Representative C.J. McCormick

President Biden's apology acknowledges the painful legacy of Indigenous boarding schools and represents a step toward healing and reconciliation. It emphasizes the need to confront past injustices and honor the rights of Indigenous peoples.

In this spirit, I introduced House Joint Resolution 17 last session, which passed nearly unanimously. This resolution supports U.S. Senate Bill 1723, establishing a federal commission to investigate assimilation practices and human rights violations in boarding schools. Spearheaded by Senators Murkowski and Schatz, this effort is crucial for acknowledging and preserving the stories of our elders.

If you’d like to view the House Tribal Affairs Committee meetings on the Alaska Native Heritage Center's documentation of boarding school experiences, I’ll link them in the comments.

‘We have persevered’: Biden will apologize for Native American boarding school history • Alaska Beacon The apology comes three years after Interior Secretary Haaland launched the first-ever investigation into Native American Boarding Schools.

If you’re 65 or older, you might qualify for Senior Benefits! Last session, we successfully extended the Senior Benefits Program, which offers monthly payments ranging from $76 to $250 based on your income. Eligibility is determined at 75%, 100%, and 175% of the federal poverty guidelines.

Don't miss out—apply today!

Aging and Disability Resource Centers Ariel BergHealth Program Manager II DOH/Senior & Disabilities Services/Senior Grants Unit 1835 Bragaw Street, Suite 350 Anchorage, Alaska 99508 Phone: (907)-419-4372 Fax: (907)-269-3689 Toll Free: 1-800-478-9996

For the rural community members who will be attending AFN this year- the State of Alaska DMV will have a booth here to help anyone obtain their Real ID and any other documentation you may need.

📢 Get Your REAL ID at the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention 2024!

🌟 The Alaska DMV will be at the Dena'ina Center (600 W 7th Ave, Anchorage) 2nd floor from Thursday, 10/17 - Saturday, 10/19, from 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM. We’ll be processing REAL ID transactions on-site!

🚨 Be document ready! Use our checklist to make sure you have everything you need to get your REAL ID:https://dmv.alaska.gov/media/ozwhxz3e/ak-real-id-checklist.pdf

If you need a birth certificate or marriage certificate, stop by Anchorage Vital Records at 4001 Ingra Street, then visit us with your 2 residence docs. It's that simple! (Vital Records will be closed on 10/18, so get your Birth Certificate or marriage license before then)

Don’t miss this opportunity to complete your REAL ID quickly and easily while attending the event!

AFN is hosting a workshop entitled Understanding the Subsistence Framework in Alaska that I am so happy to be apart of.
If you’d like to tune in to the live-streamed event please click the link below.

As your State Representative, protecting our subsistence way of life is a top priority of mine, as well as making sure there is more tribal representation on boards and commissions to protect our fish, waters and wildlife.

https://nativefederation.org/afn-subsistence-workshop-2024/

I’m honored to be hosting a workshop this afternoon at the FAI Youth & Elders Conference with my friend and colleague Representative Maxine Dibert! You can follow along with live coverage of the conference at www.facebook.com/FirstAlaskansInstitute

Bethel's postmaster packs up more than 50 years with the US Postal Service Retiring postmaster Alan Murphy talks about a long journey with the USPS that took him from Montana to Alaska and across the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.

Today is the day for the local election in Bethel! I voted earlier this morning. I recommend getting there early to beat the line.

Voting is 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Three elections you can participate in by showing up today.

Both Bethel precincts vote here. I’ve always voted at the Cultural Center & I was in the blue Precinct 2 line.

Today is the National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools, also known as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and also known as Orange Shirt Day.

Today, people wear orange to honor, remember, and commemorate the victims of the Indian boarding school systems in both the US and Canada, and call for the ongoing need for truth and reconciliation.

Local elections tend to garner the least amount of attention during this season, but often have the greatest direct impact.

Please, find out when you can vote in your local election!

Oct. 1 is municipal election day for most rural school districts and many Y-K Delta communities. Here's what to know Oct. 1 is municipal election day for Bethel and many other Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta communities, where voters will cast ballots for candidates in local council elections. It’s also election day for school board seats in the rural Regional Educational Attendance Areas around the state.

I offer my condolences to the families and loved ones of the four people who lost their lives in a plane crash near St. Mary's last night.

We are following this tragedy and its investigation closely, and my thoughts are with everyone who is grieving during this time.

4 people killed in St. Mary’s plane crash The Cessna 207 was operated by Bethel-based Yute Commuter Service. According to the NTSB, at least two of the passengers aboard were company employees.

Yesterday, SB 151 was signed into law, marking an overdue response to the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) cases across the state. This bill mandates that the Department of Public Safety (DPS) employ at least two permanent MMIP Investigators dedicated solely to investigating these cases. It also requires law enforcement officers to complete region-specific cultural training and mandates that law enforcement share its data with the NAMUS database.
While there is still much work to be done to bring our missing family members home and to provide justice for their families, this is a tremendous milestone for the state of Alaska. A huge QUYANA to everyone who came together to make this bill possible, and to all who testified about the importance and urgency of addressing this crisis in our state.