Obama, first lady to visit N.D.'s Standing Rock Reservation on June 13

Update 10 a.m.

President Barack Obama and the first lady will visit the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota next week.

U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., will join the president and first lady during their  June 13 visit. The last time a sitting president visited Indian Country was in 1999 when President Bill Clinton went to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

In a statement, President Obama said that while in Cannon Ball, N.D., he will announce the next steps he plans to take regarding jobs, education, and self-determination in Indian country.

Heitkamp, a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, points to issues such as an increased mortality rate among Native American children as important issues.

“This trip will enable North Dakota to show off the rich culture, history, and traditions of our tribes, while also raising awareness about the challenges too many Native American families face, such as extreme poverty and abuse,” Heitkamp said in a statement.

The Standing Rock Reservation is along the Missouri River and straddles the North Dakota-South Dakota state line south of Bismarck.

This will be President Obama’s second visit to Indian Country. His first was six years ago when he visited the Crow Nation in Montana as a candidate for president.

Obama letter

Below is the text of Obama’s written piece, which also was distributed by the White House:

“Six years ago, I made my first trip to Indian Country. I visited the Crow Nation in Montana – an experience I’ll never forget. I left with a new Crow name, an adoptive Crow family, and an even stronger commitment to build a future that honors old traditions and welcomes every Native American into the American Dream.

Next week, I’ll return to Indian Country, when Michelle and I visit the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in Cannonball, N.D. We’re eager to visit this reservation, which holds a special place in American history as the home of Chief Sitting Bull. And while we’re there, I’ll announce the next steps my Administration will take to support jobs, education, and self-determination in Indian Country.

Update 9 a.m.: Obama, first lady to visit N.D.'s Standing Rock Reservation on June 13

President Barack Obama and the first lady will visit the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation on  June 13.

U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp will join the president and first lady during their visit. The last time a sitting president visited Indian Country was in 1999 when President Bill Clinton went to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.In a statement, President Obama said that while in Cannonball, N.D., he will announce the next steps he plans to take regarding jobs, education, and self-determination in Indian country. Heitkamp, a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, points to issues such as an increased mortality rate among Native American children as important issues that both she and the President are concerned with.

“This trip will enable North Dakota to show off the rich culture, history, and traditions of our tribes, while also raising awareness about the challenges too many Native American families face, such as extreme poverty and abuse,” Heitkamp said in a statement.