Denish: Native Americans Must Play Strong Role in NM's Recovery

Press Release

Meeting with leaders of New Mexico's 22 tribes and pueblos, Diane Denish today announced a positive, forward-thinking 8-point agenda for tribal-state relations that honors and encourages the important role tribes will play in New Mexico's economic recovery.

"We have different cultures and different languages, but we all share a common desire to build a New Mexico where our children can grow up happy, healthy and able to find the opportunities that will allow them to stay here," Denish said. "Our Native American communities are the bedrock of our culture and as governor I will work to ensure they have a strong voice in the discussion when we talk about developing a 21st century economy and workforce."

Denish pledged have a strong government-to-government relationship with each trial entity and promised to respect tribal sovereignty.

"We can all enjoy the fruits of an economic recovery, but we must all pull together and work hard to get it done," Denish said. "That means focusing on education and making sure tribes are a part of our job-creation strategy."

Denish's eight-point plan for improved tribal-state relations includes:

Building and Honoring Tribal-State Relations

* Maintain and Support the Indian Affairs Department 

* Implement and Institutionalize the State-Tribal Collaboration Act: Diane Denish supported the passage of the State-Tribal Collaboration Act. Diane is committed to fully implementing and institutionalizing this law throughout state government because Diane is committed to effective communication and collaboration and positive government-to-government relations with Pueblos, Tribes and Nations; and to ensuring Native Americans living on and off tribal areas have full access to state programs, services and resources. 

* Appoint Native Americans to Key Positions: Diane Denish is committed to ensuring her Administration reflects the strength of Native American diversity and is committed to appointing Native Americans to key leadership positions throughout state government. 


Improving Tribal Infrastructure in New Mexico's Tribal Communities

* Leverage Tribal Infrastructure Funds: Diane supported permanent funding for the Tribal Infrastructure Fund and is committed to leveraging these funds with additional federal, state and philanthropic resources to meet the significant infrastructure needs in tribal communities. 

* Reform Capital Outlay


A Proactive Water Policy

* Diane understands the fundamental need of water to all people and respects the unique cultural and religious ties of water to Native American people. Diane is committed to negotiating water rights settlements in good faith with tribal governments and to implementing such settlements once approved.

Job Creation and Economic Growth on Tribal Lands

* Increase Tribal Workforce Opportunities: Diane will create new incentives to support a tribal economic development workforce for the 21st Century that can benefit from opportunities including high-wage, clean-energy jobs on tribal lands. 

* Create a Tribal Economic Development Advisory Council: Diane believes that better partnerships between the state and tribal governments will create more economic opportunities for all New Mexicans. Diane will create a Tribal Economic Advisory Council to support such partnerships. 

* Improve Broadband Development: Diane is committed to providing priority to capital projects that that seek to develop rural broadband infrastructure to support commerce and economic prosperity on tribal lands. 

* Develop Tribal Business Incentives and Increase Tribal Access to Monetary Resources and Technical Assistance: Diane is committed to working with tribal governments to develop and keep good paying jobs in Indian Country and to make sure that state resources and technical assistance are provided to achieve this.
* Maintain Existing Tax Law to Ensure There is No Dual Taxation in Indian Country: Diane understands dual taxation in Indian country discourages economic development on tribal lands. Diane is committed to maintaining existing law that was a result of extensive negotiation and compromise between Indian tribes and the state legislature. 


A Stronger Education System for Our Kids

* Supporting full implementation of the Indian Education Act and Indian Post-Secondary Education Act: As Governor, Diane will ensure full compliance with our state's Indian education acts to close the achievement gap, increase Native American graduation rates, support the teaching of Native American languages and facilitate partnerships with tribal leaders, parents and tribal education departments. 

* Providing Full Funding for Public Education: Diane supports providing greater resources to public schools so they will better address the unique educational needs of Native American students. 

* Expanding Early Childhood Education: As Lt. Governor, Diane was a champion of early childhood education. Diane supports expanding pre-K to ensure that all New Mexico children have a chance to get a jump start on learning. 

* Implementing Accountability Measures: Diane supports strict accountability measure to ensure that school districts, teachers, parents, administrators and students are held accountable to achieve results. 


Quality Healthcare for Native American People

* Ensure Native American access to Medicaid and Medicare services: Diane is committed to working with the Legislature, the Obama Administration and the New Mexico Congressional delegation to protect services for American Indian Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries to the greatest extent possible in these challenging economic times. Diane will also improve outreach efforts by the Human Services Department to increase the enrollment of Medicaid and Medicare-eligible Native Americans. 

* Support the Indian Health Care Improvement Act and ensure compliance with the Indian Provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA): Diane recognizes the federal government's trust responsibility to Native Americans and will work with tribal governments and Indian health advocates to improve Native American access to quality health services and resources. 

* Tie Resources to Disparity Data: Diane Denish shares the concerns of tribal leaders and health advocates that data proves Native Americans die at higher rates than other races of unintentional injuries, diabetes, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis and have higher rates of suicide and obesity than other groups. Diane is committed to ensuring that state and federal resources and services are targeted at these and other Native American health disparities. 


Honoring and Respecting Native American Veterans

* Diane believes the service and sacrifice of Native American veterans who answer the call to serve this country must never be forgotten. Diane is committed to honoring veterans by working with veterans groups that advocate for the benefits, services and recognition earned by Native American veterans.

Public Safety in Indian Country

* Cooperative Agreements among Tribal, State and Local Governments: Diane knows cooperative agreements are effective tools to address issues of mutual aid, hot pursuit of suspects and cross-deputization in order to improve law enforcement effectiveness and reducing crime on New Mexico reservations and nearby communities.
* Allowing Tribal Public Safety Services to Compete for Funding: Diane recognizes that tribal governments often assist in incidents off-reservation and cannot collect fines for citations of non-Indians on the reservation.

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