CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Many important tribal activities
took place during the past month that I
could report on. I will, however, devote
this report to two items on the national
scene that have important direct
implications on the future of the Siletz
Tribe. They involve the BIA's budget
process and the appointment of Gale
Norton as secretary of the Interior.
informed that while the Department of
Interior took a 4 percent cut, the BIA
budget for FY2OO2 received an increase
over FY2001. It appears that education,
law enforcement, and trust services are
high priorities in the FY2002 budget.
Tribes were urged to unify their
thoughts
and
convey
their
recommendation in their testimonies.
The Indian Health Service of the
Department of Health and Human
Services is pursuing a similar budget
path. The Siletz Tribe also is actively
involved in this process.
BIA Budget and Process
On Feb. 28, a meeting of the Bureau
of Indian Affairs Budget Advisory
Council was convened in Washington,
D.C., to discuss the bureau’s budget for
FY2002 and budget issues for its
FY2OO3 budget formulation.
I, along with Chairperson Colleen
Cawston of the Colville Tribe, was
appointed by Northwest Regional
Director Stan Speaks to represent the
Northwest at this important national
meeting of the BIA budget. This
was part of an ongoing process
started during FY2000 with the
formation of the BIA/Tribal Budget
Advisory Council.
Deliberations by the advisory
council last December led to
establishing the National Budget
Strategic Panel to assist the bureau in
putting together its budget for the next
fiscal year, FY2002.
The strategic panel reached
consensus in early February that “the
direct
involvement of tribal
governments in the budget development
process will result in a better-
documented and stronger BIA budget
submission that more accurately
addresses the needs of American
Indians and Alaskan Natives.”
In mid-February, the strategic panel
defined certain guiding principles,
among them:
•
•
•
Budget priorities should focus on
strengthening tribal government
capacity
to
serve
their
communities.
Gaming revenue is not the panacea
for all tribes.
Most tribes don’t have a revenue
tax base like state and local
governments do.
Chairman Delores Pigsley
•
Budget priorities should emphasize
self-reliance and economic
development initiatives.
The meeting on Feb. 28, which
Cawston and I attended, was therefore
a follow-up to those earlier council
meetings. Current tribal involvement in
the bureau’s budget process reflects the
fact that in prior years (in the words of
the strategic panel), the “BIA/Tribal
National Budget have not provided for
adequate dialogue between federal and
tribal officials.”
Regional budget meetings are now
taking place and the FY2OO3 National
Budget Hearing is scheduled for May
9-10 in Washington, D.C., which I also
plan to attend. According to Speaks,
the FY2OO3 budget formulation
process will concentrate on completing
tribal unmet needs with supporting
justifications.
In preparation for that national
meeting, a March 19 meeting of the
Portland region was held, attended by
Northwest tribes including Siletz
representatives.
In the meantime, it was announced
at the Feb. 28 meeting that the FY2OO2
budget would “provide reasonable
spending increases to meet tribal
needs.” Overall, the approved budget is
for $1.9 billion, a 5.5 percent increase
over FY2001.
Although the actual figures may not
be available until after publication of
this issue of Siletz News, we were
Norton Airs Opinions
on Indian Issues
Since the March issue of Siletz
News was published, President George
W. Bush appointed Gale Norton as
secretary of the Interior. The U.S.
Congress confirmed her appointment
after some controversy.
Because the secretary of the Interior
administers the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, I think it’s important for you to
know what Norton’s opinions are
regarding various Indian issues.
Her testimony in late February
before the Senate Indian Affairs
Committee, chaired by Sen. Ben
Nighthorse Campbell, gives us some
clues about how Norton views basic
Indian issues and her responsibility in
addressing them. I have taken the liberty
of quoting from relevant portions of her
testimony, in which she states in part:
“The mission of the Bureau of
Indian Affairs is to enhance the quality
of life of American Indians and Alaska
Natives, to promote economic
opportunity, and to protect the
management and trust assets of
Indian tribes, individual Indians and
Alaska Natives ...”
“President Bush and I ... want to
make advances in self-determination
and self-governance during our tenure,
which we believe can be fostered
through consultation and our mutual
goal of better government ...”
“I take very seriously my responsibility
as the trustee for Indian lands, trust moneys,
and federal obligations to the tribes under
treaties and laws ...”
Then, pointing out that she is no
novice in dealing with critical Indian
issues, Norton referred to her role as
Colorado attorney general from 1991
to 1999, stating:
“I had the privilege to negotiate
personally two of the first Indian
gaming compacts, between the
Southern Ute and the Ute Mountain Ute
tribes and the state of Colorado ...” and
“My office played a large role in
the ongoing negotiations over the scope
and funding of the Animus-LaPlata
project in Colorado ... (which) helped
me understand better the needs of the
tribes, state, and federal authorities and
to assist in resolving economic,
environmental, and political issues.”
“I also handled issues relating to oil
and gas development on and near
Colorado’s Indian reservations, and
understand the challenges associated
with
both
conservation
and
development of trust lands.”
It is clear from Norton’s testimony
that she shares President Bush’s
commitment to education. She spoke
at some length about the need to
improve Indian education and school
facilities. She said, “It will be my
responsibility to help see that no Indian
child is left behind ...”
Norton commented that she has
heard concerns expressed about a wide
range of Indian issues and concluded
her testimony by stating:
"We will meet these challenges
openly and will seek your guidance in
these important issues. It is my heartfelt
desire that this Committee and I begin
and continue a process of consultation,
cooperation, and communication that
will strengthen tribal governments, help
Indian people, and improve the
education of America’s Indian youth.”
It is encouraging to hear this newly
appointed secretary not only express her
commitment to developing human and
natural resources of Indian tribes, but
also to Indian self-determination and
perhaps most importantly, “the
strengthening of tribal governments.”
Hopefully, she will be able to
translate her commitment to action.
April 2001
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Siletz News
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