ASU Law Talks
How do Tribal Nations keep up with what’s happening in federal policy and in Washington, D.C.?
Kennedy Satterfield
Communication and Digital Strategy Specialist, American Indian Policy Institute
Kennedy Satterfield (Choctaw Nation) is a digital communications strategist at AIPI whose work sits at the intersection of technology, communications, and Indigenous self-determination. She leads initiatives focused on digital sovereignty, broadband access and emerging technologies in Indian Country.
Interview with Emile Eich (Diné), the data analyst who built a policy tracking dashboard for Tribal Nations.
Tribal Nations are navigating an increasingly complex policy landscape. Federal action is moving faster and evolving. In recent years we’ve seen more directives issued through executive orders, reductions to grants and programs that have supported Tribal communities and shifting priorities across agencies and administrations.
Tracking these developments has become both critical and at the same time, increasingly difficult. Key announcements are dispersed across agency websites, policy coverage in the news that affects Tribal citizens is often limited and consultation windows can be brief. Staying informed about developments in Washington, D.C., in real time is essential for Tribal governments, leaders and organizations, not only to understand potential impacts, but to ensure Tribal voices are meaningfully included in federal decision-making.
In response, the American Indian Policy Institute and its data analyst, Emile Eich, developed a centralized, real-time platform to transform how Native Nations and citizens engage with federal policy.
The Legislative Tracking Dashboard for Tribal Nations reduces barriers to accessing relevant federal information and supports informed decision-making on issues affecting sovereignty, funding and governance. Drawing on publicly available government data, the platform tracks a wide range of federal actions, including congressional legislation, Federal Register notices, executive orders and agency activity.
Why is it so important for Tribal Nations to track what's happening in federal policy?
Federal policies directly impact Tribal governance and everything including, but not limited to:
- Land rights
- Healthcare
- Education
- Housing
- Economic development
- And so much more
Tracking legislation, bills and executive actions allows Tribal Nations to identify risks, opportunities and respond accordingly.
Beyond just what’s happening, it's important to know when there are opportunities to engage. For example, our dashboard tracks open public comment periods and when federal agencies are actively seeking input before finalizing policies.
What types of federal actions should Tribal Nations be monitoring?
Tribal Nations monitor a broad range of federal actions, including:
- Congressional legislation
- Executive orders
- Federal Register notices
- Grant opportunities
- Public comment periods
Staying informed about these developments helps Tribes identify potential impacts, engage in consultation processes, and respond to funding or policy opportunities.
What challenges do Tribal Nations face when tracking federal policy?
One of the biggest challenges is the sheer volume of information. Federal legislation and regulatory updates are spread across multiple platforms like Congress.gov and FederalRegister.gov.
Without a centralized system, it can be difficult to:
- Keep up with changes
- Track bills
- Identify time-sensitive actions
This increases the risk of missing important deadlines or policy developments.
Our dashboard makes it easier to monitor federal activity in one place. It compiles data from multiple government sources and organizes it into a searchable, user-friendly format. Users can quickly find relevant information and prioritize what they want to see based on deadlines, policy areas, or to see the status of a specific bill.
What are some best practices for staying informed?
Consistency is key. I recommend checking for updates weekly, prioritizing notices with urgent deadlines and using topic filters to focus on the most relevant policy areas.
It’s also important to track both House and Senate versions of legislation and to review broader trends. We release a quarterly legislative update based on trends we are tracking and what we see in the dashboard.