Submitted by YVETTE TUELL
Office of Public Affairs
FORT HALL — The Fort Hall Business Council works closely with the Mapetsi Policy Group who is hired to advocate on behalf of the Tribes on federal policy issues in Washington D.C.
This report summarizes the work that Mapetsi has helped with the Tribes within the past year. As the new Biden Administration transition team starts to gear up for the January 20, 2021 inauguration, the Tribes expect to address additional issues, then these listed topics.
Federal Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. At the direction of the Business Council, Mapetsi has been working with the Tribes to address the significant health and economic problems created by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the onset of the pandemic last March, Mapetsi and the Tribes worked closely with other tribes to advance funding priorities for tribes to address these issues. As a result of these efforts, Congress passed the CARES Act and other legislation which provided $8 billion for a Tribal Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF), over $1billion in funds for the Indian Health Service (IHS), and over $450 million for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). In addition, the CARES Act created the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to provide forgivable loans to cover payroll for employees of businesses. After passage of the CARES Act, the Treasury Department and Small Business Administration created rules for the PPP that initially excluded some tribal businesses. Mapetsi and the Tribes worked with the Idaho delegation, other Members of Congress, and the Administration to ensure that the Tribes’ businesses could participate in the PPP. Mapetsi and the Tribes also worked for an equitable distribution of the CRF and for as much flexibility as possible in the use of the CRF.
Since then, Mapetsi and the Tribes have been working to secure Congressional passage of another response bill to provide: an extension and more flexibility in the use of the existing Tribal CRF; additional funding for the CRF; and more funding for the IHS for testing, equipment, and vaccine distribution. The House has passed two bills including these important provisions, but the Senate has not acted on these bills. Mapetsi and the Tribes continue to work with Congress to ensure that these provisions are included in any future response bill.
Cleanup of the Gay Mine and Eastern Michaud Flats (EMF) Superfund Sites. Cleanup of the Gay Mine and EMF Superfund sites has lagged for decades. Mapetsi and the Tribes have been working with the Tribes’ congressional delegation to address these issues and to create more funding and flexibility for tribes to directly address the cleanup of Superfund sites. Mapetsi and the Tribes worked with Rep. Simpson to include language in the House Interior Appropriations Report directing the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to conduct a study on the remediation of Gay Mine. Mapetsi and the Tribes have also worked with the Idaho delegation and other Members of Congress to highlight the need for more direct funding and more authority for tribes to address Superfund sites at congressional hearings.
Opposition to Blackrock Land Exchange. Mapetsi has worked closely with the Business Council and tribal staff to express the Tribes opposition to the Blackrock Land Exchange to Congress and the Administration. Mapetsi has assisted with meetings with the Administration and Members of Congress to oppose the land exchange. Mapetsi and the Tribes will continue to work to oppose the land exchange as the new Administration takes office.
Federal Appropriations for Critical Tribal Programs. Mapetsi has worked with the Tribes to oppose the Trump Administration’s proposed budget cuts to important tribal programs and to ensure that Congress not only protects those programs but provides increases. Mapetsi has worked with the Business Council and tribal staff to provide testimony to the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee on priority issues for the Tribes. Currently, Congress has passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the federal government through December 11 and is negotiating an Omnibus Appropriations bill to fund the federal government through the next fiscal year.
Reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians. Currently, the authorization for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) expires December 11. Mapetsi and the Tribes have been working with a coalition of other tribes throughout the country to have Congress pass a long-term reauthorization of 4 or 5 years with increased funding.
Addressing Infrastructure Needs. Mapetsi and the Tribes have been working to address the significant infrastructure needs of the Fort Hall Reservation including roads, the Fort Hall Irrigation Project, housing and other community facilities. Mapetsi worked with the Business Council to provide testimony to the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee and to conduct meetings with the BIA to address infrastructure needs. Earlier this year, the House passed a broad infrastructure bill that would significantly increase funding for tribal transportation programs, but the Senate has not acted on the bill.
Regulatory changes to NHPA and NEPA. The Trump Administration has proposed changes to weaken the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Mapetsi has worked with the Tribes to oppose these regulatory changes and will work with the incoming Administration to strengthen these regulations.
Outreach to BIA on Fee-to-Trust Parcels. The Tribes have several applications in the BIA’s fee-to-trust process. However, the Fort Hall Agency had not provided information on the status of these applications. Mapetsi worked with the Tribes to reach out to the BIA Central and Regional offices to get clarity on the status of Tribes’ fee-to-trust applications and to develop a path forward on having more land taken into trust. Mapetsi will continue to work with the Tribes to move forward on taking more land into trust.
BIA/OST Personnel. The BIA and Office of Special Trustee (OST) have not filled key positions at Fort Hall causing significant delays. Mapetsi and the Tribes have been working to get BIA and OST to fill the BIA Superintendent position and the unfilled OST position to help process trust payments. Mapetsi and the Tribes have also reached out to Rep. Simpson to request action. Both BIA and OST are committed to filling these positions in the near future.
BIE School Reporting Requirements. Mapetsi has been working with the Tribes’ school in order to connect with BIE leadership to ensure that the proper BIE reporting requirements and standards are met.