NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS
The National Congress of American Indians
Resolution #REN-08-026
TITLE: Support of S.1779: Tribal Health Promotion and Tribal Colleges and
Universities Advancement Act of 2007 (THE PATH)
EXECU T IV E C OMM ITT EE
P RESIDENT
Joe A. Garcia
Ohkay Owingeh
(Pueblo of San Juan)
F IRST
VICE - PRESIDENT
Jefferson Keel
Chickasaw Nation
R ECORDING S ECRETARY
W. Ron Allen
Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe
T REASURER
gaiashkibos
Lac Court Oreilles Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa Indians
REG ION A L V IC E-PRESID ENT S
ALASKA
Mike Williams
Yupiaq
E ASTERN O KLAHOMA
Joe Grayson, Jr.
Cherokee Nation
G REAT P LAINS
Ron His Horse Is Thunder
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
M IDWEST
Robert Chicks
Stockbridge-Munsee
N ORTHEAST
Randy Noka
Narragansett
WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians
of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and
purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent
sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and
agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are
entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States, to enlighten the public
toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values,
and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby
establish and submit the following resolution; and
WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was
established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American
Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and
WHEREAS, Tribal Colleges and Universities remain the most poorly funded
institutions of higher education in the United States, yet as engaged institutions, serve
as ideal catalysts of positive change in American Indian communities; and
WHEREAS, there is a dearth of American Indians in health care professions,
health promotion/disease prevention education and research programs; and
N ORTHWEST
Ernie Stensgar
Coeur d’Alene Tribe
P ACIFIC
Juana Majel
Pauma-Yuima Band of Mission Indians
R OCKY M OUNTAIN
WHEREAS, Tribal Colleges and Universities with nursing programs train
hundreds of students to hold critically needed professional and management positions
in the Indian Health Service, tribal health organizations, and private and community
agencies serving rural Indian populations; and
Willie Sharp, Jr.
Blackfeet Tribe
S OUTHEAST
Archie Lynch
Haliwa-Saponi
S OUTHERN P LAINS
Darrell Flyingman
Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes
S OUTHWEST
Derek Valdo
Pueblo of Acoma
WHEREAS, Tribal Colleges and Universities, despite a lack of sustained
funding, offer critically needed education and outreach programs, including
community health fairs; HIV-AIDs education programs; diabetes education programs;
nutritional and obesity programs, including community garden programs; substance
abuse prevention programs; youth-at-risk programs; parenting classes; child and elder
care services; and in some instances nursing, dental and paraprofessional training; and
W ESTERN
Alvin Moyle
Fallon Paiute-Shoshone
WHEREAS, due to a chronic lack of operational and targeted program
funding, together with the unwillingness of certain Federal agencies to recognize
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jacqueline Johnson
Tribal Colleges and Universities as valuable partners in addressing rural community
Tlingit
issues, including health care professional shortages, Tribal Colleges and Universities
NCAI HEADQUARTERS
have limited resources available to help adequately address the perennial health
1301 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 200
challenges of rural American Indian communities; and
Washington, DC 20036
202.466.7767
202.466.7797 fax
www.ncai.org
NCAI 2008 Mid-Year Session
Resolution REN-08-026
WHEREAS, a primary goal of providing federal support for higher education is to ensure
social and economic self-sufficiency and growth for all residents; and
WHEREAS, social and economic underdevelopment is the primary obstacle to the selfsufficiency of American Indians and their families; and
WHEREAS, research has demonstrated that higher education is a primary method of
achieving economic and social development for American Indian communities; and
WHEREAS, Tribal Colleges and Universities are institutions of higher education created
by American Indians for American Indians primarily on rural and isolated American Indian
reservations, which were virtually excluded from the general system of higher education in the
United States; and
WHEREAS, Tribal Colleges and Universities have been more successful than any other
institutions of higher education in educating and helping to retain American Indians in high-need
fields such as nursing and teaching; and
WHEREAS, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs reported S. 1779 on April 24, 2008,
incorporating the recommendations offered by several interested organizations.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the NCAI does hereby join other Indian
organizations, including National Indian Education Association (NIEA) and National Indian
Health Board (NIHB) in supporting S.1779 of the 110th Congress, to assist the nation’s Tribal
Colleges and Universities to advance their efforts to strengthen Indian communities through
health promotion and disease prevention education, training American Indian health care
professionals, and research and capacity building; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it
is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution; and this resolution shall be the policy of
NCAI until the final enactment of The Tribal Health Promotion and Tribal Colleges and
Universities Advancement Act.
CERTIFICATION
The foregoing resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at the 2008 Mid-Year Session of
the National Congress of American Indians, held at John Ascuaga’s Nugget Hotel and Casino in
Reno, Nevada on June 1-4, 2008, with a quorum present.
President
ATTEST:
Recording Secretary
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