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 GENERAL TOPICS IN AMERICAN INDIAN

CodeTalk
Code Talk is a federal inter-agency Native American website designed specifically to deliver electronic information from government agencies and other organizations to Native American communities. Code Talk is hosted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Native American Programs. The site contains links to key topics of interest such as the environment, health, and housing. It also provides links to resources such as maps, training centers, and libraries. A calender of events is also provided. 

Bureau of Indian Affairs
BIA, an agency of the Department of the Interior, is responsible for program administration for federally recognized Indian tribes, and for promoting Indian self-determination. BIA also has a trust responsibility emanating from treaties and other agreements with Native groups. Their WWW site includes a map of judically established Indian land areas and a tribal leaders list, as well as links to other American Indian websites. Please note: "Access to the DOI website has been restricted in compliance with a court order. Select DOI webpages will be made available to the public through a private internet service provider." 

  • Office of Indian Education Programs
    OIEP provides quality education opportunities from early childhood throughout life in accordance with the Tribe's needs for cultural and economic well-being in keeping with the wide diversity of Indian Tribes and Alaska Native villages as distinct cultural and governmental entities.

Department of the Interior
The Department of the Interior is the nation's principal conservation agency. It protects America's treasures for future generations and provides access to the nation's natural and cultural heritage.

Department of Health and Human Services
This is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services.

  • Administration for Native Americans
    Part of the Administration For Children and Families, the Administration for Native Americans promotes the goal of social and economic self-sufficiency of American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Native American Pacific Islanders, including Native Samoans. The website provides information about programs, reports, application kits, and links to related sites.
  • Indian Health Service
    The Indian Health Services, an agency within the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, is the principal federal health care provider and health advocate for Indian people. Its goal is to assure that comprehensive, culturally acceptable personal and public health services are available and accessible to American Indian and Alaska Native people. The site includes links to area offices, medical programs, and information technology resources.
  • Division of Tribal Services
    Part of the Office of Community Services, the Division of Tribal Services is responsible for two programs: Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the Native Employment Works Program (NEW). The website includes information concerning these two programs as well as links to related sites. It also assists in issues relating to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, P.L. 104-193 (the Act) and related legislation. 
  • Administration on Aging Programs and Resources for Native American Elders
    This website contains links to information on issues of concern to older Native Americans.
  • Office of Minority Health
    The mission of the Office of Minority Health is to improve the health of Native American and Alaska Natives and other racial and ethnic populations through the development of effective health policies and programs that help to eliminate disparities in health. The website offers access to reports, publications, statistics, and links to other health related websites.

Division of Indian & Native American Programs
Sponsored by the Employment & Training Administration of the Department of Labor, this website has been designed to provide general information about the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), Section 166 Indian and Native American Program, to enrich the lives of Indian and Native Americans, and to help them achieve economic self-sufficiency through employment and job training.

Department of Housing and Urban Development
HUD’s mission is to work toward a decent, safe, and sanitary home and suitable living environment for every American. 

  • Native Americans
    Includes links for basic homebuyers, fair housing, and housing counseling, as well as links to other Native American federal programs and non-profit sites.
  • NAHASDA - Indian Housing Plan Homepage
    This is the Office of Native American Program's official site for Indian Housing Plan Submissions and Status Tracking. It contains the text of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 and related regulations, as well as, access to all publically available compliant plans. Part of this site is restricted to recipients.
  • Northwest Office of Native American Programs (NWONAP)
    This site includes a staff directory and links to Northwest Tribes and Housing Authorities.
  • Southern Plains Office of Native American Programs (SPONAP)
    This site includes a staff directory and links to Southern Plains Tribes and Housing Authorities.
  • Alaska Office of Native American Programs
    This site includes a staff directory and links to other documents.
  • Northern Plains Office of Native American Programs (NPONAP)
    This website contains a staff directory and listing of Northern Plains housing entities.
  • The Eastern/Woodlands Office of Native American Programs
    The website offers a staff directory, contact information for designated housing entities and a listing of program activities.
  • Native eDGE(Native economic Development Guidance and Empowerment.
    Native eDGE is an interagency initiative of the Federal Government to facilitate sustainable economic development within American Indian and Alaska Native communities. eDGE includes a a telephone call center, a publications clearinghouse, website, and a technical assistance information center. The website links seventeen federal agencies, educational institutions, and organizations through a single portal so that tribes, Native Americans, lending institutions, and private businesses can collaborate to promote economic growth. This website provides access to information about Federal and non-Federal grants, loans, loan guarantees, and technical assistance.

National Park Service
The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. ParkNet, the NPS website, provides information about the history, culture and natural resources of the various national parks. 

