November 28, 2022

Dear USET/USET SPF Family,

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Review Committee (NAGPRA Review Committee) has announced that it will host two public teleconference meetings on Thursday, January 5, 2023, and Tuesday, January 10, 2023. The agenda for these public meetings may include a report from the National NAGPRA Program, discussion of the Review Committee Report to Congress, subcommittee reports and discussion, and other topics related to the Committee’s responsibilities under Sec. 8 of NAGPRA.

Additionally, the NAGPRA Review Committee and the Department of the Interior have expressed interest in hearing comments on a Proposed Rule to revise NAGPRA regulations (43 CFR Part 10). Tribal Nations will still have the opportunity to submit written comments on this Proposed Rule, which are due on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 by 11:59pm ET and must be submitted to regulations.gov under Docket No. NPS-2022-0004.

Details regarding these upcoming Public Meetings of the NAGPRA Review Committee are as follows—

NAGPRA Review Committee First Meeting

• Date/Time: Thursday, January 5, 2023 from 11:00am to 3:00pm ET
• Click Here to Register

NAGPRA Review Committee Second Meeting

• Date/Time: Tuesday, January 10, 2023 from 2:00pm to 6:00pm ET
• Click Here to Register

On September 30, 2021, USET SPF submitted comments to the Department of the Interior in response to proposed revisions to NAGPRA regulations that were initially initiated under the Trump Administration. In our comments, USET SPF stressed that further consultation was required on the proposed NAGPRA revisions, especially since they were initiated under the previous Trump Administration. Additionally, we emphasized that Comprehensive Agreements must first be signed by Tribal Nations, publications in the Federal Register regarding repatriation should be published in a timely manner, and that federal agencies and museums must be required to publish itemized lists and summaries of holdings or collections of our ancestors and sacred items. USET SPF will review the Proposed Rule published on October 18, 2022 and plans to submit comments.

Questions regarding these NAGPRA Review Committee Public Meetings should be directed to Melanie O’Brien, Designated Federal Officer, National Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Program, National Park Service, at (202) 354-2201, or by email to nagpra_info@nps.gov.

For more information, please contact Brian Howard, USET SPF Senior Policy Analyst, at bhoward@usetinc.org.

Established in 2014, the USET Sovereignty Protection Fund (USET SPF) is a non-profit, inter-Tribal organization advocating on behalf of thirty-three (33) federally recognized Tribal Nations from the Northeastern Woodlands to the Everglades and across the Gulf of Mexico. USET SPF is dedicated to promoting, protecting, and advancing the inherent sovereign rights and authorities of Tribal Nations and in assisting its membership in dealing effectively with public policy issues.