Friend,
MAGA Republicans in Congress are trying to take away our sovereign rights to consent to mining and drilling on or near Native lands. But we need MORE public review and accountability, not less. They’ve introduced a legislative package they’re calling HR1 -- meaning it’ll be their top priority this year -- which would gut every environmental protection law and investments in green energy infrastructure and take away our right to be a part of the decision making process on polluting projects that would harm our communities. Some are calling it the "Polluters Over People Act." They want to bring it to the House floor for votes next week. We’re working with Rep. Raúl Grijalva, a longtime ally for Native rights, to push back. I was just appointed to his Environmental Justice Working Group, and he and Rep. Barbara Lee just re-introduced the Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act to ensure that we all have the right to clean air and water and to ensure that federal projects do not come at the expense of Indigenous communities, people of color, and working class communities. We also just hired a new Policy Director who will focus on supporting bills to ensure that Indigenous peoples are included in the decision-making processes about our lands and water. That includes the Environmental Justice for All Act and the RESPECT Act, which would require tribal consultation on infrastructure projects that would impact Natives. For too long, our government has failed to get the required consent of Tribal nations before moving ahead with large-scale projects (like the Keystone XL pipeline), which devastate Indigenous sacred places, land and water supplies for all. We’ve supported communities on the ground that have fought back. For example, at Standing Rock, we worked with the Standing Rock Sioux tribal government to help bring resources to strengthen the impact of the tribal leadership to oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline. Tribes must be allowed to give or deny consent at all phases of development and infrastructure projects that impact Indigenous lands and waters. While MAGA Republicans want to take away our right to give input on projects that affect us, we’re building our collective political power as Indigenous communities in order to strengthen our sovereignty and be part of the decision making. We are owed true government-to-government relationships, and that means we cannot allow members of Congress to silence our voices because they prioritize fossil fuel corporations over democracy.
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Hawwih (thank you),
Judith Le Blanc (Caddo)
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