  • Tribal Preservation Program
    The Tribal Preservation Program assists Indian tribes in preserving their historic properties and cultural traditions. The site includes information about grants, funding, training programs, and offers links to tribal websites. Tribal Historic Preservation Offices displays contact information.  
  • The National NAGPRA Program
    The National NAGPRA Program focuses on Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) implementation outside of the National Park System. It develops regulations and guidance for implementing NAGPRA, provides NAGPRA training, and manages NAGPRA grants. The website provides access to the National NAGPRA Update newsletter, text of the Act, Congressional reports and regulations from the CFR, and notices of intent to repatriate remains. The National NAGPRA Database contains documents related to guidance and compliance with NAGPRA. The Native American Consultation Database(NACD)is a resource for identifying tribal leaders and current contacts for each Indian tribe, Alaska Native corporation, and Native Hawaiian organization. There is also a collection of documents regarding the Kennewick Man, a 9,000-year-old skeleton discovered in 1996 in Kennewick, Washington.
  • National Archeological Database
    The Center For Advanced Spatial Technologies (CAST) hosts the NADB Online System under a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service. The site includes a bibliographic inventory of approximately 240,000 reports on archeological planning and investigation and a variety of maps showing national distributions of cultural and environmental resources across the United States.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency safeguards the natural environment - air, water, and land. Sites of interest to Native Americans include:

  • Waste Management in Indian Country
    Information on waste management including financing, regulations, guidance, tribal programs, and links to other resources can be found at this site.
  • American Indian Environmental Office
    The American Indian Environmental Office (AIEO) coordinates and oversees the development and implementation of environmental protection policies and programs in Indian Country. Information about programs, policies, laws, regulations, publications, tribal contacts and grants can be found at this website.
  • TribalAIR
    The TribalAIR website is designed to strenghten EPA and Tribal air quality programs in Indian Country by providing timely and user-friendly access to key information and making available relevant documents. It provides access to the Tribal Air Newsletter, announcements, air programs, tribal policies, and more.
  • State, Local, and Tribal Environmental (SLATE) Networks
    This website provides links to grants and fellowship information, legislation and regulation, environmental topics, contact information, and tribal links.

Bureau of the Census
The U.S. Census Bureau offers statistics on Native American businesses, geographic area programs, population, tribal governments and much more.

American Indian Reservations and Trust Areas
The American Indian Reservations and Indian Trust Areas is a report of the Economic Development Administration of the Department of Commerce. This compendium of information about the economic infrastructure of these areas is arranged geographically and includes maps and background information about each area.

The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress, the nation's oldest federal cultural institution, is the research arm of Congress. It's mission is to make its resources available and useful to Congress and the American people and to sustain and preserve a universal collection of knowledge and creativity for future generations.

  • American Memory: Historical Collections for the National Digital Library
    American Memory is a gateway to rich primary source materials relating to the history and culture of the United States. The website can be searched by key word or collection to find documents, films, photographs, sound recordings, and maps.
  • Edward S. Curtis's The North American Indian
    Edward S. Curtis's The North American Indian is "one of the most significant and controversial representations of traditional American Indian culture ever produced." The twenty volume set, covering eighty tribes, was issued from 1907-1930. The set is part of the Library of Congress American Memory Historical Collections for the National Digital Library. The volumes are organized by tribes and culture areas encompassing the Great Plains, Great Basin, Plateau Region, Southwest, California, Pacific Northwest, and Alaska. The collection contains over 2000 illustrations and can be searched by keyword or browsed by subject, Native American tribe, geographic location, or volume. 

National Museum of the American Indian
The National Museum of the American Indian, established by Congress in 1989, is dedicated to the preservation, exhibition and study of the life and culture of Native Americans. It is one of the museums of the Smithsonian Institution, an independent trust of the United States. The website offers information about exhibits, events, educational programs, and has extensive links to other resources related to Native Americans.

Office of Native American Affairs
The office of Native American Affairs, an office of the Small Business Adminstration, provides information for business development and administers the Tribal Business Information Centers project. The Tribal Business Information Centers provide "culturally-tailored" business development assistance to current and prospective small business owners.

National Archives and Records Administration
NARA is an independent federal agency that preserves the nation's history by overseeing the management of all federal records. Search the Archival Research Catalog to locate and retrieve digital copies of selected textual documents, photographs, maps, and sound recordings relating to Native Americans. 

General Accounting Office
Search GAO's databases to find reports and testimony evaluating government programs and activities for Native American housing, job training, health care, and more. 

The Department of Defense's Native American Environmental Tracking System (NAETS)
The Department of Defense has conducted military activities on tribal lands which impacted Native American health and safety, as well as tribal economic, social, and cultural welfare. The Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Environmental Security)/Environmental Quality developed this system to track and maintain information on past, present, and future Department of Defense activities at these tribal land sites.

USDA APHIS Native American Working Group
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), part of the United States Department of Agriculture provides leadership in ensuring the health and care of animals and plants, improving agricultural productivity and competitiveness, and contributing to the national economy and the public health. The Native American Working Group advises APHIS about ways to enhance program delivery and accessibility to tribes and facilitates the coordination of active partnerships with tribal governments. Information about animal care, veterinary services, and wildlife services can be found at this website. A list of Native American Working Group activities by state is also included.

