Congress Rep. Cole Letter to Vought

The Honorable Russell Vought
Director
Office of Management and Budget
Washington, D.C. 20503
February 24, 2025

Dear Director Vought,
As a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, Co-Chair of the Congressional Native
American Caucus, and longest serving Native American in the House of Representatives, l
would like to know how actions being taken and future actions planned to be taken are impacting
tribal nations.

Tribal nations are and have always been sovereign governments that have political,  government relationships with the United States, as supported and affirmed several times in the courts. They are not a racial group and, as such, should not be a part of any executive orders or agency actions targeting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA). Funding or programs that provide for tribal nations are not “preferences” or “race-based,” but rather deliver certain obligations to tribal communities.

ln addition, the federal government has a legally binding trust responsibility to tribal nations to protect and support Native American tribes and their citizens. The United States fulfills these trust and treaty obligations both through the direct delivery of tribal programs and services and the provision of federal funding to tribal nations to provide services to their own communities. Services include law enforcement, healthcare, education, housing, water, economic development,
nutrition assistance, and many others.

Some agencies are rightfully exempting funding and the workforce that serve tribal nations from
executive orders or agency actions. I would encourage the administration and all agencies to
continue these exemptions and engage in tribal consultation ahead of decision-makings as part of
the United States’ duty to respect the government-to-government relationship with tribal nations.

I appreciate your attention this matter, and I look forward to your response.