Restoring Fairness to Tribal Education
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
February 13, 2025
BIG Update
School conditions are dire in Indian country. For years, they haven’t received the funding they need, and now, unfortunately, schools are riddled with leaky roofs, broken heaters, mold, and more. Congress and the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) must do better to uphold our trust and treaty obligations to tribes.
I recently called on the House Natural Resources Committee to hold an oversight hearing on BIE failures and I’m glad they responded by doing so. This week, I had the honor of introducing Cecilia Fire Thunder of the Oglala Sioux Tribe for her testimony on the state of tribal education.
Committee discussion revealed that fifty percent of recommendations to BIE to improve its mismanagement of funds and allocation of resources have gone unimplemented. BIE must improve its systems to meet the basic needs of Native American students.
Click here or the image above for Johnson’s remarks
BIG Idea
Our nation’s highways need consistent maintenance and improvement, and these projects are primarily funded by the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which is mostly funded by federal gas tax. Unfortunately, current projections show the HTF becoming insolvent by 2028, and its instability has worsened due to increased electric vehicle (EV) adoption. California and the federal government have been doling out tax credits for EV purchases to the detriment of our federal roads and bridges.
Gas-powered cars contribute by paying the federal gas tax when they fill up at the pump. While EVs use the same roads as vehicles with internal combustions engines, they don’t contribute to the HTF. Additionally, due to the heavier weight of an EV, they cause more wear and tear on the roads than a standard gas-powered vehicle.
To remedy this and support improvements to our federal roads and bridges, I introduced the Fair SHARE Act to ensure EVs contribute their fair share to the HTF. My bill would impose a $1,000 fee on all-electric vehicles at the point of sale and an additional $550 one-time fee on each battery that weighs more than 1,000 pounds. These fees would be directed to the HTF to ensure the vehicles are fairly contributing to road and bridge maintenance.
BIG News
On Sunday, I had the privilege of watching South Dakota-native Dallas Goedert as he helped the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs. After graduating from Britton-Hecla High School, Goedert was recruited by South Dakota State University’s football program. He’s had an impressive career with the Eagles over the past several years and represents South Dakota well.
I ran into President Trump while at the Super Bowl – he’s the first sitting President to attend this major sporting event.
Johnson and President Trump at the Super Bowl
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“I ran into President Trump while at the Super Bowl – he’s the first sitting President to attend this major sporting event.”
You just “ran into him”? In line in the men’s room? No Secret Service detail, you just ran into him? The suite photo with all the extravagant, taxpayer-funded excess gives you away.
Dusty is becoming such a disappointment. And whoever wrote that drivel should be DOGE’d.
“Ran into him,” while not at all accurate, is amusing. Lighten up, Francis.
Our Native Americans in SD have been relying on the Federal Government for over 100 years and they continue to be last in line for the left overs from the Federal Government. Every county in SD that has a NA Reservation continues to vote for the Democratic Party candidates – I would think at some point the light might go on and they would make a change.