The First Americans matter to Barack Obama

Perhaps more so than other populations, Native Americans are painfully aware of the need for change. Tribes have experienced firsthand the lack of progress under prior administrations. Learn about Obama’s policy initiatives supporting tribal peoples, to spread the word, and to involve your family, friends, and community. Together, we can bring in a new generation of politics – one based on respect, honor, and unity.

On January 22, 2008, Obama called on fellow Senators to pass the Indian Health Care Improvement Act bill swiftly:

“For more than fourteen years, Congress has failed to reauthorize the Indian Health Care Improvement Act and comprehensively modernize Native American health care services. This is unfair and unacceptable.

Today’s Native Americans are disproportionately suffering from debilitating illnesses, like diabetes, heart disease and stroke. The infant mortality rate is 150 percent higher for Native American infants than white infants, and the suicide rate for Native Americans is two and a half times the national rate. With these alarming statistics, improvements to Native American health care could not come at a more urgent time.”

Obama is an original cosponsor of the bill and had this to say:

“While the U.S. government has a responsibility to provide health care stemming from treaty obligations, it is also this country’s moral imperative to address the significant health care disparities between the Native American population and the American population as a whole. We must ensure our tribal health care programs are adequately prepared to provide preventative health care as well as treatment for substance and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and mental health issues. Native Americans also deserve the same high quality health care professionals that care for families throughout the country.”

Asked to clearly state his position on H.R. 2824, Representative Diane Watson’s bill to “…sever United States’ government relations with the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma…” Obama’s campaign issued the following statement:

“Tribal sovereignty must mean that the place to resolve inter-tribal disputes is the tribe itself. Our nation has learned with tragic results that federal intervention in internal matters of Indian tribes is rarely productive;failed policies such as Allotment and Termination grew out of efforts to second-guess Native communities. That is not a legacy we want to continue.“

With respect to the Cherokee Freedman issue, Senator Obama has stated that while he is opposed to unwarranted tribal dis-enrollment, congressional interference was not warranted at this point.

“Discrimination anywhere is intolerable, but the Cherokee are dealing with this issue in both tribal and federal courts. As it stands, the rights of the Cherokee Freedmen are not being abrogated because there is an injunction in place that ensures the Freedman’s rights to programs during the pendency of the litigation. I do not support efforts to undermine these legal processes and impose a congressional solution. Tribes have a right to be self governing and we need to respect that, even if we disagree, which I do in this case. We must have restraint in asserting federal power in such circumstances.”

Tribal leaders across the country have endorsed Barack and are contributing their thoughts and ideas to the campaign. Here is a list of the members of Barack’s ever growing Tribal Leaders Steering Committee. Barack Obama makes sense for First Americans. Senators Clinton and McCain’s websites have no specific links or information for Native American peoples or issues, while Senator Obama’s campaign has a main page link directly to his discussions of, and for, “First Americans,” where many of the preceding links lead. In fact, if Clinton and McCain have a Native American presence on their campaign teams, it is well hidden.

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