A bipartisan bill offered by U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) that would improve the National Advisory Council on Indian Education (NACIE) recently received approval from the U.S. Senate and advanced to the U.S. House of Representatives for action.
The Senate on Nov. 8 unanimously passed the NACIE Improvement Act, S. 749, which Sen. Fischer sponsored on March 9 with six original cosponsors, including Sen. Rounds and U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Jon Tester (D-MT), to give Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) more input over federal funding discussions that impact them.
TCUs, said Sen. Fischer, should not be left out of the conversation when it comes to federal education resources.
“I am glad to see this strong, bipartisan legislation pass the Senate with unanimous support,” Sen. Fischer said last week. “It’s long past time to ensure that the Departments of Education and Interior hear directly from TCU leaders about their challenges and funding needs.”
If enacted, S. 749 would revise the membership and duties of the NACIE by requiring the president ensure the council includes at least one member who is the president of a tribal college or university, according to the congressional record bill summary.
Additionally, S. 749 would require the council to submit its annual report to the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of the Interior, which both would be required to consider the council’s report when preparing their budget materials.
“I am pleased that the NACIE Improvement Act has passed the Senate,” said Sen. Rounds. “Leaders of [TCUs] know the needs of their organizations, faculty, and students better than anyone else. This legislation will amplify their voice on how to best meet those needs and improve the effectiveness of federal resources.”
The National Indian Education Association and the American Indian Higher Education Consortium endorsed the measure, which the House received on Nov. 13 for consideration.