2009-13: NIEA to Insist that the DOI Establish without Delay to the New Negotiated Rulemaking Committee that is to Propose Recommendations Regarding Bureau-Funded School Facilities

WHEREAS, the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) was established in 1970 for the purpose of advocating, planning, and promoting the unique and special educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians; and

WHEREAS, NIEA as the largest national Indian organization of American Indian, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiian educators, administrators, parents and students in the United States, provides a forum to discuss and act upon issues affecting the education of Indian and Native people; and

WHEREAS, through its’ unique relationship with Indian nations and tribes, the federal government has established programs and resources to meet the educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Nativeand Native Hawaiians, residing on and off their reserved or non-reserved homelands; and

WHEREAS, in federal register publications on October 22, 2008 and again on January 9, 2009 the DOI informed the public of its intent to form a negotiated rulemaking committee to address construction of facilities and other facility functions; and

WHEREAS, the DOI was given the responsibility of forming this committee after concluding activities of the first negotiated rulemaking committee which was to publish the rules and regulation in April 2005; and

WHEREAS, the DOI has been “dragging its feet” for four years in establishing this committee;and

WHEREAS, Bureau-funded schools have suffered for the past four years in their attempts to deal with the BIE or BIA in regards to facilities and construction.

Now therefore be it resolved that the National Indian Education Association reaffirms its support of Bureau-Funded schools in insisting that the DOI establishes the new negotiated rulemaking committee without further delay.