The National Congress of American Indians holds its mid-year conference next week in Niagara Falls, New York.

The conference takes place at the Conference Center Niagara Falls for Monday through Tbursday. Tribal leaders will hear from their colleagues, federal officials and members of Congress about law enforcement, health care, economic development and other issues.

With the event taking place near the U.S.-Canada border, tribes will pay particular attention to border issues. New regulations require all people who enter the U.S. to possess a passport or compliant document under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

Speakers at next week's conference include:

Monday, June 15
* Barry Snyder, President, Seneca Nation of Indians
* Paul A. Dyster, Mayor, City of Niagara Falls
* Congressman Eric Massa (D-NY-29th)
* Congressman Tom Cole (R-OK-4th)
* Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ-6th)
* Larry EchoHawk, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, Department of Interior


Tuesday, June 16
* Duane Champagne, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology, Univ. of California Los Angeles
* Carole Goldberg, J.D., Distinguished Professor of Law, Univ. of California Los Angeles School of Law
* Patricia Mariella, Ph.D., Director, American Indian Policy Institute, Arizona State Univ.
* Margaret Cook, Director, Dept. of Environmental Quality, Gila River Indian Community
* Ondrea Barber, Interim Director, Environmental and Natural Resources Dept., Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
* Jaime Arsenault, M.A., Research Analyst, Native Nations Institute for Leadership, Management & Policy, Univ. of Arizona
* Tassy Parker, Ph.D., Asst. Professor, Family and Community Medicine and Nursing; Director, Research and Development, Center for Naïve American Health; and Senior Fellow, RWJF, Center for Health Policy, Univ. of New Mexico, Health Sciences Center-School of Medicine
* Lucille White, Chairperson, Seneca Nation Health Board, Seneca Nation of Indians

Wednesday, June 17
* John McCoy, State Representative, Washington State (D-38th) * Ron Lessard, Strategic Advisor for Native American Affairs, Corporation for National and Community Service

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