1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

On Tuesday 10 November, Whitney Gravelle of Bay Mills Indian Community Tribe posted the following to social media. I stand with Whitney and Bay Mills Community Indian Tribe and am disgusted by your vote to advance that exploitative legislation. "Yesterday, the United States Senate advanced the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 (BAAJA) by a vote of 73–25, despite the strong objections of Tribal Nations across the United States. ... "Our experience with Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 Tunnel Project is a painful example of how Section 106 protections under the National Historic Preservation Act can fail Tribal Nations, even when they are in place. ... We did everything the process asked of us, believing it would protect our ancestors and our homelands. ... "Ancestral remains were discovered, and Bay Mills was not notified when those discoveries occurred. ... When another discovery was made, rather than acknowledging the profound cultural and spiritual significance of these places to our people, we were essentially told to get over it because the remains might not be human. ... "... Our concerns were ignored, our trust was broken, and our ancestors were left vulnerable. ... "BAAJA threatens to make it easier for companies like Enbridge to move forward with projects while avoiding meaningful tribal consultation, disregarding cultural resources, and placing our sacred places and ancestral remains at even greater risk. ... "... You must ensure an immediate amendment passes to preserve Section 106 protections for Tribal Nations. "... We need enforceable protections, meaningful government-to-government consultation, and accountability when corporations and federal agencies fail to honor their obligations. "... Protecting tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, sacred sites, and ancestral remains is not negotiable. [You must] support an immediate amendment to BAAJA preserving Section 106 protections for Tribal Nations."