Bill proposed by Johnson, Cole provides National American Indian Veterans with federal charter

U.S. Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) and Tom Cole (R-OK) on Jan. 13 introduced a bipartisan bill that would grant a federal charter to the National American Indian Veterans Inc. (NAIV), a nonprofit organization headquartered in South Dakota on the Cheyenne River Reservation that advocates for Native Americans who served in the United States military.

“The NAIV has served the needs of tribal veterans across the nation for decades,” said Rep. Johnson, who sponsored H.R. 6402. “When South Dakota’s Native veterans came to me with a request for a Congressional Charter it was a no-brainer.”

A Congressional Charter recognizes the authority and purpose of an organization, according to the text of the bill. H.R. 6402, which has three original cosponsors, including Rep. Cole and U.S. Rep. Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ), is companion legislation to S. 1725, which U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) introduced in May 2021 in the U.S. Senate. 

“With Native Americans serving in our nation’s military at five times the national average, it certainly makes sense to provide federal recognition to a Native American veterans organization that advocates for the needs and interests of this unique population across 14 regions in the United States,” said Rep. Cole, co-chair of the congressional Native American Caucus and a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. 

“I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan legislation that grants a federal charter to the National American Indian Veterans Inc.,” Rep. Cole said.

Rep. Johnson added that he’s “grateful for the NAIV’s dedication to tribal veterans’ benefits and for their input on tribal policy throughout the years.”

Among those who have endorsed the bill is Don Loudner, a Native veteran, enrolled member of the Hunkpati Sioux Tribe (Crow Creek Sioux Tribe), and National Commander of the National American Indian Veterans Inc. “It is very important to pass this bill for American Indians. It would allow us to testify to Congress on the unique needs of our Native veterans,” Loudner said.