CDC Tribal Public Health Law ResourcesThere are 573 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and villages in the United States. These tribes are sovereign nations that maintain a government-to-government relationship with the United States and have the inherent powers of self-government. As sovereign nations, tribes are uniquely situated to use law as a public health tool to promote the health and well-being of their communities. Additionally, federal law creates a framework that governs the relationships among tribes, states, and the federal government that can affect tribal public health. The resources on this page include law and policy resources related to tribal public health.