SC Alaska News

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, addressed the U.S. Senate floor concerning a letter she sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). In her letter, she urged OMB to issue a memorandum instructing federal agencies to ensure that Indian Tribes and their programs are not impacted by the implementation of Executive Orders and policies related to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and environmental justice.

Senator Murkowski requested that OMB provide a written response outlining any further actions planned to ensure that federal agencies recognize the unique status of Indian Tribes based on their political classification.

During her speech, Murkowski stated: “My colleagues know that I am Chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee... We have over one half of the Tribes in the United States, and so my responsibility to them as their federal representative is one that, again, I take very, very seriously."

She expressed concern over confusion caused by Executive Orders regarding whether Indian and Tribal programs were affected. "There has been a fair amount of confusion... when we are speaking about Indian Tribes and Tribal Programs and the federal funding that they receive, they do not fall into the category... of diversity, equity, and inclusion," Murkowski explained.

Murkowski highlighted actions taken by departments such as Interior and Health and Human Services to clarify this distinct legal relationship. "The Department of Interior moved very quickly to add clarification... I appreciated that very clear message coming out of DOI so early," she noted.

In addition to her remarks on her letter to OMB, Senator Murkowski introduced legislation to officially designate North America's highest mountain as Denali. This name was originally given by Alaska’s Koyukon Athabascans. The bill mandates that all references in U.S. laws or records use this name for the mountain.