land, the U.S. signed subcommittee in June. The chief sponsor of the bill is treaties with Indian tribes which obligate the govern¬ Dale Kildee (MI), who also is co-chair of the Native ment to provide housing, health, and education programs American Caucus. Rep. Kildee introduced the bill in for our people. NAHASDA is a block grant program the House on June 20 and it passed out of the Financial that carries out this federal trust responsibility. The Act Services Committee on June 26. ties together housing programs with banking, finance, mortgage, and economic development programs. It also In the Senate, Byron Dorgan (ND), who chairs the encourages tribes to design their own housing programs Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA), held a according to unique local circumstances. hearing on reauthorizing NAHASDA on July 19. The Banking and Urban Affairs Committee, which defers a We are now 11 years into the law which needs great deal to the SCIA, must also approve the bill before amendments to create more flexibility for tribes to it goes to the floor. administer their programs and to provide consistency across the nation. Programs need updating to allow for FCNL: What role can non-natives play in seeing that greater effectiveness. reauthorization is passed this year? Before NAHASDA, typically about 2,000 homes were Wendy Helgemo: Now is the time to start letting mem¬ built annually in poverty stricken parts of Indian Country. bers of Congress know that you expect to see this bill In the first year following the statute’s enactment in 1996, reauthorized. Non-natives can play an important role: 6,000 units were built. Some 60,000 families have been particularly those who live in districts and states where helped with rental and payment assistance, as well as tribes are not represented. Communications from constit¬ home rehabilitation and construction over the last decade. uents that say “I support this legislation and 1 ask you to as well” are important. Help us get housing on Congress’ radar screen. FCNL: What changes to NAHASDA would resolve problems? We ask the faith community to stand with tribes on these legal obligations. It is a moral and faith issue to ensure Wendy Helgemo: Housing needs in Utah are different that impoverished communities have safe and adequate than in Alaska. By shifting key decisions away from housing. ■ HUD, tribes and Alaska villages can become more self- sufficient housing providers. Another needed change relates to the old public housing laws. For example, housing authorities are not allowed to charge low-income Stay Informed on Native American Issues folks more than 30% of their income for rent. This means 85% of staff time goes to tracking down income The Indian Report, now published three times a year, information, even though most Indian individuals are provides analyses of Native American issues before actually spending only 10%-15% of their income on rent. Congress. You can also keep up to date by: This administrative burden means less attention is given to homebuyer education and counseling. ■ Finding more background on our website, www.fcnl.org, by clicking on Native American. FCNL: Where does reauthorization of NAHASDA stand in Congress? Who supports better Indian housing? ■ Receiving FCNL’s periodic Native American Legislative Update (NALU) by email. Sign up at Wendy Helgemo: We have allies on both sides of the www.fcnl.org/nativeam. aisle. The House Financial Services Committee has jurisdiction, which is fortunate because some key cham¬ Your donation to FCNL helps continue our Native pions of affordable and low-income housing sit on that American Advocacy Program. For information on committee. Chairman Barney Frank (MA) has been contributing, contact: [email protected]. very supportive. The subcommittee on Housing and Friends Committee on National Legislation Non-Profit Org. Reprinting Indian Report Items U.S. Postage 245 Second Street, NE PAID We encourage our readers to copy Wa.shington, DC 20002-5795 Permit #1400 and distribute items from FCNL’s Silver Spring MD Address Service Requested Indian Report. When doing so, please include the following credit; 1-83, Summer 2007 “Reprinted from the Indian Report, [issue #, quarter and year] pub¬ lished by the Friends Committee on National Legislation.” We would very much appreciate your sending us a copy with a brief note indicating how/where the item was used and the approximate num¬ ber of copies distributed. FATHER LAUDS WAYS TO HELP DISCOURAGED YOUTH My Lakota name is Wazi Hanska; I am known as the violin in the school orchestra. We did not have Robert Cook. I am a high school teacher. the money to purchase a $500 violin. I contacted the JOM office in town and they provided half of the In the words of past National Indian Education money to help us purchase his first violin. Today in Association President Ryan Wilson, “there are chil¬ his fourth year of orchestra we proudly watched him dren who instead of reaching for a book are reaching perform Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 during for their first taste of alcohol. Instead of raising their the School District’s Spring Orchestra Concert. hand to ask for help or ask questions in the classroom, they are instead raising it to smoke pot, crack or meth Last year, my wife’s younger brother was killed in a for the first time. ” Why are they making these terrible car accident and just two weeks later, a close family choices? Unfortunately through their own eyes, they see friend’s son was killed by a sniper in Fallujah. Lamont no future, no hope, crushed dreams, lost identity and learned to play Amazing Grace on his violin and sang broken spirits. This sense of nothingness must end. the verses in our language of Lakota during the wakes and funeral of our loved ones. My wife and I were so Robert Cook was speaking to a group of fellow educa¬ proud of him. tors in South Dakota about President Bush’s repeated proposal to end an educational enrichment program Native families value programs that enhance the well¬ for disadvantaged Indian youth, known as the Johnson being of vulnerable youth and encourage them to stay O’Malley (JOM) program. Since 1934, this program in school. The Indian Report thanks Robert Cook of has provided equipment such as eyeglasses, books, South Dakota for sharing his positive experience. computers, and caps and gowns; extracurricular activi¬ ties such as museum excursions; and money for college Action Needed: JOM funds reached a high of $24 prep courses, testing fees, and visits to campuses. The million in fiscal year 1994. Since then funding has program can also pay for native-language tutors. The dropped and now hovers around $16 million. Ask your program is overseen federally by the Bureau of Indian senators to support funding of at least $16.5 million for Education and managed locally by tribes and Indian the Johnson O’Malley education assistance grants in communities. the conference committee on the FY 2008 Department of Interior appropriations bill. ■ Real Life Benefits Robert Cook continues: When my wife and I decided ^ HONOR THE PROMISES to move to Rapid City in 2003, our oldest son Lamont, who was a fourth grader at the time, wanted to play 9 *y I •* . ■ i - I