[Peace-discuss] Fwd: FCNL (09/10/03): New Materials for Native American Advocacy

[Jay Mittenthal]

>Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2003 09:52:34 -0400 (EDT)
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>Subject: FCNL (09/10/03): New Materials for Native American Advocacy
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>FCNL INFO LINE
>9/10/03
>
>(To learn more about the FCNL INFO LINE, please see the end of this
>message.)
>
>THERE ARE THREE RECENT REPORTS AND A BOOK ON NATIVE AMERICANS THAT ARE
>WORTH OBTAINING.
>
>"A Quiet Crisis: Federal Funding and Unmet Needs in Indian Country" is a
>powerful critique of the status quo by the U. S. Commission on Civil
>Rights.  This reports calls attention to the "invisible minority" whose
>small numbers and (in many cases) geographic isolation have lead to
>neglect and blatant unfairness.  The $10.6 billion budget estimate for
>all Native American programs in all federal agencies sounds like a
>respectable sum.  However, there is still a big gap between the spending
>per capita for the general U. S. populace versus the Native American
>population.  For example, despite the far lower life expectancy of
>Native Americans, the Indian Health Service (IHS) "spends 60 percent
>less on its beneficiaries than is spent on the average American for
>health care" (p. x).  Furthermore, the report gives some startling
>health spending comparisons:
>
>"Contrasting Native Americans with other populations for whom the
>federal government has direct responsibility for health care- such as
>veterans, Medicaid recipients, and federal prison inmates- distinct
>disparities in expenditures are evident.  In 2003, the government will
>spend nearly $6,000 for each Medicare recipient and more than $5,200 of
>each veteran who uses the services of the Veterans Administration.
>Federal prisoners and Medicaid patients will each receive more than
>twice the amount spent on Native American health care...  Even after
>adding IHS medical and non-medical (such as community water and sewer)
>per person expenditures, IHS spends less on its service users than the
>government spends on any other group receiving public health care (p.
>43).  Moreover, while other public health programs such as Medicare and
>Medicaid accrue annual interest to keep pace with inflation, IHS funds
>do not"(p. 113).
>
>There is no question that the U. S. government has this responsibility;
>Indian health care has been part of its budget since 1832.  The Indian
>Health Service does a lot with a little but has too few resources.  The
>124 page report also analyzes many other programs such as housing and
>discusses the trust lawsuit against the Department of the Interior.  The
>newspaper "Indian Country" (www.IndianCountry.com) ran a large feature
>story on this report.  A free copy of "A Quiet Crisis" can be obtained
>from the U. S. Commission on Civil Rights, 624 Ninth St, NW, Washington,
>DC, 20425.  The commission website is (www.usccr.gov).
>
>"People with Disabilities on Tribal Lands: Education, Health Care,
>Vocational Rehabilitation and Independent Living" and the companion
>action guide called "Understanding Disabilities in American Indian and
>Alaska Native Communities: Toolkit Guide" have been prepared by the
>National Council on Disability.  Both offer some disturbing statistics.
>
>
>Around 944,000 Indian and Alaskan Native people live on reservations or
>off-reservation trust lands in 35 states.  The latest census tells us
>that 2,500,000 people who filled out the census identify themselves
>exclusively as American Indians or Alaskan Natives (there are more
>people who say they are of mixed races).  Approximately, 550,000 of
>these people (22%) have some type of disability.  This is the highest
>rate of disability of any racial-ethnic group in the U. S.  These
>reports can be examined at the National Council on Disability website
>(www.ncd.gov).  They can be ordered from the council at 1331 F. Street,
>N.W., Suite 850, Washington, DC 20004.
>
>"The Rights of Indians and Tribes" (2002) is written by Stephen L. Pevar
>and published by the Southern Illinois University Press in cooperation
>with the American Civil Liberties Union.  This is the third edition of
>Pevar's handbook and it summarizes the relevant history, case law,
>political context, and basic commitments that have resulted in the
>rights that Native Americans have today in the United States.  At 421
>pages, the handbook is designed more for professionals and activists in
>the field than for the general public.  Nevertheless, it is well written
>and extremely helpful because it covers basic definitions, program
>eligibility, and a broad array of subjects such as water rights, hunting
>and fishing, child welfare, gambling, and taxation. As the author says,
>"Indian law is unique, encompassing concepts and rules that are often
>unexpected and bewildering to those unfamiliar with it" (p. xv).
>Because of this complexity, "Rights of Indians and Tribes" is the type
>of book that will make local people who are going to lobby, e.g., for
>protection of sacred sites or improvement of Indian programs, feel more
>secure about their facts.  The book may need to be ordered through a
>bookstore or online.
>
>
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