FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 12, 2026
Contact
Emerald Sage, Sovereign Energy, emerald@sovereignenergy.org, 443-952-1114
Frontline Tribal Community Leaders Urge Congress to Reject BAAJA as Senate Debate Advances
Santa Fe, New Mexico––On November 9, over 800 people gathered outside the country’s Capitol to protest the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 (BAAJA), S. 5653, and the Manager’s Amendments. Native leaders from across the country, including New Mexico’s All Pueblo Council of Governors, went door to door in the Senate office buildings to share bill analysis and requests to oppose the bill. Many Senators listened, shared their decision, or took the materials.
Meanwhile, in New Mexico, Native community leaders on the front lines of climate change, sacred site desecration, and environmental injustice are urging Congress to reject BAAJA and calling on House members to oppose the package if it reaches their chamber. Introduced as S. 5653, the legislation is now being considered in the Senate through H.R. 2347. On November 9, the Senate voted 73-25 to end debate on whether to take up H.R. 2347. On November 10, Senators voted 62-21 to proceed to its consideration. The bill sponsors released an almost 500-page manager's substitute on November 7. Many Tribes and Tribal organizations across Indian Country remain opposed. In a November 8 statement, Tribal organizations urged Congress to hold the legislation until the next Congress can meaningfully consult with Tribes.
“At a time when our Pueblo and Diné communities are responding to devastating floods, our cultural landscapes are being damaged by oil and gas development, and our sacred mountain faces renewed threat from uranium mining proposals, Senator Heinrich is advancing a bill that would make it harder for us to protect our homelands, “ Wendy Atcitty, Diné Centered Research & Evaluation member.
“BAAJA would strip away the federal requirement to consult with Tribes and Pueblos each time the federal government proposes a project that would impact Tribes. That is written into the very foundation of this bill. BAAJA would silence our voices and allow projects to be forced on us and the land, air, and water. This is not progress, but erasure,” said Marissa Naranjo, Deputy Director with Sovereign Energy.
With the Senate cloture vote, Native organizations and environmental groups are rallying to encourage additional Senators to vote against the bill on upcoming motions. Opponents cite general issues with the foundational aspects of the bill, including:
Increasing and accelerating the development of fossil fuel-powered data centers
Expediting fossil fuel projects in general
Undermining the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Removing public participation periods
An independent think tank modeled the future impacts of BAAJA on the climate. The Rhodium Group found that the “total U.S. emissions increase under BAAJA between 2033 and 2040 in the model’s high-emissions scenario.” We cannot rely on this bill to lower our emissions when it allows fossil fuel projects to move forward just as quickly as clean energy.
“Our people are tied to the land, through our food, song, prayer, and stewardship. To remove our right to have a say in what happens to the land, air, and water is a disgrace. The federal government has a trust responsibility to Tribal Nations that they must uphold. We call on New Mexico’s congressional delegation to reject BAAJA and maintain the inherent authority of Tribes to identify and protect our sacred places and lifeways for generations to come,” Mayane Chavez Barudin, Founder and Executive Director of Sovereign Energy.
For sacred sites in New Mexico, advocates say the bill would streamline permitting in places like the Greater Chaco Region, Mount Taylor, and Caja del Río. Navajo and Pueblo community members are especially worried as the final decision for Public Land Order No. 7923, regarding the Chaco buffer zone, has still not been released. Despite more than 200,000 comments for safeguarding the buffer zone, some worry a decision will be made to open the area to oil and gas leasing at the same time S. 5653 becomes law, leading to quicker development of the area.
“Chaco Canyon is a sacred area, a place where my community lives, farms, and connects to. The endless attacks, current oil and gas leasing, and natural disasters like the recent flooding only further ignites our passion to protect the region. Navajo Nation leadership must take a stand and declare their intent to protect Chaco and oppose S. 5653,” said Cheyenne Antonio, Diné Community Leader.
If the Senate passes the package, the House would still have to agree to the Senate’s changes before legislation could be sent to the President. One possible House route is suspension of the rules, which generally limits debate to 40 minutes, prohibits floor amendments, and requires a two-thirds vote with quorum. The procedure has not yet been confirmed.
The bill's proponents include Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, labor organizations, Washington, D.C. think tanks, and energy companies, citing the potential for increased development of both fossil fuels and renewable energy.
“Not one Tribe has expressed opposition to permitting reform or progress, only opposition this harmful bill. We call on Congress to please listen to our Tribal leaders. They are asking for a seat at the table and an end to the broken promises,” said Mayane Chavez Barudin, Founder and Executive Director of Sovereign Energy.
Sovereign Energy, frontline Indigenous leaders, and allies released a letter encouraging environmental organizations, conservation groups, left-leaning think tanks, and any Tribal Nation that has not taken a stance to use their voices to oppose the bill. Frontline Tribal leaders remain steadfast in their opposition to the permitting bill and their request for all permitting discussions to incorporate Tribal Nations moving forward.
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Sovereign Energy was founded in 2021, recognizing Indigenous voices and leadership as paramount to a just and equitable energy future. The legacies of energy extraction, exploitation, and political barriers to Tribal energy self-determination continue to disrupt and cause harm to Indigenous communities and Tribal Nation building. Sovereign Energy works across the Southwest with Tribal governments and Indigenous Communities to change this paradigm, foster a resilient energy future, create meaningful action toward energy goals, and ignite reparations for injustices caused by harmful energy development practices. To fulfill our mission of advancing Tribal energy self-determination, we champion equitable access to reliable energy and advocate for the protection of sacred sites from energy projects that do not fully engage or respect Indigenous communities.
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