Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council

Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council
Name	Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council
Formation	1982
Type	Tribal consortium
Headquarters	Billings, Montana
Region served	Montana, Wyoming
Leader title	Executive Director

Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council is a regional tribal consortium formed to coordinate intertribal cooperation among federally recognized tribes in Montana and Wyoming. The council convenes tribal leaders from sovereign nations such as the Crow Nation, Northern Cheyenne Tribe, Blackfeet Nation, Chippewa-Cree Tribe, Apsáalooke Nation and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes to address shared priorities including public health, natural resources, judicial affairs, and tribal self-determination. It operates in proximity to institutions like the Indian Health Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Congress of American Indians, and engages with state entities including the Montana Legislature and the Wyoming Legislature.

History

The council originated in 1982 amid the policy environment shaped by the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act and the administration of Presidents such as Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter whose administrations influenced federal-tribal relations. Early meetings included representatives from the Fort Belknap Indian Community, Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, Blackfeet Nation, and Crow Nation and responded to regional issues like the aftermath of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act debates and national advocacy through the National Congress of American Indians. Over decades the council intersected with landmark events like the implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act, legal disputes referencing the Fort Belknap Indian Community v. United States precedents, and environmental contests involving Yellowstone National Park and the Headwaters Forest Reserve controversies. Its evolution mirrored broader movements including the revival of tribal courts following the Oliphant v. Suquamish Indian Tribe implications and coordination with entities such as the Native American Rights Fund and the National Indian Health Board.

Organization and Membership

Membership comprises elected leaders and appointed representatives from federally recognized tribes in Montana and Wyoming, including the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Northern Arapaho Tribe, Wind River Reservation communities, and smaller nations like the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana. The council maintains governance structures influenced by models used by the Inter-tribal Council of Arizona and the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, with an executive committee, technical advisory panels, and policy forums that mirror procedures of the National Congress of American Indians. It liaises with federal agencies including the Indian Health Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Environmental Protection Agency, and with regional entities like the Yellowstone River Compact signatories. Leadership has included former tribal chairs and advocates who previously worked with the United States Department of the Interior and the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

Programs and Services

The council administers programs in public health that coordinate with the Indian Health Service and county health departments, workforce development initiatives linked to Job Corps programs, and legal assistance modeled after services of the Native American Rights Fund and Lewis and Clark Law School tribal clinics. It delivers cultural preservation projects collaborating with institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution and the National Endowment for the Humanities, supports education initiatives akin to Bureau of Indian Education programs, and engages in housing efforts paralleling programs of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Health programs have interfaced with national responses like coordination seen during H1N1 pandemic and COVID-19 pandemic public health outreach led by tribal coalitions and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Advocacy and Policy Initiatives

The council advocates on issues before the United States Congress, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and federal courts, addressing treaty rights rooted in agreements such as the Treaty of Fort Laramie (1851) and the Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868). Policy priorities include protection of water rights linked to the McCarran Amendment and adjudications reminiscent of the Blackfeet Reservation water rights settlements, natural resource stewardship intersecting with the Yellowstone National Park boundary matters, and sovereignty matters informed by precedents like Montana v. United States (1981). The council has filed comments and amicus briefs in matters involving the U.S. Supreme Court, collaborated with the Environmental Protection Agency on regional air and water quality standards, and coordinated with tribal organizations such as the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians to influence federal rulemaking.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources include federal grants from the Administration for Native Americans, project funds from the Department of Health and Human Services, contracts under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and philanthropic support from organizations like the Ford Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Partnerships encompass collaborations with universities such as the University of Montana, Montana State University, and legal partners including the Native American Rights Fund and law schools that host tribal clinics. The council has worked with state agencies including the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and with national bodies like the National Indian Health Board to leverage resources for infrastructure, health, and legal capacity building.

Notable Projects and Impact

Notable initiatives include regional behavioral health programs developed in partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, water and wetlands protection projects aligned with the Clean Water Act, and cultural repatriation efforts coordinated with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act processes and the Smithsonian Institution. The council’s coordinating role has influenced outcomes in cross-jurisdictional litigation, tribal employment initiatives similar to Native American Business Development Institute projects, and public health responses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its impact is reflected in strengthened tribal governance, enhanced intertribal cooperation akin to outcomes pursued by the National Congress of American Indians, and sustained engagement with federal policy processes such as appropriations hearings before the United States House Committee on Appropriations.

Category:Native American organizations in Montana Category:Native American organizations in Wyoming