Modernization key to BIA meeting

By John Christian Hopkins
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK – Navajo Speaker Lawrence T. Morgan was among the tribal leaders who gathered in Polson , Mont. , last week for a Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Budget Advisory Meeting.

The key word seemed to be: modernization.
The BIA can deliver better services to the tribes through modernization, Assistant Secretary of Interior Carl Artman said.

Modernization means letting tribes identify their programs of need through regional input, Artman explained. Once these positions have been made, the bureau can respond to this list, he said.

This change is meant to encourage bureau involvement for the more than 500 federally recognized Native American tribes.

“Modernization appears not just at the central level (BIA headquarters), we have to modernize everything, such as how this perspective impacts the land and its people,” Morgan said. He pointed out that any approach enacted by the BIA affects all facets of a tribal community.

Morgan was joined by other tribal leaders from around Indian County to contemplate federal funding levels and related issues affecting tribes. Specifically, some of the issues raised at this meeting were financial support for public safety, education, economic development/community development, natural resources.

These services will be revisited by tribal leaders at regional service areas to refine federal funding levels.

Morgan had questions for Artman’s proposal, saying “modernization, as you stated, is broad sweeping.”

The BIA also needs to consider the changes occurring within the Indian nations, such as population.

“Currently, we (Navajo) are operating on limited resources while our population outpaces the resources you provide us,” Morgan said.

Other issues covered at this session were a review of the Fiscal Year 2008 Federal Budget and the congressional timeline.  Currently, this budgetary process is ongoing and will be refining as the budget cycle continues.