The 24TH NAVAJO NATION COUNCIL Office of the Speaker Speaker’s Report January 26, 2021 HONORABLE SETH DAMON, SPEAKER OF THE NAVAJO NATION Contents Speaker’s Message 4 Federal Justice Consultations 5 Navajo Nation Child Advocacy Center Planning 6 Navajo Veterans 6 Health Command Operations Center (HCOC) Situation Updates 8 Navajo Nation Cares FUND Expenditure Plans 10 White House Government-to-Government Consultation 10 White Mountain Apache Tribe and Navajo Nation Consultation 11 Quadrilateral Agreement Task Force Establishment 11 500-Megawatt Transmission Line 12 Miss Navajo Nation Forum 12 Indian Managed Care Organization 13 Communications Section 13 Speaker’s Message To my Honorable Colleagues of the 24th Navajo Nation Council, Two years ago, almost to the day, I stood doing so, this Council has taken up the effort before this body and the Nation asking for of looking at transparency in new ways. We your support to move our Nation forward have challenged ourselves to take up new tools as the Speaker and the 24th Navajo Nation and to meet the people in the new places and Council. For that, I thank you, my colleagues, for platforms they know well. entrusting me with this responsibility. Whether it was any one of the many Along with the administration that was teleconferences of our standing committees or created, I dedicated myself to be fair, consistent the full Council, or any of the agency update and to make sure each decision is made to calls coordinated through staff here in the benefit the welfare and prosperity of all Navajo Legislative Branch, we have continued to citizens. We have all done that using our own put our best foot forward to ensure our local skills and common purpose. Chapter partners were seen and heard. As Speaker, this office has not been about I can truly say the Speaker’s Office has been pushing my own agenda and goals. It’s about focused on continuing to work for you to make pushing all of yours and ours, collectively, to this 24th Navajo Nation Council work even build strong goals that are brought to the table. better for its People. The challenge, and the The different ideas and goals expressed by privilege, that comes after this is to build on the everyone have great value in the process of progress we have made. making decisions. With all this, I hope and pray we may continue In the next two years, the 24th Navajo to work together for our next 7 generations. In Nation Council will look to collectively and whichever capacity it entails, let us continue to collaboratively complete projects and to move our Navajo Nation forward for our People. create stronger policy. This will not be done by Ahéhee’. ourselves, but with the help of the President and our Navajo Nation programs. It was two years ago when I recited a great Sincerely, creed: I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper. We, at the Speaker’s Office, have worked day-in and day-out to make this creed a Seth Damon, Speaker priority. 24TH NAVAJO NATION COUNCIL For our military service members and our veterans, this has meant focusing each of our team members on an aspect of the health and wellbeing of our men and women who served, and are serving, proudly. This Council has, for the first time, passed direct services policy for the Navajo People through CARES Funding. In the process of 4 5 Federal Justice Consultations Better coordination of services for victims and their families is a paramount concern for Internal Working Group the SAPS. The Navajo Nation has a high rate of child The Office of the Speaker facilitated sexual abuse and child abuse cases that meetings with the Office of the Navajo need focused on prevention, intervention, Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General, and victim services with integrated trauma- Acting Chief Prosecutor, and public safety informed care (TIC). In order for the Navajo leadership for the Sexual Assault Prevention Nation to be successful in protecting our Subcommittee (SAPS) in preparation youngest victims, the SAPS would like to see for consultations with the Office of the improvements to mandatory reporting and U.S. Attorney-District of New Mexico on the availability of services for victims and their November 13, 2020 and Office of the U.S. families. Attorney-District of Arizona on October 21, SAPS requested data on: 2020 that was convened to meet with Navajo Nation leadership. Over the course of several • mandatory reporting agencies; attrition of cases filed; weeks, the working group met weekly to • • follow-through challenges; identify issues to covey to federal prosecutors • prosecution; and investigators at the tribal consultations. • victim services provided; and SAPS requested federal victim specialists • TIC training for all stakeholders. coordinate with Navajo victim advocate programs to provide seamless services for SAPS advised a proactive strategy with victims and their families. In working with federal partners to protect Navajo children families of missing and murdered relatives, while families are sheltering-in-place during SAPS Chair Amber Kanazbah Crotty the pandemic. Chair Crotty also requested