Dear Neighbors, November is Native American Heritage Month. It is a great opportunity to honor the cultures, contributions, and experiences of Indigenous people in our country and state. Recently, I attended a two-day Tribal - State Government to Government training to learn more about the the American Indian culture, history, treaties, policies, and the unique relationship between state and tribal governments.  The training was developed by the Tribal-State Advisory Group, the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, the University of Minnesota-Duluth, the Indian Land Tenure, the Minnesota Humanities Center, the American Indian Policy Center, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, and the White Earth Nation. I appreciated the opportunity to connect with our Tribal leaders in Minnesota. Just this week, the University of Minnesota announced the implications of a nation-leading Native American Tuition Program that will make college a reality for citizens enrolled in one of the state’s 11 federally recognized Tribal Nations. All our students deserve the opportunity to succeed. As the Minnesota House Higher Education Finance and Policy Chair, I am pleased this new program is now in place to help students achieve their dreams and earn degrees from the University of Minnesota. COVID-19 Vaccines Available for 5-11 Year OldsFollowing an extensive clinical trial and final recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11, Minnesota will begin vaccinations for children this week. To aid families, the state has launched a new webpage to help parents and guardians find children aged 5-11 a vaccine and answer questions they may have about the vaccine. The state has mobilized a diverse network of providers around the state – hospitals, clinics, local public health, Tribal health agencies, pharmacies, school located clinics and state-run community clinics – to administer vaccines to our children as quickly as possible.  |