WHEREAS, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), established in 1972, serves all Federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribal governments by advocating for the improvement of health care delivery to AI/ANs, as well as upholding the Federal government’s trust responsibility to AI/AN Tribal governments; and

WHEREAS, NIHB was established to advocate for the sovereign rights of all federally recognized Tribal governments, promote the highest levels of health for AI/AN people, and advise the Federal government in the development of responsible health care policy; and

WHEREAS, Indian nations and Tribes were sovereign independent nations long before the formation of the United States of America; and

WHEREAS, through treaties and other agreements, Tribal nations established a nation-to-nation relationship with the United States while reserving original sovereign authority and self-government over our citizens and territories; and

WHEREAS, the United States utilizes Tribal consultations as the primary mechanism to engage with Indian Tribes, on a nation-to-nation basis, to address issues concerning Tribal self-governance, the federal trust responsibility, and treaty and other rights; and

WHEREAS, Tribal consultation is foundational to the government to government relationship between the federal government and Tribal nations; and

WHEREAS, Tribal consultation must allow the heads of governments or their representatives to come together, share concerns, generate ideas and solutions, negotiate their roles and responsibilities, and agree on a course of action; and

WHEREAS, federal agencies regularly conduct Tribal consultations; however, current Tribal consultation policies fail to provide all Tribal Nations adequate opportunity to engage in the process fully; and