Good Morning NUNAverse,
On Thursday, the United States Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in higher education institutions, ruling on admissions practices at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. Using the 14th Amendment as the basis of his argument, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the two universities’ programs “violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment,” in his 6-3 majority opinion on both cases.
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Tulsa lacks the jurisdiction to prosecute a Native man cited by police for speeding because the city is located within the boundaries of a reservation. The court rejected the city’s argument that the Curtis Act, an 1898 federal law passed before Oklahoma became a state, gave the city jurisdiction over municipal violations committed by Native peoples.
Last week, the Justice Department announced the opening of the application period for federally recognized tribes and intertribal consortia to participate in the Tribal Access Program (TAP) for National Crime Information, which improves public safety by providing federally recognized tribes the ability to access and exchange data with national crime information databases for authorized criminal justice and non-criminal justice purposes, such as the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that over $278 million in funding to improve access to safe and reliable drinking water and wastewater services has been granted to Indian Country. The funding will help tribes and Alaska Native Villages make significant investments in water infrastructure improvements to advance public health protections by improving compliance with existing water regulations, identifying, and replacing lead service lines, and addressing harmful emerging contaminants in drinking water and wastewater, such as per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS).
The Indian Health Service (IHS) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have launched an interagency map application to increase access to health care and other essential services for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) veterans. The interactive map application, Find Health Care & Resources for Native Veterans, is located on the IHS website and integrates location-based data from 41 urban Indian organizations with 82 locations and 1,500 VA healthcare facilities.
Keep reading for a full news update.
Law:
U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Affirmative Action: Native American Education Organizations React
Native News Online, Levi Rickert, June 30
Oklahoma Tribes Applaud 10th Circuit Decision To Uphold Tribal Sovereignty
Native News Online, Levi Rickert, June 29
Court Says Tulsa Can’t Give A Choctaw Man A Ticket Because The Oklahoma City Is On Reservation Land
AP News, Sean Murphy, June 29
Justice Department Opens Application Period For Program To Enhance Tribal Access To National Crime Information Databases
Justice Department, June 29
Tulsa Lacks Jurisdiction Over Native Americans’ Traffic Tickets
Bloomberg Law, Bernie Pazanowski, June 28
Maine House, Senate Pass Landmark Legislation To Include Wabanaki In Federal Indian Laws
Native News Online, Evan Popp, June 27
MMIW:
What Will It Really Take To Address The Crisis Of Missing And Murdered Native Americans?
Yahoo Finance, Sage Howard, June 30
US Commits More Lawyers To Address Native American Disappearances And Killings
AP News, Susan Montoya Bryan, June 28
Native Mascots:
‘Tone-Deaf’ On Commanders? Baseball Star With Native American Tie ‘shocked’ At Change
Sports Illustrated, Drake Toll, July 2
Health:
Navajo Nation Helps Native Americans Targeted By ‘Fraudulent Medicaid Providers’
CNN, Justin Gamble, June 29
IHS And The VA Launch New App To Help Native American Veterans
Native News Online, Kaily Berg, June 28
Other:
EPA Announces $278 Million Funding To Improve Drinking Water For Tribes
Native News Online, Levi Rickert, June 28
DOE Announces $8m For Native Programs, Language In Schools
Native News Online, Kaili Berg, June 26