expressed urgency in providing guidance to partnership between federal prosecutors and federal Missing and Murdered Indigenous investigators with educational institutions Persons coordinators on protocols and on the Navajo Nation in order to check resources. on children in potentially dangerous living Multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) and environments during shelter-in-place orders. child protective teams (CPTs) occur at Emphasis is also included for internet safety various locations across the Navajo Nation awareness training. with numerous stakeholders at different Former Navajo Nation Acting Chief times that help practitioners follow-up and Prosecutor Jennifer Henry delivered a follow-through on justice matters, medical message of mutual goals for both the Navajo care, and victim services. SAPS requested Nation and the USAO at both consultations. data and information on MDTs and CPTs Henry spoke about swift, but thorough, across the Navajo Nation with emphasis on investigation in prosecuting cases by tribal the challenges arising from the COVID-19 and federal prosecutors. She emphasized the pandemic. need to improve communication protocols and seamless coordination between agencies when a case is reported. 4 5 Federal prosecutors sometimes decline to • Navajo Area Indian Health Service prosecute potential cases involving Navajo (NAIHS); • public safety personnel; people submitted to them from either the • non-profit organizations; FBI or Navajo Nation criminal investigators. • tribal family advocacy centers; Henry requested to meet annually with federal • federal partners; and prosecutors to review case declination data • federal funding agencies. and crime statistics. The Office of the Speaker will continue Navajo Veterans coordination and assistance to the SAPS. The Office of the Speaker honors Navajo Navajo Nation Child Advocacy veterans by: Center Planning The Office of the Speaker provided • listening to them through staff assigned specifically to veterans technical assistance to SAPS Chair Crotty for organizations; a child advocacy center based on the Navajo • educating them on legislative Nation. The proposal includes $1.2 million processes; in initial funding to heal victims of trauma • regularly updating veterans on and their families. The center is intended upcoming meetings or actions that involve veterans’ issues; to provide clinical and support services to • providing mechanisms for veterans to victims of trauma caused by sexual abuse and convene meetings; sexual assault. • including their priority needs for state Support services to family and loved ones and federal agencies; • participating in meetings with the of child victims is imperative to begin or Navajo Area Indian Health Service continue the healing process. The center (NAIHS) and Veterans Affairs (VA); will also provide Navajo leadership insight and on child sexual abuse statistics and data on • advocating for veterans needs to state and federal legislative bodies, sexual crimes on the Navajo Nation. including the White House Coordination of services for victims and families are required to strengthen the The Office of the Speaker provides prosecution of perpetrators. legislative updates to the Navajo Nation An effective advocacy center will also Veterans Advisory Council (NNVAC) and provide forensic clinical services so victims works with commanders on local and regional and their families do not need to travel off the issues and needs. Our office engages with Navajo Nation for interviews and to provide veterans via calls and emails as well as biological evidence. attending local and agency meetings to The “Save a child. Heal a Nation” is an hear emerging issues and providing current initiative of the SAPS. information on committee action and Council The Office of the Speaker supports actions. the efforts of the SAPS by facilitating and During the COVID-19 pandemic, the coordinating resource meetings with the: Office of the Speaker has been reaching out to non-profit organizations and individuals to donate goods and protective equipment 6 7 for Navajo veterans. Speaker Seth Damon The Office of the Speaker has been and the 24th Navajo Nation Council extend successful in identifying resources for our sincere appreciation to the Veterans Medical veterans and in coordinating with Navajo Leadership Council and the Native American commanders. Speaker staff reaches out to our Sustainability for Veterans and those in state and federal partners in veterans affairs to Uniform for their generous donations of goods share information and convey concerns from and services. The VMLC and NASVU are veterans. veterans helping our Navajo veterans help Pilot Veterans Wellness Court our veterans and those in critical need in the Chinle, Monument Valley, Shiprock, Hard The Office of the Speaker has facilitated Rock areas, to name a few. They distribute meetings with the Navajo Nation Judicial PPEs, sanitizers, toys, chainsaws, and other Branch and district court judges and staff important goods by the generosity of Jack to establish a pilot veterans wellness court Travis Trucking and HD Helicopters.