Raúl Grijalva: Republicans still won't listen to Indian Country

We’re nearing the end of a congressional session that saw Native American sovereignty rise to the greatest national prominence it’s had in decades. From the Dakota Access Pipeline to nationwide efforts to protect sacred land and historic sites, Indian country is finally getting a portion of the political and media attention it’s long deserved.

Unfortunately, the Republican majority in Congress hasn’t been interested. Over the past two years, the House has failed to fulfill one of its most fundamental responsibilities to Indian country: approving and funding Indian water rights settlements. These settlements are a crucial tool used by Congress to provide tribes with water to which they are legally entitled. Without congressionally approved settlements, many tribes lack the water resources to maintain public health and educational quality.

As my staff documented in a recent report titled “Water Delayed is Water Denied,” clean water access and sanitation figures on numerous reservations across the nation more closely resemble developing countries than they do the rest of the United States. Thousands of Native families continue to lack basic services like clean running water and flush toilets. As a result, Native families often end up drinking unclean water that increases disease risks and impairs tribal economic development.