The United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs has jurisdiction to study the unique problems of American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native peoples and to propose legislation to alleviate these difficulties. These issues include federal education trust responsibility. Additionally, all legislation proposed by Members of the Senate that specifically pertain to American Indians, Native Hawaiians, or Alaska Natives is under the jurisdiction of the committee.
The relationship is unique because Native Americans are considered citizens of both their sovereign tribal nations and the United States, creating a unique legal and political status as “domestic dependent nations”. This government-to-government relationship is defined by the Constitution, treaties, and statutes, giving tribes inherent sovereignty and unique rights that exist independently of race or ethnicity. The United States federal government has a trust responsibility to protect and support tribal nations and their citizens, which is upheld through treaties, statutes, and the provision of services by federal agencies like the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE).
The federal government has breached its trust responsibility to Haskell student beneficiaries as cited in the proposed Haskell Indian Nations University Improvement Act. The U.S. Bureau of Indian Education officials do not deny the abuse of power and mismanagement described in the 2024 congressional report. The BIE simply stonewalls data and inquiry from federal agencies. The BIA/BIE officials are unconcerned as they know Congress rarely upholds genuine federal trust responsibility to Indian beneficiaries.
In conformance with their respective duties and responsibilities Senator Jerry Moran, (R-Kan.) Senator Lisa Murkowski, (R-Alaska) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) have proposed legislation to alleviate unique problems pertaining to American Indians and Alaska Natives. Senator Moran has proposed the Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU)Improvement Act and Senator Murkowski and Senator Warren have proposed the Indian Boarding School Policies Act (S.,761) for Members of the Senate. The two bills are similar in context and purpose and should be considered companion bills for bipartisanship agreement. The two bills are good medicine.
‘The memories are in our blood’: Annual Walk remembers boarding school survivors, victims – ICT
In Jane Doe vs Haskell, and the Department of Interior the federal court ruled against the plaintiff Jane Doe citing Haskell sovereign immunity from damages. Jane Doe cited sexual abuse while a student at Haskell. The sexual abuse complaint was committed in Haskell dormitories. Haskell student Indian beneficiaries have no protection and are defenseless in an unsafe environment. The U S Bureau of Indian Education has turned a blind eye to the sexual abuse of Indian student beneficiaries at Haskell and is “severely dysfunctional” in a report by the congressional report of 2024. Today, the Haskell students are suffering from abuse of power as in the genocidal era of the Indian boarding school. Those who do not learn from History are doomed to repeat it.
The Haskell Indian Nations University is the flagship of Indian education. “Haskell should be a crown jewel for both Native Americans and Kansas, but far too long has been failed by the federal government” “For years, the U. S. Department of Interior and the Bureau of Indian Education has mismanaged the university, failed to comply with federal oversight and turned a blind eye to misconduct that has been detrimental to Haskell students” Tracey Mann (R-Kan) LJW December 23, 2024.
The Indian children interred in the Haskell cemetery matters and their lives and History of ordeal and trauma will not be in vain. https://youtu.be/lLRlQhLuoR4?si=qWAUZkSADsEQmR4L
The Haskell student Indian beneficiaries today suffer from the mismanagement of the BIE prompting the HINU Improvement Act. The past, present and the future are similar in context and purpose in the two proposed legislations of Senator Moran, Senator Murkowski and Senator Warren. The two proposed bills embrace the sacred Indian belief of “we’re all related”- “Always in our Hearts”. The two legislations are rooted in the Indian treaty supreme law of the land as found in the Constitution.
M’gwitch,
Steve Cadue
Kickapoo Nation Kansas
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