President Barack Obama speaks at the White House Tribal Nations Conference on December 3, 2014. Still image from White House video
The Interior Department has archived videos from the sixth annual White House Tribal Nations Conference on Wednesday.
Video: Opening Session
The morning session featured an introduction by Jodi Gillette, the Senior Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs at the White House and a flag song from Niizhoo and Mani Sullivan, two young members of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in Wisconsin. The Native American Women Warriors presented the colors and Nancy James, first chief from Gwichyaa Zhee Gwich'in Tribal Council in Alaska, delivered an invocation. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell delivered opening remarks for the conference and was followed by Sylvia Mathews Burwell, the new Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Deborah Parker, a council member for the Tulalip Tribes of Washington, introduced Vice President Joe Biden, who attended the conference for the first time. He was followed by Attorney General Eric Holder, who has led the Department of Justice since 2009 but will be stepping down once the Senate confirms a replacement. Brian Cladoosby, the president of the National Congress of American Indians, moderated a panel on the federal-tribal relationship and on economic development. It featured Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, Transportation Anthony Foxx and Small Business Administration Administrator Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet.
Video: Afternoon Session
The afternoon session opened with a video featuring some of the 36 White House Tribal Nations Conference Youth Ambassadors who attended the event at the request of the White House. The video was produced by MTV. Karen Diver, the chairwoman of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in Minnesota, moderated a panel on climate change. It featured Council on Environmental Quality Acting Director Mike Boots, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate and Secretary Jewell. That was followed by a panel on education and youth, moderated by Rodney Butler, the chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut. It featured Secretary Jewell, Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, White House Director of the Domestic Policy Council Cecilia Muñoz, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Office of Personnel and Management Director Katherine Archuleta.
The White House: President Obama Addresses the 2014 White House Tribal Nations Conference
Finally, President Barack Obama closed the conference with remarks. He did not take questions from tribal leaders. Related Stories:
White House to host first-ever Tribal Youth Gathering next year (12/3)
White House Fact Sheet: Sixth annual Tribal Nations Conference (12/3)
President Obama welcomes 12 tribal leaders to White House (12/2)
Vice President Joe Biden to address Tribal Nations Conference (12/2)
Tentative schedule for White House Tribal Nations Conference (11/26)
White House invites youth to DC for Tribal Nations Conference (11/26)
Obamas welcome youth from Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to DC (11/21)
Native Sun News: Oglala Sioux youth to join White House meet (11/21)
Republicans hold up action on Alaska tribal jurisdiction measure (11/19)
White House Tribal Nations Conference takes place December 3 (10/20)
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