Committees demand investigation into operations of Indian schools

The House Committee on Natural Resources has requested an investigation of reports alleging abuse at Bureau of Indian Education schools.

This request, in the form of a letter to the Comptroller General, Gene L. Dorado, alleged that schools dispensed medications to students without parental consent, did not take proper steps to prevent bullying, did not properly respond  to suicidal behavior, and failed to follow proper background check protocol for staff and volunteers. 

The BIE Funded-School system includes 183 elementary and secondary schools that serve approximately 41,000 native american students across 23 states. Many students live on campus and heavily rely on their adult staff to provide a safe space for learning. Those were among the more than 526 Indian  schools, often boarding schools, that were operated in the U.S, in the 19th and 20th century. 

In Oklahoma, there are four currently active BIE schools across four tribal nations. All four schools are tribally operated but receive federal funding.  At one time there were more than 80 Indian schools operated in Oklahoma by the government and religious groups.

The letter comes on the heels of an investigation into Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU) that the 118th Congress conducted, which revealed misconduct at the university. 

“There is reason to further examine whether BIE schools are properly reporting and responding to risks to students’ safety,” the letter signed by  House Committee on Education and Workforce Chairman Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) states.

“The failure of BIE to consistently monitor and investigate such risks can have serious consequences for students, their families, and their communities including prolonged harm and long-term trauma to victims as well as erosion of trust in the staff responsible for safeguarding the well-being of students,” they went on to say in their letter. 

Lucas introduces bill to keep air traffic control school open in event of government shutdown

Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas (R, Cheyenne) has introduced legislation to keep the air traffic control training center in Oklahoma City operating in the event of a government shutdown.

The legislation, H.R. 2563, would ensure the training center which is racing to train additional air traffic controllers at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center would keep operating even if funding for the government expired.

“The Academy serves a fundamental role in the overall safety of the aviation industry. We must protect it at all costs,” Lucas said in a statement.  The legislation is supported by the aviation industry trade group Airlines for America.

That didn’t last long;  Earmarks are back

Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole (R, Moore), the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, led the effort in eliminating earmarks to secure passage of the stopgap spending bill last month.

But Cole is keeping in place the ban on non-profits receiving funding through the Community Project Funding.  He imposed the ban on non-profit funding last year. Billions of dollars in projects were cut as the House and Senate worked to secure passage of the spending bill, which now expires on Sept. 30.

Cole told members that projects that were cut from the 2025 funding cycle are eligible to be resubmitted for 2026.  Each Congressman is limited to 15 requests.

Earmarks are now known as community project funding in the House and Congressionally directed spending in the Senate.  But Cole has lowered the amount that can be spent to one-half of one percent of discretionary spending from the previous one percent.  

Still, billions of dollars will be doled out for projects favored by Congress.

Gaylord News is a reporting project of the University of Oklahoma Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication.  For more news by Gaylord News, go to GaylordNews.net.