House committees press Interior on management, safety and funding at Haskell and SIPI

Congressional members from both parties used a June joint hearing of the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development to press Department of the Interior officials about chronic mismanagement, campus safety and funding at the Bureau of Indian Education's (BIE) two federal postsecondary institutions, Haskell Indian Nations University and the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI).

The hearing brought administrators and a Department of the Interior witness — Scott Davis, who is serving in the delegated authority of Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs — before lawmakers to explain actions taken after inspector general and other reports documenting harassment, leadership failures, accreditation concerns and a large deferred-maintenance backlog.

Why it matters: Lawmakers repeatedly framed the problems at the two institutions as both an operational and a treaty-trust issue, saying federal oversight and federal funding are necessary to protect student safety and preserve institutions that serve Native communities. Members warned that proposed budget cuts in the administration's FY 2026 request would intensify already severe maintenance and staffing shortfalls.

Key findings and concerns

- Harassment and accountability: Members cited a May Office of Inspector General summary that the transcript records as finding a BIE employee sexually harassed members of the Haskell women's basketball team and that supervisors failed to report the misconduct. Lawmakers repeatedly pressed the department…