WASHINGTON, Sept. 26, 2016 - At the 8th Tribal Nations Conference hosted today by President Barack Obama in Washington, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack underscored the Administration's support for tribal communities with $9 million in new funds to support community development and education. Since 2009, under Vilsack, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has invested more than $3 billion in economic development efforts for Native Americans.

"Since day one of this Administration, USDA has been committed to a Department that works side by side with Tribal governments and individual American Indians and Alaska Natives," said Vilsack. "We have expanded investment in Native and Tribal community businesses, education, food security, housing, health care and infrastructure. Today's announcement continues our efforts to promote economic development and job creation in Tribal communities for years to come."

Earlier today, President Obama kicked off the 2016 White House Tribal Nations Conference at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington. This event provides tribal leaders from the 567 federally recognized tribes with the opportunity to interact directly with high-level federal government officials and members of the White House Council on Native American Affairs. Each federally recognized tribe is invited to send one representative to the conference. This year's conference builds upon the President's commitment to strengthen the government-to-government relationship with Indian Country and to improve the lives of American Indians and Alaska Natives.

At the event, Vilsack made three significant funding announcements.
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