Oklahoma's tribal nations: partners in prosperity.

Oklahoma is home to 39 federally recognized tribal nations, more than almost any other state. Nearly 1 in 10 Oklahomans identifies as Native American. Oklahoma's tribes generate over $12.7 billion in economic activity annually, support more than 140,000 jobs, and deliver health, education, and public safety services to tribal members and non-tribal Oklahomans alike.

Washington spent 150 years breaking promises to these nations. Ron Durbin will not break them.

Open tribal healthcare to all rural Oklahomans

Oklahoma's tribal nations already built a healthcare network that could serve rural Oklahomans currently going without. The Cherokee Nation, Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation, and others operate hospitals and clinics among the best in rural America, with capacity, in the same communities where rural hospitals have been closing for a decade.

Ron supports a voluntary Joint Rural Health Compact framework allowing tribal health systems to formally serve all Oklahomans in underserved rural areas, with tribes that opt in receiving full compensation. No tribe faces any requirement to participate. No tribe waives any element of its sovereignty.

Defend tribal sovereignty

Actively oppose any federal legislation or executive action that narrows tribal jurisdiction, undermines treaty rights, or reduces tribal self-governance authority. Require genuine government-to-government consultation before any federal action materially affecting tribal lands, tribal citizens, or tribal economic interests. Support tribal nations' right to develop energy resources on their lands under terms they negotiate, not terms dictated by federal bureaucrats.

Tribal economic partnership

When Oklahoma's tribal nations invest in manufacturing, energy, and infrastructure, that investment stays in Oklahoma. Unlike other companies, Oklahoma tribes will never relocate to Texas or Florida. Ron supports removing federal barriers that prevent tribal sovereign wealth funds from scaling, and creating pathways for tribal nations to be equity partners, not just neighbors, in Oklahoma's industrial renaissance.

Veterans services for tribal members

Native Americans serve in the U.S. military at higher per-capita rates than any other group. Oklahoma's tribal veterans deserve fully funded VA services and partnership between the VA and tribal health systems with tribal health as the primary point of delivery.