Each November, we honor Native American Heritage Month. This is a time to celebrate the rich history, cultures, traditions, and contributions of our nation’s first inhabitants. It is also a time to renew our commitment to addressing the challenges tribal communities face today.
Nebraska is home to approximately 35,000 Native Americans and has longstanding ties to several federally recognized tribes, including the Omaha, Winnebago, Ponca, and Santee Sioux tribes. And as Nebraska’s U.S. senator, I have made it a priority to engage with our tribal communities, listen to their concerns, and advocate for their interests.
That commitment led me to introduce the Winnebago Land Transfer Act, which was signed into law in 2024 and corrected a historic wrong. In the mid-1800s, the Winnebago Tribe was forcibly removed from its homeland in the Great Lakes region. After the tribe settled on its reservation in northeast Nebraska in 1865, the federal government promised that the land would belong to the tribe forever.
But in 1970, the federal government broke that promise. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers condemned approximately 1,600 acres of reservation land for a proposed recreation project that was never built. The Corps took this action without obtaining the congressional authorization required under federal law. What followed was more than half a century of legal battles as the Winnebago Tribe fought to reclaim land that should never have been taken in the first place.
Through it all, the Winnebago people never gave up. With the passage of my Winnebago Land Transfer Act, made possible through close collaboration with the tribe’s leaders, they were finally able to reclaim the land and bring an end to a decades-long injustice.
Today, I am continuing my work to address challenges facing Native American communities, including access to reliable nutrition assistance. In 2024, a contracting decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) disrupted food deliveries to numerous tribes. For months, tribal communities received delayed, incomplete, and even expired food deliveries, resulting in significant food shortages. This was completely unacceptable. These disruptions exposed serious shortcomings in the federal government’s management of nutrition assistance programs that tribal communities depend on.
That is why I introduced bipartisan legislation last year to ensure tribes have a voice in federal decisions affecting these programs. My bill would require the USDA to incorporate tribal input into contracting decisions, strengthen its emergency response to food delivery disruptions, and encourage meaningful tribal consultation on nutrition programs at the state level.
Beyond nutrition assistance, I am using my role on the Senate Appropriations Committee to secure federal investments that address other critical needs in Nebraska’s tribal communities. Last year, I delivered more than $8.2 million to improve drinking water quality for the Santee Sioux Nation. I am also working to secure additional federal resources to support Little Priest Tribal College, Nebraska Indian Community College, and tribal law enforcement. These investments would help tribal communities strengthen essential services, expand educational opportunities, and build a stronger foundation for future generations.
Growing up in Nebraska, I was fortunate to learn about the rich cultures and traditions of our Native American communities. I have carried that appreciation with me throughout my life and my service in the U.S. Senate.
This Native American Heritage Month, please join me in celebrating the lasting contributions of Native Americans to Nebraska and our nation. We also recognize that honoring their heritage means continuing to listen, working together, and delivering meaningful results for tribal communities today and for generations to come.
Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.