TO THE MEMBERS OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
The 181 undersigned Indian tribal nations, tribal corporations, and tribal trade associations—collectively organized as the Coalition for Tribal Sovereignty—write in strong support of H.R. 779, the “Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2019 (TLSA),” and request your cosponsorship of the bill. TLSA would respect and promote tribal sovereignty by affirming the rights of tribal governmental employers to determine their own labor practices on their own lands. TLSA is sponsored by Rep. John Moolenaar, and passed the House in the 114th and 115th Congresses with bipartisan support.
In 1935, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) was enacted to ensure fair labor practices, but excluded federal, state and local governmental employers from its reach. Though the Act did not expressly treat Indian tribes as governmental employers, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) respected the sovereign status of tribal governmental employers for nearly 70 years before abruptly abandoning its own precedent and reversing course in 2004.
Since its decision in San Manuel Indian Bingo, the NLRB has been aggressively asserting jurisdiction over tribal labor practices when it determines tribal government employers are acting in a “commercial” rather than a “governmental” capacity – an analysis it does not apply to state or local government employers.
TLSA builds upon a principle that has been amply demonstrated by Indian tribes across the country: when tribal sovereignty is respected and acknowledged, economic success follows. Enactment of H.R. 779 would prevent an unnecessary and unwarranted overreach by the NLRB into the affairs of tribal governments. By amending the NLRA to expressly treat tribal government employers and their enterprises and institutions the same as it treats state, local and federal government employers, H.R. 779 would provide corrective guidance to the NLRB and bring parity to tribal government employers across the nation.
The Coalition for Tribal Sovereignty strongly supports H.R. 779 and urges you to cosponsor this important bill.
Sincerely,
Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA)
American Indian Chamber of Commerce of New Mexico
American Indian Chamber of Commerce of South Carolina
American Indian Infrastructure Association
Arctic Slope Native Association
Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
Barona Band of Mission Indians
Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria
Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians
Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians of the Big Valley Rancheria
Bishop Paiute Tribe
Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe
Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
Cahuilla Band of Indians
California Association of Tribal Governments
Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
Chickasaw Nation
Chippewa Cree Tribe
Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
Chuathbaluk Traditional Council
Citizen Potawatomi Nation
Coeur d’Alene Tribe
Comanche Nation
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
Coquille Indian Tribe
Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians
Delaware Nation
Diné Development Corp a wholly owned Navajo Nation business
Doyon, Limited
Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma
Eastern Shoshone Tribe
Elk Valley Rancheria
Ely Shoshone Tribe
Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians
Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria
Forest County Potawatomi Community
Fort Belknap Indian Community
Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association
Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake
Ho-Chunk Nation
Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel
Inter Tribal Association of Arizona
Intertribal Timber Council
Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe
Jamul Indian Village
Kalispel Tribe of Indians
Karuk Tribe
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
Kenaitze Indian Tribe
Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas
Lac du Flambeau Tribe
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe
Lummi Nation
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation
Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians (Gun Lake Tribe)
Metlakatla Indian Community, Annette Islands Reserve
Midwest Alliance of Sovereign Tribes (MAST)
Minnesota American Indian Chamber of Commerce
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut
Mooretown Rancheria
Morongo Band of Mission Indians
Muscogee (Creek) Nation
Naknek Native Village
National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC)
National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED)
National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)
National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA)
National Native American Bar Association
Native American Contractors Association (NACA)
Native American Development Corporation (NADC)
Native American Enterprise Initiative (NAEI)
Native Village of Afognak
Native Village of Karluk
Native Village of Kiana, Kiana Traditional Council
Native Village of Koyuk
Native Village of Kwigillingok
Native Village of Nuiqsut
Native Village of Nunapitchuk, IRA Council
Native Village of Ouzinkie
Native Village of Tununak
Navajo Nation
New Stuyahok Traditional Council
Nez Perce
Northern Arapaho Tribe
Noorvik Native Community
Oglala Sioux Tribe
Ohkay Owingeh
Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association
Oneida Indian Nation
Osage Nation
Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians
Pala Band of Mission Indians
Pascua Yaqui Tribe
Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians
Passamaquoddy Tribe - Indian Township
Pauma Band of Mission Indians
Pawnee Nation
Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians
Penobscot Indian Nation
Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma
Poarch Band of Creek Indians
Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe
Portage Creek Village (Portage Creek Village Council)
Prairie Island Indian Community
Pueblo of Acoma
Pueblo of Isleta
Pueblo of Laguna
Pueblo of Pojoaque
Pueblo of Tesuque
Puyallup Tribe
Qagan Tayagungin Tribe of Sand Point
Quapaw Nation
Quinault Nation
Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
Red Lake Nation
Reno-Sparks Indian Colony
Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians
Rocky Mountain Indian Chamber of Commerce
Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council
Sac and Fox Nation
Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe
Samish Indian Nation
San Carlos Apache Tribe
San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
Santa Clara Pueblo
Santee Sioux Nation
Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Seldovia Village Tribe
Seminole Nation of Oklahoma
Shingle Springs Band of Miwok
Shinnecock Indian Nation
Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
Shoalwater Bay Tribe
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation
Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians
Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Mole Lake Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Southern Ute Indian Tribe
Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations
Spokane Tribe of Indians
St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin
Stockbridge-Munsee Community
Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
Susanville Indian Rancheria
Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Tribe
Table Mountain Rancheria
Tanana Chiefs Conference
Thlopthlocco Tribal Town
Tonkawa Tribe of Oklahoma
Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians
Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations (TASIN)
Tulalip Tribes
Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe
Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians
Ugashik Traditional Village Council
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma Corporation
United South and Eastern Tribes Sovereignty Protection Fund (USET)
Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians
Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)
White Earth Band of Chippewa Indians
Wichita and Affiliated Tribes
Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
Wyandotte Nation
Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe
Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation
