Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians

10/01/2020

Interior’s Bureau of Trust Funds Administration Latest Example of Increased Government Efficiency | Indian Affairs

Today, OST becomes the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA), joining @USIndianAffairs family within @Interior. We may be changing our name, but our MISSION is still to “Manage the Trust Beneficiaries’ Financial Assets!” Learn more: https://www.indianaffairs.gov/as-ia/opa/online-press-release/interior%E2%80%99s-bureau-trust-funds-administration-latest-example-increased

WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Tara Katuk Sweeney today announced the establishment of the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA) which will report directly to her office. The new BTFA will assume responsibility for financial operations and functions currently performed by...

09/21/2020

2020 National Tribal Broadband Summit

This is important for Indian Country. Plan to attend.

Exploring creative connections and innovative solutions to bring broadband to Indian Country.

09/15/2020

Treasury Releases Report on National Financial Literacy Strategy | U.S. Department of the Treasury

The newly created Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA), within Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior formally known as OST has been your leader in providing financial literacy in Indian Country. In the future, BTFA will be more involved with that effort. Stay tuned! Until then, download the report and formulate a strategy for increasing Indian Country's financial literacy.

About Treasury General Information Role of the Treasury The Secretary Officials Organizational Chart Orders and Directives Offices Domestic Finance Economic Policy General Counsel International Affairs Management Tax Policy Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Inspectors General Bureaus Alcohol and....

09/11/2020

David L. Bernhardt: Remembering Flight 93 and heroes of 9/11

David L. Bernhardt: Remembering Flight 93 and heroes of 9/11

Americans should honor the memories of the nearly 3,000 precious lives we lost that day

09/01/2020

Secretary Bernhardt Signs Order Creating the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration

Secretary Bernhardt Signs Order Creating the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt signed Secretary’s Order 3384 (Order) establishing the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA). The BTFA will report to the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs Tara Katuk Sweeney and assume responsibility for financial op...

08/24/2020

Trump Administration Seized More Than 2,600 Pounds of Illegal Narcotics in Indian Country Last Year

Trump Administration Seized More Than 2,600 Pounds of Illegal Narcotics in Indian Country Last Year

WASHINGTON – Today, the Trump Administration highlighted the efforts made in 2019 by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Joint Opioid Reduction Task Force in Indian Country, as law enforcement officials successfully led 14 operations across seven states, resulting in more than 313 arrests and ...

08/12/2020

Trump Administration Continues to Improve Conservation of Western Big Game Species

Trump Administration Continues to Improve Conservation of Western Big Game Species

WASHINGTON – The Trump Administration announced a new report, highlighting the achievements to date that support and improve habitat quality in western big-game winter range and migration corridors. Since 2018, the Department of the Interior and its partners have facilitated 73 projects across 11 ...

08/07/2020

Secretary Bernhardt Designates Margaret Everson to Exercise the Delegable Authority of the Director of the National Park Service

Secretary Bernhardt Designates Margaret Everson to Exercise the Delegable Authority of the Director of the National Park Service

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt announced the designation of Margaret Everson to exercise the delegable authority of the director of the National Park Service (NPS). Deputy Director for Operations David Vela, who has been serving as the Director of the NPS, an...

08/06/2020

ICYMI: Why Trump's Great American Outdoors Act is a generational win for conservation

ICYMI: Why Trump's Great American Outdoors Act is a generational win for conservation

President Trump has solved the riddle that has bedeviled previous presidents and Congress for decades, putting forth an unprecedented conservation funding proposal and calling on Congress to get it done for the American people.

08/06/2020

Trump Administration Strengthens Cooperation with Israel on Biodiversity Conservation

Trump Administration Strengthens Cooperation with Israel on Biodiversity Conservation

Photo: Secretary Bernhardt signs Memorandum of Understanding with The Israel Nature and Parks Authority. Photo Credit: Tami Heilemann Interior Photographer

07/28/2020

Trump Administration Establishes the First Cold Case Task Force Office for Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives

Trump Administration Establishes the First Cold Case Task Force Office for Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives

BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – Today, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump and Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs Tara Katuk Sweeney established the first of seven offices dedicated to solving cold cases involving missing and murdered American Indians an...

