[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 133 (Friday, July 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41533-41534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-15027]


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COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS


Sunshine Act Meeting

AGENCY: United States Commission on Civil Rights.

ACTION: Notice of Commission Public Briefing, COVID-19 in Indian 
Country: The Impact of Federal Broken Promises on Native Americans, 
Notice of Commission Business Meeting, and Call for Public Comments

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DATES: Friday, July 17, 2020, 10:00 a.m. ET.

ADDRESSES: Virtual Briefing and Business Meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Zakee Martin (202) 376-8359; TTY: 
(202) 376-8116; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On Friday, July 17, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern 
Time, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will hold a virtual briefing 
to evaluate the impacts of COVID-19 on Native Americans. In 2018, the 
Commission issued Broken Promises: Continuing Federal Funding Shortfall 
for Native Americans, which addressed the inadequacy of federal funding 
for Native American programs despite the United States' trust 
responsibility to promote tribal self-government, support the general 
wellbeing of Native American people, tribes and villages, and to 
protect their land and resources.
    The Commission will hear testimony from experts on how the pandemic 
has impacted Native American communities with respect to healthcare, 
housing, and infrastructure components such as access to water and 
broadband, and whether the federal government is meeting its 
obligations to Native American people in this current crisis.
    This briefing is open to the public via Weblink. The event will 
live-stream at https://www.youtube.com/user/USCCR/videos. (Streaming 
information subject to change.) Public participation is available for 
the event with view access, along with an audio option for listening.
    Computer assisted real-time transcription (CART) will be provided. 
The web link to access CART (in English) on Friday, July 17, 2020, is 
https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=USCCR. Please note that CART is 
text-only translation that occurs in real time during the meeting and 
is not an exact transcript. To request additional accommodations, 
persons with disabilities should email [email protected] by Monday, July 
13, 2020, indicating ``accommodations'' in the subject line.
Briefing Agenda for COVID-19 in Indian Country: The Impact of Federal 
Broken Promises on Native Americans: 10:00 a.m.-11:45 a.m.
I. Introductory Remarks: Chair Catherine E. Lhamon: 10:00 a.m.--10:10 
a.m.
II. Panel: 10:10 a.m.--11:40 a.m.
    A. Geoffrey Blackwell, Chief Strategy Officer, AMERIND Risk 
Management Corporation
    B. William Smith, Chairman, National Indian Health Board
    C. Lynn Malerba, Chairwoman, Mohegan Tribe/Tribal Governance 
Advisory Committee
    D. Jonathan Nez, President, Navajo Nation
    E. Fawn Sharp, President, National Congress of American Indians
III. Closing Remarks: Chair Catherine E. Lhamon: 11:40 a.m.--11:45 a.m.

[[Page 41534]]

III. Break: 11:45 a.m.--12:00 p.m.
    Commission Business Meeting Agenda: 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.
    A. Approval of Agenda
    B. Business Meeting
    a. Discussion and vote on Commission Advisory Committees
    i. Vermont Advisory Committee
    ii. Idaho Advisory Committee
    iii. Louisiana Advisory Committee
    b. Discussion and vote on timeline for Commission's study on bail 
reform
    c. Discussion and vote on timeline for Commission's study on 
maternal health disparities
    C. Management and Operations
    a. Staff Director's Report
V. Adjourn Meeting.
    Schedule is subject to change.
    Call for Public Comments:
    In addition to the testimony collected on Friday, July 17, 2020 via 
virtual briefing, the Commission welcomes the submission of material 
for consideration as we prepare our report. Please submit such 
information no later than Friday, July 24, 2020, to 
[email protected] or OCRE/Public Comments, U.S. Commission on 
Civil Rights, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 1150, Washington, DC 
20425. Please address the following questions:
    1. Broken Promises found that Native Americans experience distinct 
health disparities as compared to other Americans which are compounded 
by Native American healthcare programs being chronically underfunded. 
How has the outbreak of COVID-19 impacted these health disparities?
    2. Broken Promises found that there is a severe lack of affordable 
housing and adequate physical infrastructure in Indian Country. Due to 
a lack of federal investment in affordable housing and infrastructure 
such as roads, water, sewer, and electricity, Native Americans often 
find themselves living in overcrowded housing without basic utilities 
and infrastructure. What have been the consequences of these 
disparities in housing conditions and access to infrastructure during 
the outbreak of COVID-19?
    3. Broken Promises found that telecommunications infrastructure, 
especially wireless and broadband internet services, is often 
inaccessible to many Native Americans in Indian Country. These services 
are necessary to keep the community connected to telehealth services, 
remote education, economic development, and public safety. Has this 
lack of telecommunications created additional barriers for Native 
Americans in coping with and reacting to the pandemic?
    4. Have the congressional responses to the pandemic--especially the 
passage of the CARES Act and other stimulus packages--done enough to 
help Native people with the challenges posed by COVID-19?
    5. Has the Executive Branch's responses to the pandemic--including 
its statutory interpretation and administrative implementation of laws 
passed by Congress--done enough to help Native peoples cope with the 
challenges passed by Congress?
    6. What recommendations should the Commission make to Congress and 
the federal government to ensure that Native American communities can 
address the coronavirus pandemic?

    Dated: July 8, 2020.
David Mussatt,
Supervisory Chief, Regional Programs Unit.
[FR Doc. 2020-15027 Filed 7-8-20; 11:15 am]
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