Obama Proposes $2.6 billion for Indian Country in FY 2015 Budget

Ever wonder why some Native American tribes don't just tell the feds to stick it and run their own show?  I think this Interior press release on the FY 2015 budget proposal explains the biggest reason:  $2.6 billion a year to BIA, and that doesn't include other federal programs.  Here's how Indian Country Today reported on the budget:

The 2015 budget request represents an increase of 2.4 percent from 2014 or $33.6 million dollars to support Indian country initiatives such as land and water conservation, strengthening tribal nation relations, renewable energy development and expanding employment opportunities for Native youth.  Specific initiatives in the budget geared toward strengthening tribal nations include a $34 million dollar increase from 2014. These monies provide support to fund social services, economic development, sustainable stewardship of natural resources and community safety in Indian country. The budget also includes directives to improve educational outcomes in Indian country by providing $79 million for elementary, secondary and post-secondary education programs. The increases are $46 million in 2015 to support the Bureau of Indian Education and its associated programs. Improving and increasing access to health care in communities includes $4.6 billion for Indian Health Service (IHS) with an additional Opportunity, Growth and Security Initiative that includes an additional $200 million for the construction of IHS health care facilities. There will also be a $5.23 billion budget over the next 10 years to support the training of 13,000 new residents in a medical education program that incentivizes physician training; $3.95 billion will be budgeted over the next six years to scale up the National Health Services Corps to place 15,000 health care providers annually in the areas that need them most. Additional budgeted monies include non-specified resources to support the Affordable Health Care act, $650 million for the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Native American Housing Block Grant program, $395 million for Department of Justice (DOJ) public safety initiatives in Indian country and $352 million for Public Safety and Justice programs funded by the BIA.

Water is always important in the southwest, and all four of the budget breakouts in the press release involve NM.

The FY 2015 budget affirms the Administration’s commitment to address tribal water rights and needs in Indian Country, and includes $12.3 million in increases for the implementation of Indian land and water rights settlements across DOI.  The FY 2015 budget request for Indian Land and Water Claim Settlements funded through the BIA is $35.7 million, equal with the FY 2014 enacted level, and includes

$4.0 million for the Navajo Water Resources Development Trust Fund , a reduction of $2.0 million, reflecting projected need

An increase of $6.6 million over 2014 for the Taos Pueblo Water Settlement to include

indexing requirements

An increase of $1.2 million for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project to meet projected

2015 funding needs, and

$6.2 million for first-year funding of the Aamodt Settlement enacted as part of the Claims Resolution Act of 2010