Heyhey Nya:wëh Sgë:nö’,
Welcome to our first newsletter of 2026! I hope everyone had a nice New Year celebration and is ready for a great year ahead.
For our Seneca Nation government, advocacy will continue to be a key focus this year. For me, that starts here at home. I want to thank everyone who came out for my Cocoa & Conversation discussion in Cattaraugus last night. As President, it is important for me to hear from our people about your concerns, ideas and suggestions. It is just as important for you to hear directly from me on the priorities of my administration and everything I hope to accomplish in my remaining months in office.
On the legislative advocacy front, we had some strong accomplishments last year, including a historic visit and apology from New York State for the atrocities that occurred at the Thomas Indian School, and the passage of important new law enforcement legislation that will help in our ongoing battle against illegal drug activity and drug dealers on our territories.
We have many state legislative priorities for 2026, including: continuing to strengthen law enforcement on our territories; addressing environmental concerns; making sure Governor Hochul follows through on her commitment to direct educational resources toward including Haudenosaunee culture and history in New York’s public education curriculum, as well as advocating for funding to strengthen our Language and Immersion programs on territory; and, of course, securing a new Compact agreement.
We’ve already hit the ground running. A traveling team of Nation officials and representatives were in Albany earlier this week for the Governor’s annual State of the State Address. We will be making our presence felt and our voice heard in Albany throughout this year’s Legislative session and, just as important, in New York’s electoral process. Anyone who wants to be Governor should be prepared to work fairly and honestly with the Seneca Nation and to prioritize our issues and the needs of our people.
Likewise, we have many key issues we are going to work on at the federal level. Law enforcement measures and the future of the Kinzua Dam and its lasting impacts on our Nation are just a few matters on which we are already working. We will be traveling to Washington later this month to continue taking our message to federal officials on Capitol Hill.
In addition to our advocacy efforts, Nation members are being asked to provide input on two important community matters. Our Community Planning & Development Department is conducting a survey for a study on potential Urgent Care and Medication-Assisted Treatment services in Salamanca. The survey can be accessed online at https://tinyurl.com/SNUrgentCareSurvey. There is also a QR code available on the Seneca Media & Communications Center Facebook page. For more information, contact Community Planning & Development at 716-945-1790, ext. 3018 or cpdd@sni.org.
Also, the Seneca Nation Environmental Protection Department is asking for public comment on its Draft Water Quality Standards. The proposed standards establish clear and enforceable criteria to protect all waters within the Nation’s exterior boundaries. We have all seen and experienced how our waterways have been abused by external forces over the years, impacting our free use and enjoyment of our lands and our quality of life. We will always stand in defense of the waters and work to protect Mother Earth from these abuses. The EPD will be holding public hearings to discuss the Draft Water Quality Standards on January 28 on the Allegany Territory, and February 11 in Cattaraugus. The comment period runs until February 26. Please make your voice heard. For more information, contact EPD at 716-532-2536, ext. 5474 or email Jordan Buffalo at jordan.buffalo@sni.org.
Finally, I hope everyone has a case of Knighthawks fever! Our Rochester Knighthawks beat the Buffalo Bandits 12-9 at Blue Cross Arena last weekend, and our own Zed Williams had a natural hat trick in the victory! A record crowd of 8,546 – the largest in franchise history – was in the building for the first meeting of what we hope turns into an energetic rivalry between our teams. There has been great energy and Seneca representation at the Knighthawks’ home games this season, including the Haudenosaunee anthem being played before the game and our Color Guard from Iroquois Post 1587 presenting the colors. Let’s go ‘Hawks!
I look forward to working with our Council, Nation Executives, and all of you to make 2026 a year of great accomplishments for the Seneca Nation.
Until next time,
J.C.
