,,iii #aag? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #ada ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,m>* #be1 #bjba,mr4 ,b5net 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,wyd51 ,ms4 ,w>r51 ,mrs4 ,murray1 ,mr4 ,m]kley1 ,ms4 ,cantwell1 ,mr4 ,he9ri*1 ,mr4 ,kelly1 ,mr4 ,book]1 ,mr4 ,te/]1 & ,mr4 ,s*atz7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,indian ,affairs ,,resolution ,recogniz+ ! critical importance ( access to reliable1 clean dr9k+ wat] = ,native ,am]icans & ,alaska ,natives & confirm+ ! responsibility ( ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t to ensure su* wat] access4 ,:]eas access to reliable1 clean dr9k+ wat] is an ess5tial human ne$ t is critical to ! public heal?1 well-be+1 educational atta9m5t1 & economic developm5t ( all communities 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas _m c\ntries1 along ) ! ,unit$ ,nations1 h recogniz$ ! urg5cy ( wat] access by pass+ laws or resolutions reg>d+ ! human "r to wat]1 includ+ recognition ( ^! ne$s among indig5\s peoples & e/abli%+ aggressive t>gets = a*iev+ univ]sal access to ?is basic s]vice2 ,:]eas access to reliable1 clean dr9k+ wat] has long be5 a significant problem 9 _m ,tribal communities & 9 _m ,alaska ,native ,villages1 su* t ne>ly half ( all ,native ,am]ican h\seholds /ill d n h access to reliable wat] s\rces1 clean dr9k+ wat]1 & are significantly m likely ?an ,:ite h\seholds to lack indoor plumb+2 ,:]eas reliable1 clean dr9k+ wat] may be unavailable to ^! h\seholds = a numb] ( reasons1 includ+ because-- 7#a7 !re is no pip$ wat] sy/em connect+ to ! h\se2 7#b7 ! wat] available to ! h\sehold does n meet m9imum protective /&>ds2 7#c7 ! wat] infra/ructure is det]iorat+ or insuffici5t2 or 7#d7 ,indian ,tribes face *all5ges 9 support+ ! op]ation & ma9t5ance ne$s ( exi/+ wat] infra/ructure2 ,:]eas ,f$]al programs adm9i/]$ ?r\gh ! ,indian ,heal? ,s]vice ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices1 ! ,environm5tal ,protection ,ag5cy1 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture1 & o!r ,f$]al & ,/ate ag5cies h be5 unsuccessful 9 develop+ ! infra/ructure necess>y to provide reliable1 clean dr9k+ wat] = "s ,tribal communities2 ,:]eas _m ,indian ,tribes h significant unresolv$ claims = f$]ally res]v$ wat] rights1 _m ( :i* h be5 unresolv$ = decades & :i* may n be resolv$ = _m ye>s to come1 due 9 "p to ! complex & significant issues typically involv$ 9 wat] rights adjudication & settlem5ts2 ,:]eas ! developm5t ( wat] infra/ructure 9 ,tribal communities has frequ5tly be5 condition$ on ! settlem5t ( su* ,tribal res]v$ wat] rights1 & has be5 prev5t$ or delay$ by cont9u+ unc]ta9ty ov] ! /atus ( ,tribal wat] rights1 by ! ye>s-long process ( ,tribal wat] rights settlem5ts1 or by cont9u$ conflict ov] ! quantification ( ,tribal res]v$ wat] rights 9 ,/ate wat] rights adjudications2 ,:]eas ! quantity ( wat] t w\ld be requir$ to supply reliable1 clean dr9k+ wat] to provide = ! basic ne$s ( ! resid5ts ( ,tribal communities & 9 ,alaska ,native ,villages are typically only a small fraction ( ! total quantity ( ,tribal res]v$ wat] rights2 ,:]eas ! tru/ responsibility ( ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t to ,tribal nations requires ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t to ensure ! survival & welf>e ( ,indian ,tribes & p1 & ! failure to provide basic wat] s]vice _c be reconcil$ ) ?is tru/ responsibility2 ,:]eas ! ,indian ,self-,det]m9ation & ,education ,assi/ance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecja et seq47 affirm$ ! tru/ responsibility ( ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t to support ,tribal self-gov]nance & self-det]m9ation1 & ^! goals _c be fully realiz$ )\t address+ inequities su* z ensur+ access to reliable1 clean dr9k+ wat] = e ,tribal community2 ,:]eas ! ongo+ ,,covid-#ai p&emic has _h a disproportionate impact on ,native ,am]ican p due to factors includ+ p]si/5t economic disadvantages 9 ,tribal communities & 9 ,alaska ,native ,villages1 racial inequity1 lack ( access to adequate heal? c>e1 & lack ( public heal? infra/ructure1 includ+ access to runn+ wat]2 & ,:]eas ! ,,covid-#ai p&emic has provid$ a />k rem9d] t access to reliable1 clean dr9k+ wat] to support basic hygi5e is a matt] ( life or dea? = all citiz5s ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t-- 7#a7 x is ! s5se ( ! ,s5ate t-- 7,a7 access to reliable1 clean dr9k+ wat] 9 ,tribal communities & 9 ,alaska ,native ,villages is an ess5tial human ne$1 is critical to ! heal?1 well-be+1 & economic developm5t ( p liv+ on su* communities & 9 su* villages1 & is integral to ma9ta9+ ! public heal? ( ! entire ,unit$ ,/ates2 7,b7 settlem5t or adjudication ( ,tribal claims ( res]v$ wat] rights is n & %\ld n be a pr]equisite to ! provision ( ?is basic human s]vice to h\seholds locat$ 9 ,tribal communities & 9 ,alaska ,native ,villages1 nor %\ld ! provision ( su* basic human s]vices be us$ to lev]age ! resolution ( ,tribal res]v$ wat] rights & claims2 & 7,c7 ! provision ( reliable1 clean dr9k+ wat] to support ! dome/ic requirem5ts ( ,tribal memb]s & ,tribal communities is an ess5tial compon5t ( ! ,f$]al tru/ responsibility to ,indian ,tribes2 & 7#b7 ! ,s5ate-- 7,a7 calls ^u ! ,f$]al ,executive ,bran* to "w 9 collaboration ) ,tribal gov]nm5ts & ) any relevant ,/ate & local jurisdictions to exp$ite ! plann+1 design1 developm5t1 & op]ation ( ! infra/ructure necess>y to provide reliable1 clean dr9k+ wat] 9 ,tribal communities & 9 ,alaska ,native ,villages1 & to in=m ,congress ( fur!r au?orizations & exp5ditures t may be necess>y to meet ?is objective2 7,b7 calls ^u ! ,f$]al ,executive ,bran* to employ a :ole ( gov]nm5t approa* to ensure ! provision ( reliable1 clean dr9k+ wat] to h\seholds 9 ,tribal communities & 9 ,alaska ,native ,villages & to create an int]ag5cy task =ce consi/+ ( high-level repres5tatives f dep>tm5ts & ag5cies ) au?ority to provide wat] infra/ructure t w "w to remove b>ri]s1 optimize fund+1 & make imm$iate & tangible progress on meet+ ?is objective & report annually to ,congress on su* progress2 & 7,c7 calls ^u ! ,f$]al ,executive ,bran*1 ,/ate gov]nm5ts1 & affect$ wat] ag5cies to affirmatively support de-c\pl+ ! plann+1 design1 developm5t1 & op]ation ( su* infra/ructure f ! settlem5t or adjudication ( ,tribal res]v$ wat] rights1 & to support ! developm5t ( t infra/ructure necess>y to provide reliable1 clean dr9k+ wat] 9 ,tribal communities indep5d5t ( su* settlem5ts or adjudications4