Biden Administration Resumes White House Council on Native American Affairs

The first White House Council on Native American Affairs (WHCNAA) meeting of the Biden-Harris administration will be held by Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice on April 23, 2021. Secretary Haaland will serve as the Council’s Chair.

In a press release from the U.S. Department of Interior, Secretary Haaland stated, “Addressing the systemic inequities that impact Indigenous peoples is the responsibility of every federal agency that will require an all-of-government approach across the Administration.”

President Obama signed an executive order on June 26, 2013, establishing the WHCNAA to bring together federal leaders and Indian Country. The convening of the WCHNAA comes as the Biden-Harris administration has prioritized getting resources out to Tribal communities to address the impacts of climate change, racial equity, economic recovery, and COVID-19 response.