As President-elect Barack Obama assembles his new transition team, the largest nonpartisan advocacy organization for Native America is preparing a transition plan for an administration that has promised to appoint Indian people to key agency and White House staff positions.

"The most exciting part is the Obama transition team," said Jacqueline Johnson-Pata, director of the National Congress of American Indians. "So much happens minute by minute with this."

She said NCAI has a good relationship with two of Obama's transition team members, including co-chairs, John Podesta, who was chief of staff for former President Clinton, and Pete Rouse, who was chief of staff for former Sen Tom Daschle, D-S.D.

Johnson-Pata discussed NCAI's transition goals during a conference call with representatives from across Indian Country last week. She encouraged tribal representatives to join the organization's effort to provide names and resumes for key positions within the administration, appointments that must be made within 60 days.

"The names will be sent to transition team members," said Johnson-Pata. "We are encouraging resumes to be sent in. Our goal is to have Indian Country appointments made early."

She said now is the time for tribes to be weighing in as Obama assembles his administration.

The NCAI, which represents 250 tribes, has identified five priorities for an Obama administration, including tribal sovereignty, funding tribal services, law enforcement, governmental parity, and finally, trust reform and a trust settlement regarding the Interior Department's management of Indian natural resources.

So far, the NCAI has identified key administration appointments that should be filled or created in the interest of Indian Country, including Department of Justice and U.S. attorneys, federal judicial appointments, and an Office of Management and Budget Native program director.

Two immediate appointments are of key importance to Indians, including a White House adviser on Indian policy and the appointment of a secretary to the Interior Department.

Johnson-Pata said a senior policy adviser will improve the government-to-government relations between tribes and the federal government.

Meanwhile, the appointment to the Interior Department - a defendant in a class-action suit filed on behalf of 500,000 Indian landowners - could finally resolve contentious trust reform goals in the department. At least three people remain on a short list to head the department, including John Leshy, a former Interior Department solicitor, Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wash., and Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, said Johnson-Pata. Daschle also is being considered to head up the Department of Health and Human Services, she said.

As Congress gets set to complete the 110th "lame duck" session Nov. 17-20, "everybody wants to know what's going to happen at the end of this session," said Johnson-Pata. "Indian Country's priority still remains the Indian Health Care Improvement Act."

Obama co-sponsored the legislation. If reauthorized, it would provide critical services to Indian communities.

(Reach reporter Jodi Rave at 800-366-7186 or jodi.rave@;lee.net.)