Requesting that the Federal programs in support of Indian Education administered by both the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the United States Department of Education

WHEREAS, the National, Indian Education Association (NIEA) was established in 1969 for the purpose of advocating, planning, and promoting the unique and special educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Natives an Native Hawaiians; and

WHEREAS, NIEA as the largest national Indian organization of American Indian, Alaska Native 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 Nai’ve people; and

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

WHEREAS, the Director of the Office of Management and budget (0MB) has directed federal agencies to prepare their FY 2003 budgets with a five (5) percent reduction from the FY 2002 requested levels, while at the same time directing them to provide the President’s policy initiatives through offsets from other programs; and

WHEREAS, it is clear that improvement of educational opportunity for disadvantaged youth is a major presidential initiative.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Indian Education Association hereby requests that the federal programs in support of Indian education, administered both by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the United States Department of Education, be exempt from the budget formulation instruction to reduce FY 2003 amounts by five (5) percent from the FY 2002 requested levels. Submitted by Raphael Martin, Navajo, Navajo Area School Board Association.

Submitted by: Raphael Martin, Tribal Affiliation: Navajo

CERTIFICATON

I do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly considered and passed by the NIEA Board of Directors at its October 28 – 31, 2001 meeting in Billings, Montana at which a quorum was present.