WASHINGTON – From September 26-27th, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, Deputy Secretary Michael L. Connor and Principal Deputy Acting Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Lawrence S. Roberts will join President Obama, other cabinet Secretaries, and leaders from the 567 federally recognized tribes at the 8th annual White House Tribal Nations Conference.
On Monday, Sept. 26, Secretary Jewell will deliver opening remarks before participating in a tribal-led discussion on the environment, climate change and natural resources. The following day, Tuesday, Sept. 27, Secretary Jewell will attend several meetings with tribal leaders in the morning on issues ranging from health care and education, justice and safety, economic development and infrastructure, and energy development and investment. In the afternoon, the Secretary and U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy will participate in an event at the White House Tribal Youth Gathering related to the Interior Department’s leadership of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Outside initiative , which aims to inspire millions of kids to play, learn, serve and work outdoors. During the Youth Gathering, Secretary Jewell will also participate in a panel on climate change and the environment.
The Obama Administration has consistently worked to strengthen government-to-government relationships with tribes, advance tribal self-determination and invest in the next generation to ensure a bright future for Indian Country. The President’s Generation Indigenous (Gen-I) initiative works to improve the lives of Native youth by removing barriers to their success, while the Blueprint for Reform focuses on transforming the Bureau of Indian Education school process to promote educational self-determination for tribal communities.
The White House Tribal Nations Conference convenes leaders from the 567 federally recognized tribes to interact directly with high-level federal government officials and members of the White House Council on Native American Affairs. The Council, which is chaired by Secretary Jewell and includes the heads of more than 20 federal departments and agencies, works to improve interagency coordination and expand efforts to leverage federal programs and resources available to tribal communities.
Who:
Sally Jewell, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Michael Connor, U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Interior
Lawrence S. Roberts, Principal Deputy Acting Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs
What:
2016 White House Tribal Nations Conference
When:
Monday, Sept. 26, 2016
9:45 a.m. EDT – Opening remarks by Secretary Jewell
11:15 a.m. EDT – Arm chair session on environment, climate change and natural resources
Where:
Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium
1301 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC, 20240
Media:
Credentialed members of the media must RSVP here no later than Sunday, September 26 at 12:00 PM ET. For those who cannot attend, the ceremony will be live-streamed at www.whitehouse.gov/live
Source: Department of Interior