Office of Indian Education
The Office of Indian Education, part of the Department of Education, supports the efforts of local educational agencies, Indian tribes and organizations, postsecondary institutions, and other entities to meet the unique educational and culturally related academic needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives. The website includes news and events, publications and resources, programs, and legislation.

Department of Energy
The Department of Energy's overarching mission is enhancing national security through four principal program lines: nuclear, energy, environment, and science.

  • American Indian Issues Points of Contact
    The Indian Issues Points of Contact Infocenter on the Internet contains resources to promote the distribution of DOE news and information to Native American tribes and tribal entities. The website contains information about federal Indian policies, Indian organizations, and news items.
  • Indian Nations Program
    The Indian Nations Program, part of the Department of Energy Richland Operations Office was established in 1991 to help facilitate appropriate government-to-government interactions on the many issues potentially affecting tribal interests at the Hanford Site near Richland, Washington. The Hanford Site was used to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons, but now it is the site of the "world's largest environmental cleanup project." The webpage contains program and policy information, list of tribes involved in the project, and related websites.

FCC's Tribal Homepage
The FCC's Tribal Homepage is a resource for tribal governments, organizations and consumers in expanding telecommunications services in Indian Country. The website provides information about Indian Telecommunications Initiatives, tower and antenna sitings, and tribal lands and auctions.

National Indian Gaming Commission
The National Indian Gaming Commission, an independent federal regulatory agency, regulates gaming activities on Indian lands for the purpose of shielding Indian tribes from organized crime and other corrupting influences; ensures that Indian tribes are the primary beneficiaries of gaming revenue; and assures that gaming is conducted fairly and honestly by both operators and players. The website includes information about gaming tribes, gaming revenue, gaming laws and regulations, compliance reports, classification opinions, and much more.

Laws, Legislation, and Regulations on Native American Affairs

The United States Code is prepared and published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives. It contains the codified general and permanent laws of the United States. Title 25 is the primary volume pertaining to Indians. References to Indians can also be found in other U.S. Code titles. 

The Federal Register is the official daily publication for Rules, Proposed Rules, and Notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as Executive Orders and other Presidential Documents. Volumes from 1994 to the current volume are available online.

The Code of Federal Regulations is a codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the Executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government. Title 25, Indians, contains the regulations regarding Native Americans and Native American affairs. Volumes from 1996 to the current edition are available online.

Department of Justice
The mission of the Department of Justice is "to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law." 

  • Office of Tribal Justice
    The Office of Tribal Justice serves as a coordination center for all Department of Justice activities relating to Native Americans. The website contains information about the Office of Tribal Justice and links to other Native American Resources.
  • American Indian & Alaska Native Affairs
    The American Indian and Alaska Native Affairs Desk has been established to provide access to information regarding funding opportunities, training and technical assistance, and other information relevant to American Indian and Alaska Native tribes.

THOMAS: Legislative Information on the Internet
THOMAS, launched by the Library of Congress in 1995, offers full text of bills, bill status, public laws, full text of the Congressional Record, and Committee Reports. It also includes the Congressional Record and historical documents from 1774-1798. 

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
The purpose of The United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is to study the unique problems of Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Native Alaskan people and to propose legislation to alleviate these difficulties. The website includes access to press releases, hearings, legislation, and status of bills sent to the committee from the 103rd Congress to the present. 

Department of the Interior Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs
This website provides access to Congressional and Legislative information on laws affecting American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Indian Tribal Governments
Indian Tribal Governments, an office of the Internal Revenue Service, was established to assist Indian tribes with federal tax matters. The website contains information regarding current issues affecting tribal governments, links to forms and publications frequently requested by tribal governments, links to regulations and rulings published by the IRS as they relate to tribal governments and links to other resources. 

EnviroText
EnviroText is an on-line searchable library that provides easy access to environmental laws, regulations, and guidance as well as Native American Treaties and Constitutions. The purpose of EnviroText is to provide a "one-stop-shop" for environmental regulatory information.

Library of Congress American Memory: A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation
This website brings together online the records and acts of Congress from 1774-1875.

  • Statutes at Large, 1789-1875
    The United States Statutes at Large is the official source for the laws and resolutions passed by Congress. Every law, public and private, enacted by the Congress is published in the Statutes at Large in order of the date of its passage. Until 1948, all treaties and international agreements approved by the Senate were also published in the set. This website presents eighteen volumes covering the laws of the first forty-three Congresses, 1789-1875. Volume 7, 1778-1845, contains most treaties between the United States and Indian tribes.
  • Indian Land Cessions in the United States, 1784-1894 (United States Serial Set, Number 4015)
    The documents at this website indicate "the number and location of each cession by or reservation for the Indian tribes from the organization of the Federal Government to and including 1894, together with descriptions of the tracts so ceded or reserved, the date of the treaty, law or executive order governing the same, the name of the tribe or tribes affected thereby, and historical data and references bearing thereon." Links to the related maps are also included.

Source: Cecily Giardina, Dickinson School of Law, Pennsylvania State University
 
   
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