The federal government must maintain the trust responsibility toward sovereign Native Americans on reservations.
The Ogala Lakota in Pine Ridge Reservation of South Dakota have demonstrated that their ancestral, sacred land is threatened by the Dakota Acess Pipeline, yet local authorities have taken executive responses to protect the DAPL rather than the legal interests of the tribe. All the while, many Pine Ridge residents not have access to running water or electricity. Public health and unemployment are critical risks to the community. Leaving the health and safety of rural reservations to local government is fatal.
Congress must launch an investigation into the complaints of reservations and aid in the modernization of reservation infrastructure.