Standing Rock chairwoman urges state-tribal cooperation, seeks economic study and infrastructure funding

Chairwoman Janet Alkire of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe delivered a tribal and state relationship address to the North Dakota House of Representatives, asking lawmakers to work with tribal nations on education, public safety, health care and infrastructure and urging a formal study of the tribes’ economic impact on the state.

Alkire told the chamber she represents five tribal nations — the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, Spirit Lake Nation, and the Turtle Mountain Band — and asked lawmakers to partner with tribes “to ensure the outcomes are in the best interest of all children” and to support shared planning on economic development. “We must work together with our federal delegation to stress what is best for all our citizens, not just a few,” Alkire said.

Why it matters: Alkire framed state-tribal cooperation as central to education, public safety and economic opportunity across North Dakota. She cited existing federal funds used by tribes and highlighted a Department of Transportation planning grant of $14,500,000 intended to support a proposed new bridge across the Missouri River as an example of an investment she said would improve connectivity and intergovernmental relations.

Alkire asked the legislature to commission an unbiased economic study to quantify the five tribes’ contribution to North Dakota’s gross domestic product and overall economy, saying such analysis is “critical to understanding our joint relationship.” She also noted benefits tribes have realized from federal funding programs such as the American Rescue Plan and referenced Medicaid expansion’s role in allowing Standing Rock and the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate to exercise greater self‑determination in health care access.

On public safety, Alkire said the tribes need more law enforcement resources and training and praised mutual agreements some tribes have made with state agencies, including the North Dakota Highway Patrol and the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation. She urged the state’s help in obtaining funding for a Regional Bureau of Indian Affairs advanced training center to be located at Camp Grafton and called the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people an issue requiring greater state and federal attention. “Crime doesn’t respect political boundaries,” she said, attributing the phrase to a fellow councilman and using it to stress the cross‑jurisdictional nature of public safety problems.

Procedural actions taken by the House during this portion of the session were limited and recorded by the chamber: Representative Bosch moved (and the House approved by voice vote) appointment of two‑member committees to receive several honored guests into the chamber, including a motion naming a committee to receive Consistent with the motion language in the record, the speaker announced Representative Lafore and Representative Ista to the committee appointed to receive Kelly Armstrong; Representative Joran Johnson and Karen Greenberg were appointed to the committee to receive Lieutenant Governor Michelle Strinden; and Representative Rohrer and Senator Marsolais were appointed to the committee escorting Chairwoman Alkire. Representative Bosch later moved that Alkire’s address be printed in the House journal; that motion carried by voice vote. The chamber also voted to stand in recess until 11 a.m.

Background and context: Alkire reviewed Standing Rock history and sovereignty, thanked the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission and tribal partners, and praised outreach by previous executive leadership. She referenced state legislation, Senate Bill 2304, that she said improves Native American history and culture instruction in classrooms. Alkire also recognized federal and state partnerships that have enabled housing, clinic and infrastructure projects on reservations.

Alkire closed by invoking shared values and a call to continued collaboration between tribal nations and state government to advance education, public safety, infrastructure and economic development for all North Dakotans.