07/15/2020

Trump Administration Launches Inaugural Meeting of the Task Force for Building and Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes

Trump Administration Launches Inaugural Meeting of the Task Force for Building and Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the Trump Administration hosted the first meeting of the Task Force for Building and Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes (Task Force) at the United States Department of the Interior chaired by U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt.

07/10/2020

ICYMI: Trump Administration Visits Oregon and Washington State, Secretary Bernhardt Highlights Actions that Impact Conservation, Timber Production and Water Management

ICYMI: Trump Administration Visits Oregon and Washington State, Secretary Bernhardt Highlights Actions that Impact Conservation, Timber Production and Water Management

WASHINGTON - This week, the Trump Administration traveled to Oregon and Washington State, where U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt met with Tribal leaders, Bureau of Reclamation staff, members of Congress, local business representatives, and other members of the public. The Trump Admi...

06/24/2020

Trump Administration Supports Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans

Trump Administration Supports Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans

WASHINGTON – The Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are seeking public comments to inform the land allotment program for Alaska Native Vietnam-era veterans. The provision was enacted as a part of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act,...

06/05/2020

Interior Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Tim Petty Named Co-Chair of National Drought Resilience Partnership

Interior Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Tim Petty Named Co-Chair of National Drought Resilience Partnership

WASHINGTON -Today, the Department of the Interior announced that Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Timothy Petty, Ph.D., is the new co-chair of the National Drought Resilience Partnership (NDRP), an inter agency task force that enhances Federal drought resilience coordination. In line with t...

05/27/2020

ICYMI: Interior Continues to Safely Restore Access to Public Lands

ICYMI: Interior Continues to Safely Restore Access to Public Lands

WASHINGTON - This week, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt traveled to New Mexico and Arizona before joining President Donald J. Trump at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland to commemorate Memorial Day. The Secretary met with Tribal leadership, staff from the National Park Service, Bu...

05/15/2020

Secretary Bernhardt Announces Grants for Protecting American Battlefields in 11 States

Secretary Bernhardt Announces Grants for Protecting American Battlefields in 11 States

WASHINGTON - During a visit to Gettysburg National Military Park today, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt highlighted the Trump Administration’s support for protecting and enhancing our nation’s historic sites and announced $3 million in American Battlefield Protection Program (A...

05/13/2020

Interior Proposal Enhances Public Safety for Mining Operations

Interior Proposal Enhances Public Safety for Mining Operations

New proposal would eliminate duplicative state and federal investigations, unnecessary delays in addressing mining complaints and violations.

05/11/2020

Interior Approves Plan for the Largest Solar Project in U.S. History

Interior Approves Plan for the Largest Solar Project in U.S. History

WASHINGTON - The Trump Administration remains committed to its America First, all of the above approach to domestic energy production as the Department of the Interior (Department) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced today the approval of a proposal to construct and operate the largest...

05/07/2020

Interior and Partners Commit to Long-Term Initiative to Conserve the American Bison

Interior and Partners Commit to Long-Term Initiative to Conserve the American Bison

WASHINGTON - Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt today announced the Bison Conservation Initiative (BCI), a new cooperative initiative that will coordinate conservation strategies and approaches for the wild American Bison over the next 10 years. The Department of the Interior (DOI) and its pa...

05/01/2020

Notice: IIM Account Holders

For immediate assistance, email the OST Trust Beneficiary Call Center at [email protected]

How Can We Help You? Contact the TBCC for:
• Requesting an IIM account update or disbursement
• Explanation of quarterly statements
• Information about your trust assets
• Checking the status of a request
• Information about the Cobell Land Buy-Back Program or assistance with a purchase offer package

04/15/2020

CARES Act | Indian Affairs

Important Deadline for Tribal Governments

The CARES Act provides payments to state, local, and tribal governments. Governments must submit completed payment materials no later than 11:59 p.m. EDT on April 17, 2020.

For more information, visit https://www.bia.gov/covid-19/cares-act

Through the Coronavirus Relief Fund, the CARES Act provides payments to state, local, and tribal governments navigating the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. Payments to tribal governments are to be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and Ame...

