Senate passes Rounds’ bill creating congressional charter for Native American vets group

The U.S. Senate on Nov. 17 unanimously passed a bipartisan bill sponsored by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) to create a federal charter for the nonprofit National American Indian Veterans (NAIV).

“There are many congressionally chartered veterans service organizations, but none that solely represent the interests and needs of Native American veterans,” Sen. Rounds said on Monday. “Our bill would change that by recognizing the mission and authority of the NAIV with a congressional charter.”

Sen. Rounds in May 2021 introduced S. 1725 with nine original cosponsors, including lead cosponsor U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) to establish a congressional charter for NAIV, which is headquartered in South Dakota on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Reservation. 

NAIV is a nonpartisan organization that advocates for tribal veterans. Originally started in 2004, the organization currently serves the needs of Native American military veterans in all 50 states, according to information provided by Sen. Rounds’ office. 

“We are one step closer to giving our Native American veterans the recognition they truly deserve and have earned,” said Sen. Rounds, who pointed out that NAIV works closely with Tribal Veterans Services Officers to ensure Native American veterans receive proper benefits and resources.

“Congress regularly looks to NAIV for input when addressing issues facing Native American veterans,” he added. “This charter will help give NAIV a larger platform to continue advocating for and serving the more than 140,000 Native American veterans living in the United States.”

Ben Nighthorse Campbell, an American Cheyenne and Republican politician who represented Colorado’s 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987 to 1993, and as a United States senator from Colorado from 1993 to 2005, congratulated Sen. Rounds “for his hard work to garner passage of this bill in the Senate.”

“I encourage my friends in the House of Representatives to follow Sen. Rounds and his colleagues lead and pass this legislation on behalf of this wonderful organization and the good work they do for American Indian Vets,” he said. 

Don Loudner, a combat veteran of the Korean War, enrolled member of the Hunkpati Sioux Tribe and National Commander of NAIV; Robert Dunsmore, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Veterans Service Officer; and Ken Teunissen, a Purple Heart recipient and commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter No. 5355, also commended passage of S. 1725.

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-SD), Steve Daines (R-MT), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) were among the original cosponsors who joined Sen. Rounds in introducing the bill. The House version, the same-named H.R. 6402, was introduced on Jan. 13 by U.S. Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Tom Cole (R-OK), and Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ).