R. Daniel Carter was recently featured in Public Radio Tulsa, offering insight into ongoing discussions between tribal nations and Congress under the new presidential administration. A citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Daniel has built a career advocating for tribal sovereignty, economic development and the enforcement of treaty rights.
The article highlights the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies hearings, where approximately 100 tribal witnesses testified on key issues. Daniel emphasized the historic nature of these hearings and the importance of educating new policymakers about the legal foundations of federal tribal programs.
“These programs exist because of [tribal history], not because of social agendas of recent administrations. It’s been a very large organized effort to try and educate and inform the new people in Washington, D.C.,” he said.
As tribes continue to assert their rights and advocate for the fulfillment of federal commitments, efforts like these remain critical in shaping policy and protecting tribal sovereignty. Educating policymakers on the legal and historical foundations of tribal programs ensures that treaty obligations are upheld and that tribal nations have a voice in the decisions that affect their communities.
Public Radio Tulsa is a listener-supported service of the University of Tulsa. Public Radio 89.5 KWGS and Classical 88.7 KWTU are non-commercial FM stations broadcasting from Kendall Hall on the TU campus. From a tower located near Coweta, Oklahoma, KWGS covers northeastern Oklahoma with a power of 50,000 watts; KWTU serves Tulsa with 5,000 watts. The stations of Public Radio Tulsa are affiliates of National Public Radio, American Public Media, Minnesota Public Radio, and the British Broadcasting System. Public Radio Tulsa is funded, in part, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