02/11/2020

Reviewing NPR's Expanding Coverage Of Native American Communities

Reviewing NPR's Expanding Coverage Of Native American Communities

Late last year, many listeners and readers rightly objected when NPR released statistics tracking the diversity of its on-air sources and didn't

02/11/2020

Sharp: Tribal sovereignty still threatened from 'every corner' | Cronkite News - Arizona PBS

Sharp: Tribal sovereignty still threatened from 'every corner' | Cronkite News - Arizona PBS

Despite some "encouraging developments," threats to tribal sovereignty still come "from every branch and every corner of federal and state governments," the president of the National Congress of American Indians said Monday.

02/11/2020

Judge orders mediation between Stitt, tribes over gaming compacts

Judge orders mediation between Stitt, tribes over gaming compacts

The tribes have sued the state, asking a federal judge to declare that the gaming compacts automatically renewed.Related: What you need to know about Oklahoma tribal gaming

02/10/2020

President Trump’s Budget Proposes $12.8 Billion for Department of the Interior Programs in FY 2021 – Invests $1B for a Stronger Interior Wildland Fire Program

President Trump’s Budget Proposes $12.8 Billion for Department of the Interior Programs in FY 2021 – Invests $1B for a Stronger Interior Wildland Fire Program

$12.8B budget also proposes strategic investments in programs for land management, bolstering conservation and recreation activities, law enforcement, energy development and public infrastructure

01/30/2020

New Tax Preparation Resources Webpage for Indian Country

New Tax Preparation Resources Webpage for Indian Country

The IRS offers several free programs to help many taxpayers prepare their tax returns, including the Voluntary Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs.

01/16/2020

Native Americans Were Original Residents of Nation's Capital

Native Americans Were Original Residents of Nation's Capital

During his time in the White House, Former President Gerald Ford decided to build an outdoor swimming pool. National Park Service archaeologists examined the site of the dig, which is standard operating procedure when anything is constructed on national parkland.

01/16/2020

Haaland, Davids included in 'Jeopardy' clue for historic first as Native American congresswomen

Haaland, Davids included in 'Jeopardy' clue for historic first as Native American congresswomen

Freshman Reps. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) and Sharice Davids (D-Kan.) were featured in a “Jeopardy” clue Wednesday night for making history as the first Native American congresswomen.

01/16/2020

“Somebody’s Daughter” MMIW Documentary Premiere Highlights Native American 2020 Presidential Forum

“Somebody’s Daughter” MMIW Documentary Premiere Highlights Native American 2020 Presidential Forum

Published January 16, 2020 LAS VEGAS — Women trilled. Others cried. Some sat in contemplative silence before they applauded. All were inspired by the MMIW documentary, Somebody’s Daughter, which pr…

01/16/2020

Interior’s Land Buy-Back Program Adds Locations to its Implementation Schedule and Makes Changes for Final Years

Interior's Land Buy-Back Program Adds Locations to its implementation Schedule, see more more here.. https://on.doi.gov/30t0iED

Today, the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians announced the addition of five locations to the implementation schedule of the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations (Program) as well as operational changes for those locations.

01/15/2020

8 of the biggest misconceptions people have about Native Americans

I found this rather insightful!

Many people seem to think that all Native Americans live in teepees and look like caricatures from the 1700s.

01/09/2020

Tribe Announces Federal Approval of Reservation Hemp Program - MyNewsLA.com

Tribe Announces Federal Approval of Reservation Hemp Program - MyNewsLA.com

Share this article:The Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians received authorization from the federal government to open reservation land near Mountain Center to hemp cultivation, the tribe announced Wednesday. “We look forward to partnering with outside businesses to produce a successful venture tha...

01/09/2020

Center for Native American Youth Announces 2020 Champions for Change

Center for Native American Youth Announces 2020 Champions for Change

Published January 8, 2020 WASHINGTON — The Aspen Institute’s Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) welcomes its eighth cohort of CNAY Champions for Change (Champions) to Washington, DC, next mont…