Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Tribal Nations Summit

U.S. Department of the InteriorWashington, D.C. 1:35 P.M. EST THE VICE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everyone. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. (Applause.) Can we please applaud Sophia? (Applause.) (Laughs.) This is why we know the future is bright, right? Please have a seat. Please have a seat. Well, I want to thank everyone for your leadership, for your long-standing friendship, and for the work we have yet to do together. Let me say, it is so good to be with Secretary Deb Haaland, who has been an incredible leader, as we know, and such a powerful fighter and a dear friend and colleague to me. So, I thank you, Deb, for all that you do. And to all the leaders who are here today, including all the leaders from California who I have worked with over the years - (applause) - on so many important issues, from protecting the rights of Native children to fighting for the safety of Indigenous women to conserving Native land. And I believe, of course, that the bonds between our nations are sacred - they are sacred - and that the federal government has a duty to safeguard and strengthen those bonds, a duty to honor Tribal sovereignty, to ensure Tribal self-determination, and to uphold our trust and treaty obligations. And I will always fight to build a future of opportunity and dignity for all Native people and all Native communities. As vice president, I have had the honor to meet and work with thousands of Native leaders, from young leaders at our extraordinary Tribal colleges and universities, to advocates fighting to protect Native votes and voting rights - (applause) - to union workers in Arizona and Native small-business owners from across the country. And here’s what I know to be true. Native communities are home to some of the most innovative, skilled, and determined people in America. And as we all know well, there is an extraordinary amount of ambition, aspiration, and ability across Indian Country; however, what is often lacking is the opportunity to pursue that ambition, aspiration, and ability. For far too long, the federal government has underinvested in Native communities, underinvested in Native entrepreneurs and small businesses, and underinvested in Native hospitals, schools, and infrastructure, which is why, over the past four years, we have made it a central priority and it will m- - remain a central priority to address these historic inequities and to create opportunity in every Native community. Take, for example, our work with Native small-business owners. We know that one of the biggest hurdles to Native entrepreneurs is having access to capital. It’s one of the biggest challenges. It’s not for lack of a good idea, for serious work ethic, for a plan that actually would benefit the community and meet a demand, but it’s access to capital. On Tribal land and in many rural areas, the nearest bank is sometimes more than a hundred miles away, making it more difficult for folks to get the resources and support that they need to start and grow a small business, which is why I have worked to expand access to capital since I served in the United States Senate and, as vice president, have made sure we invested over a billion dollars in Native community banks, banks run by people who live in the community and understand - and are in the best position, then, to understand the needs of the community, the capacity of the community in a way that, in particular, other banks may not. And the impact of that approach is profound. As just one example: Soon after taking office, I spoke with Onna LeBeau, a member of the Omaha Tribe. (Applause.) And we had an extensive conversation. I reached out to her, and - and she understood that, basically, as an executive director of a Native community bank in South Dakota, that the entrepreneurs in the community, many of them just were not being recognized by those who could invest in their work and in their growth. We talked, for example, about entrepreneurs in the community who make traditional quilts and the challenges that they often face in securing loans, as big banks often don’t fully understand the culture and, therefore, don’t understand the value of the product or service, don’t understand the demand, don’t understand the need - just don’t understand the culture. But community banks do. And today, Native community banks are using the billion dollars that we have given them to support Native entrepreneurs, to create jobs, and to generate economic opportunity across Indian Country. In Native communities, we have also addressed inequities in health care, which we know is a long-, long-standing issue. And we have done it with a belief - and I strongly believe - access to health care should be a right and not just a privilege of those who can afford it, that this is a matter - (applause) - and that this is a matter simply about dignity, about allowing people to have a quality of life to which they are entitled, and, in particular, to live without needlessly suffering. Nearly 3 million people rely on the Indian Health Service for medical care. In some communities, IHS hospitals and clinics are the only place that folks receive medical care. But before we took office, if Congress failed to pass a spending bill and the federal government then shut down, the IHS would stop receiving funding immediately. Many of you here know that. And when I was in the Senate, you called me to make sure I was clear about that. And hospital- - because what we know: Hospitals and clinics across Indian Country would then have to close their doors. I worked on this issue, then, thanks to a lot of the leaders here, when I was a United States senator, and I know the profound harm that these closures cause. In 2018, the federal government - everyone - many here remember that - the federal government shut down for more than a month. And I still remember the stories: a mother of two who was forced to wait for days for treatment for bronchitis, all the time terrified that one of her lungs would collapse; a 16- - or a 68-year-old grandmother who was forced to delay eye surgery, despite daily pain; and a young man, who was engaged to be married, who lost his life