OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The House Committee on Natural Resources held an oversight hearing titled “Examining 50 Years of the Indian Self-determination and Education Assistance Act in Indian Country” on April 4 in Oklahoma City. The field hearing highlighted positive impacts that the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance law (ISDEA), or Public Law 993-638, has had on Indian Country as a whole. Among the tribes represented at the hearing was the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, where MCN Principal Chief David Hill delivered testimony on how the law has shaped tribal policy.
Joining Chief Hill on the panel were Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton, and Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby. In addition to discussing self governance, the committee discussed food distribution, life expectancy rates, Medicaid cuts, Indian Education and emergency management.
ISDEA was enacted into law by Congress in 1975. According to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s website, ISDEA allows “Indian tribes to have greater autonomy and to have the opportunity to assume the responsibility for programs and services administered to them on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior through contractual agreements.” This law gave federally-recognized tribes the ability to direct federal funding to programs that they believe best serve their citizens and communities…