Each year, the President of the National Congress of American Indians presents the State of Indian Nations address to members of Congress, government officials, tribal leaders and citizens, and the American public.

To facilitate direct engagement between Congress and Tribal Nations, a member of Congress is invited each year to deliver a Congressional response to the State of Indian Nations. Previous Congressional speakers have included Senator Maria Cantwell, Senator Lisa Murkowski, and Representative Tom Cole, among others. The event concludes with a live, interactive Q&A session with the audience, press, and those engaging via social media.