because the opioid treatment center he relied on in his community was shut down. These are just some of the stories, and they are heartbreaking. So, when I was elected vice president, I was determined to finally deal with this issue and this injustice. And I am proud to report that for the first time ever, we made it so that IHS will now continue to receive funding even if the federal government shuts down - (applause) - which, of course, means that no matter what happens, people will continue to get the care that they need and deserve. It’s just a matter of dignity and what is right. And to improve health care across Indian Country, we have also taken on the issue - and, again, there are so many leaders here who have been doing this work to take on the issue of maternal health. Women in America die at a higher rate in connection with childbirth than women in any other so-called wealthy country in the world. And the latest numbers tell us Native - it was twice as likely. The current numbers are that Native women are three times more likely than others to die in connection with childbirth. Three years ago this very month, as vice president, I challenged every state in our country to address this crisis. And, in particular, I challenged them to extend postpartum coverage under Medicaid from a measly - what they were doing - two months to one year. I am proud to report that whereas, when I issued the challenge - and I was pretty shameless about it; I really challenged them, right? (Laughs.) Like, I was in their face about it. When I first did it, only three states had Medicaid coverage postpartum beyond two months. As of today, 46 states offer a full year of postpartum coverage. (Applause.) Right? And there are so many leaders in this room that are behind that work, and I thank you. So - and - and, by the way, those stats tell us that it includes, of those 46 states, every one of the 10 states with the largest Native populations. And so, of course, the leaders here know what this means. It means that now there are thousands more Native women who acc- - have access to a full year of care, from vaccinations to checkups to postpartum depression screenings. It makes a difference. And all of this to know what we, again, must always do: fight for the dignity of all people. To create a future of opportunity and dignity, we must also make sure every person has the freedom to drink clean water and breathe clean air. Tribal Nations and people have served as responsible stewards of our environment and natural resources for millennia - the original leaders. And over the past four years, we have then made it a priority to make sure you have the resources to continue your important work of leadership. As just one example: Last year, I visited the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona. (Applause.) And I was, by the way, the first - well, there was never a president to do it; I’m the first vice president to ever do it in history. And at Gila River, Governor Stephen Lewis - is he here? I thought that was you. Hi. (Laughs.) Governor, it’s good to see you. GOVERNOR LEWIS: Love you, Vice President. Love you. (Applause.) THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. It’s good to see you. And we had such a wonderful visit, and - and the governor and I toured the site of a new clean water pipeline. And for those who haven’t seen it, it’s really a sight to see. It’s really a sight to see. The project was proposed by Native leaders and created jobs for Native workers. And the project will reduce the impact of drought and provide a new source of water that Native farmers can now use to irrigate their fields. The Gila River project is just one of the thousands that will be supported and backed up by our investment of nearly $2 billion in Native-led climate projects to help clean up pollution and build reliable, clean energy and adapt to extreme weather, all of which will help protect Native communities for this generation and for seven generations to come. So, I will end with this. A few minutes ago, I had the privilege to meet with a group of extraordinary young Native leaders. Where are you guys? I know you came in here. Stand up, please. Just - you all have to stand up. Come on. (Applause.) And we had such a wonderful visit. I could have just hung out with you guys all afternoon, to be honest. (Laughter.) I’m telling you, our future is so bright. And I said to these leaders a few things. I mean, you know, this is just - I guess, for all of us, culturally, we lecture. I lectured them. (Laughter.) I told them what to do. I gave them advice they didn’t ask for. (Laughter.) And one of the things I said to them is that your leadership and your voice is so important, and we are so proud of you. And I said to them something everyone here knows: You know, you may many, many times - you will many times be the only one that looks like you in a room, be it a boardroom, a lecture hall, a meeting room, a congressional hearing. You may be the only one that looks like you in that room. But you always remember you are not in that room alone, that we are all in that room with you, and that when you walk in that room, we expect and demand that you will walk in that room chin up, shoulders back, carrying the voices of all of us who are so proud that you are there and are counting on you to lead. And I see in our young leaders such incredible potential. I see purpose. I see determination. I see ambition, which I applaud and must always be applauded. And here is one of the things I love most about our young leaders: They are rightly impatient. They are not waiting for someone else to lead. They are prepared to lead. And so, I say, in the midst of challenges, in the midst of what might sometimes be a profound sense of uncertainty, let us always continue to have faith in our young leaders, in their future, and in our collective future. And I thank you all, all the leaders here, for all you have done and all you will do. And let us continue to fight for the opportunity and the dignity of all people. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America. (Applause.) END 1:51 P.M. EST The post Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Tribal Nations Summit appeared first on The White House.