Native Sun News Today Weekly Digest
Oglala Sioux Tribe expands emergency services capacity
The Oglala Sioux Tribe announced new investments in emergency response infrastructure this week, including upgraded radio systems and expanded ambulance coverage. Tribal officials say the improvements are part of a broader effort to reduce response times across the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Funding comes from a combination of federal grants and Tribal allocations. Leaders say the upgrades will strengthen coordination between first responders and improve outcomes in remote communities where distance has long been a challenge.
Standing Rock launches Youth Climate Leadership Cohort
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s Environmental Protection Department opened applications for a new youth climate leadership program focused on water protection, land stewardship, and renewable energy. The initiative will train high school and college age students in environmental monitoring and policy advocacy.
Organizers say the program is designed to build long-term Tribal capacity by preparing young people for careers in environmental science and natural resource management. Participants will work alongside Tribal staff and community mentors throughout the summer.
Northern Plains Tribes Push for NAHASDA Modernization
Tribal housing leaders from the Northern Plains renewed calls for Congress to update the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act, which has not been reauthorized since 2013. They say outdated funding formulas and administrative hurdles continue to limit housing development.
Advocates argue that while the new mortgage reform law is a major step forward, NAHASDA modernization is essential to addressing overcrowding, aging housing stock, and rising construction costs across Indian Country.
Rosebud Sioux Tribe opens new Behavioral Health Facility
The Rosebud Sioux Tribe celebrated the opening of a new behavioral health center aimed at expanding access to mental health and substance use services. The facility includes counseling rooms, group therapy spaces, and telehealth capacity.
Health officials say the center will help meet growing community needs and reduce wait times for care. The project was funded through a mix of federal grants and Tribal investment.
Interior announces expansion of Tribal Broadband Grants
The U.S. Department of the Interior announced a new round of Tribal broadband funding this week, adding $120 million to support high-speed internet projects in rural and remote Native communities. Officials say the grants will prioritize reservations where connectivity gaps continue to limit access to telehealth, education, and economic development.
Tribal leaders across the Northern Plains welcomed the announcement, noting that many communities still rely on outdated or unreliable service. The new funding is expected to support fiber optic expansion, wireless towers, and digital skills training programs aimed at improving long-term access.
Cheyenne River Youth Council hosts regional Leadership Summit
More than 150 Native students from South Dakota, North Dakota, and Montana gathered on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation for a three-day youth leadership summit focused on culture, wellness, and civic engagement. Workshops included Lakota language sessions, mental health circles, and training on how to advocate for Tribal priorities at the state and federal levels.
Organizers said the event reflects a growing movement to prepare Native youth for leadership roles in their communities. Participants also met with Tribal officials and elders, who emphasized the importance of cultural grounding in shaping future decision makers.
Native veterans honored at Annual Eagle Staff Gathering
Hundreds of Native veterans were honored during the annual Eagle Staff Gathering held this week in Bismarck. The event brought together veterans from dozens of Tribal nations, recognizing their service through song, ceremony, and the presentation of new eagle staffs representing recent generations of warriors.
Organizers said the gathering continues to grow as more families seek to honor relatives who served in conflicts from Vietnam to Afghanistan. Tribal leaders emphasized that Native people enlist at some of the highest rates in the country, a tradition rooted in cultural teachings about responsibility and protection.
USDA expands food sovereignty grants for Tribal Nations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced expanded funding for Tribal food sovereignty projects, including support for bison restoration, community gardens, and traditional food processing facilities. The program aims to strengthen local food systems and reduce reliance on federal commodity programs.
Montana Legislature opens session with record Indigenous representation
Montana’s 69th Legislature convened with more than a dozen newly elected Indigenous lawmakers sworn in, marking one of the largest Native delegations in state history. Lawmakers said the expanded representation will elevate Tribal priorities in Helena, including language revitalization, cultural preservation funding, and MMIP policy reforms.
Members of the American Indian Caucus said they plan to push for stronger partnerships between state agencies and Tribal governments. Education, public safety coordination, and cultural center funding are expected to be among the session’s early debates.
Montana court blocks law restricting voter registration hours
A Montana district court issued an injunction halting a state law that would have restricted voter registration hours, a measure Tribal advocates said would disproportionately affect Native voters in rural counties. The ruling allows existing voter ID rules to remain in place while the case proceeds.
Advocates say the decision protects access for reservation communities where long travel distances and limited office hours already pose barriers. The case is expected to influence broader debates over voting access for Native populations across the Northern Plains.
Wyoming Tribal voting advocates warn of harms in Federal Election Bill
Wyoming Tribal voting rights groups raised concerns about a federal election proposal they say could reduce ballot access for Native communities. Advocates told Wyoming Public Media that the bill’s ID and registration provisions would create new hurdles for voters living on reservations.
Organizers argue that the proposal fails to account for rural addressing issues, limited DMV access, and the unique jurisdictional landscape of Tribal nations. They say they will continue pressing state and federal officials to ensure Native voters are not disenfranchised.
Health Care fraud scheme victimizes Native Americans in Montana
Montana officials say at least 80 Native Americans were targeted in a multi state health care fraud scheme that transported individuals to out-of-state facilities and billed insurance companies for services that were never provided. Investigators say the operation exploited vulnerable people seeking treatment.
Authorities are working with Tribal governments to identify victims and recover funds. The case has renewed calls for stronger oversight of third-party treatment providers operating near reservations.
Tribal Trust Land Mortgage Reform signed into law
The Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2025 was signed May 4, creating enforceable timelines for the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ mortgage review process. The bipartisan bill, led by Rep. Dusty Johnson and Sens. John Thune and Mike Rounds, aims to eliminate years long delays that have stalled Native homeownership on trust land.
Housing leaders say the law marks one of the most significant federal reforms in decades. The measure also establishes a realty ombudsman to improve communication between Tribes, lenders, and federal agencies, a change advocates say will bring long needed accountability.
The post Native Sun News Today Weekly Digest first appeared on Native Sun News Today.
Shared by: Native Sun News Today
May 21, 2026
Tags: More News