Tribal Nations Converge on D.C.

President Obama hosts largest meeting of its kind this week

• PRINT
• EMAIL

American Indian Heritage Month became an official national celebration in 1990 with a proclamation by President George H.W. Bush. Each year, the celebrations and events have grown in importance.

This year, President Barack Obama is holding a Tribal Nations Conference in Washington, D.C., on November 5. (This Kid Reporter will be attending so check back for a full report!) It is the largest summit of its kind in U.S. history and the first presidential meeting with tribal leaders in 15 years.

"Native Americans have distinguished themselves as inventors, entrepreneurs, spiritual leaders, and scholars," President Obama said in a recent proclamation. "Our debt to our First Americans is immense, as is our responsibility to ensure their fair, equal treatment, and honor the commitments we made to their forebears."

Each of 564 federally recognized tribes was invited to send a representative to the conference. More than 400 representatives are expected to attend. President Obama will deliver opening and closing comments and participate in discussions with tribal leaders through out the day.

The President's cabinet members will also attend the conference to talk about the problems that the Native American community faces today.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which was passed this year by Congress, has designated some $3 billion to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to help Native American communities. In 2010, that number will increase to $17 billion.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said that President Obama wants to open up a new chapter in U.S. relationships with Indian Country.

"We are aware of the history and some of the unfortunate and devastating results that have occurred in the past," he said. "This administration will work through consultation, negotiation, and collaboration so that those kinds of policies don't ever happen again. We will work together to continue to heal and move forward in helping tribes strengthen their own governments."

The day-long conference will be webcast live at whitehouse.gov/live.

American Indian Heritage Month

Learn more about American Indian Heritage Month in this special report.

A Presidential Forum
Five Democratic presidential contenders recently met in Chicago to address the American Association of Justice, offering their opinions on a number of issues.

Election 2008: Final Debate Spirited
Candidates for President Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain met for their third and final debate Wednesday at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. Scholastic Kid Reporter Mitchell Lewis reports from the final face-off.

ONLINE ACTIVITY	Election 2008: Kid Reporters Blog the Debates Scholastic Kid Reporters blog the 2008 presidential and vice presidential debates.