CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
February was a busy month for the
National Congress of American Indi
ans (NCAI). Here are some of the high
lights of what took place in the nation's
capital when hundreds of tribal leaders
convened for the conference, unde
terred by terrible winter weather.
The need for immediate congres
sional reauthorization of the Indian
Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA)
and tribal inclusion in the Combat
Meth Act were “two of the most urgent
priorities in Indian Country identified
by NCAI's Executive Council.”
Readers of Siletz News and the
tribe's confidential newsletter are
aware of the Siletz Tribe's concerns
about these two issues. We have joined
NCAI and other inter-tribal organiza
tions to urge congressional and White
House action on reauthorizing the IHCIA.
I also have written and spoken ex
tensively on the issue of meth among
Indian tribes. It was appropriate that the
NCAI Executive Council identified
these two issues to be urgent priorities.
Our tribe has since joined all Or
egon tribes in signing on to an inter
tribal Memorandum of Understanding
to address meth issues and problems
that are created.
The NCAI honored Indian policy
leaders at the Ninth Annual Leadership
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Delores Pigsley
Awards Banquet. The following hon
orees were recognized for outstanding
service to Indian people:
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The Congressional Leadership
Award to Congressman Tom Cole
The Public Sector Leadership
Award to Wade Henderson, execu
tive director of the Leadership Con
ference on Civil Rights
Elder Honor Day-“Circle of Wisdom”
Registration begins at 10 a.m.
Event runs from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
April 10, 2007
Chinook Winds Casino Resort
For more information, please contact Angela Ramirez
1-800-922-1399, ext. 1225; 541-444-8225; or angelar@ctsi.nsn.us
Can You Play Taps?
Seeking a talented tribal member to play Tups at the 2007 Memorial
The Native American Leadership
Award to John Ecohawk, executive
director of the Native American
Rights Fund
The Governmental Leadership
Award to the National Conference
of State Legislators
The Secretary of Housing and Ur
ban Development (HUD), Alphonse
Jackson, addressed the conference,
relating “President Bush’s commitment
to ensure American Indians have access
to all opportunities of this great land. "
He stated that, “The president's FY
2008 budget proposal will help thou
sands of Indian families share in the
dream of home ownership ...”
In his speech before the NCAI Ex
ecutive Council. Gov. Bill Richardson of
New Mexico stated that he had accepted
the invitation to participate in the debate
of Democratic presidential candidates.
Gov. Richardson is a former con
gressman. cabinet secretary, and am
bassador to the United Nations. II
elected, he said he will create the first-
ever cabinet-level Department of In
dian Affairs.
The debate is being called the “Prez
on the Rez” and is scheduled to be held
on the Morango Reservation in Cali
fornia on Aug. 23. 2007. Richardson
is the first Democratic presidential can
didate to accept the invitation.
Indian Mascots
A sensitive issue among Indian
tribes generally is the use of Indian
mascots. NCAI President Joe Garcia
expressed gratitude to the University
of Illinois for officially discontinuing
the use of its Indian mascot.
“Tribal leaders and Indian people
are heartened by the U. of I. decision."
he said. “NCAI encourages other edu
cational institutions to follow suit in dis
continuing use of Native American mas
cots that are derogatory and offensive
to Indian people. NCAI hopes to work
with the U. of I. in furthering awareness
about Native culture and traditions."
In conjunction with NCAI’s Execu
tive Council Winter Session. NCAI and
The Smithsonian's National Museum ol
the American Indian co-sponsored a
Capitol Hill reception at which hun
dreds of tribal leaders joined members
of Congress and congressional stall in
celebrating the Native Spirit. The event
took place inside the rotunda of the
national museum.
NCAI will host the mid-year ses
sion in Anchorage. Alaska, on June
10-13, 2007.
Restoration Committee Working on
30th Anniversary Celebration
by Tina Retasket
The Tribal Council has appointed a
committee to work on this year's Resto
ration Celebration. As you may already
know, this year marks the 30" anniver
sary of restoration. The committee is
working on many events leading up to
the restoration event in November.
If you have any photographs of
people or events that are significant to
pre- or post-restoration, we would like
to make a copy of them.
Please bring your photos to the
Public Information office in the admin
istration building in Siletz. Diane or
Laurel will scan your photo, ask you who
the people are in the picture and what
the event is. and return the photo to you.
They will forward the copies to the com
mittee and you will have the original.
We appreciate everyone's assis
tance in this event and hope to use as
many pictures as possible to show the
recent history of the Siletz Tribe.
Day Ceremony on May 28 at II a.m. in Siletz. If interested, contact Celesta
Lee, assistant Tribal Council secretary, at I-800-922-1399, ext. 1205, or
541-444-8205.
CTSI Jobs
CTSI Employment Job Line
541 -444-8296 or 1 -800-922-1399, ext. 1296
Visit our Web site at www.ctsi.nsn.us
Position: Executive Director
Department: Siletz Tribal Gaming
Commission
Location: Lincoln City, Ore.
Open: 3/19/07
Close: 4/30/07
Salary: $41.32 per hour
Job Posting Number: 200715
Note: “Open Until Filled” vacan-
cies may close at any time. The tribe’s
Indian Preference policy will apply.
Tribal government will not discrimi
nate in selection because of race, creed,
age, sex, color, national origin, physi
cal handicap, marital status, politics,
membership or non-membership in an
employee organization.
Don’t Forget Hunting/Fishing/
Gathering Meeting
Have you ever wondered how' the
tribe administers its Hunting, Fishing, and
Gathering program? Want to know what
is available to tribal members through
out the year and how to access it?
Come to the Hunting/Fishing/Gath-
ering meeting on April 7 at 1 p.m. at
the Siletz Tribal Community Center
and find out.
Do you have ideas on how the pro
gram can better serve the tribal mem
bership? Come to the meeting and let
the Natural Resources Committee
know what you think.
The meeting will include an over
view of the tribe's Consent Decree on
Hunting. Fishing, and Gathering (the
document that defines the tribe's rights
as recognized by the state); a description
of the various types of licenses, tags, per
mits. etc., available to tribal members;
and a review of the current procedures
for
obtaining
those
licenses, tags, and permits.
We'll also review the current meth
ods used to distribute the tribe's sub
sistence game and fish allocations.
Then we want to hear from the tribal
membership about how you feel the
current procedures are working and
any suggestions for improvement.
This is your chance to speak out
and let the Natural Resources Commit
tee know what you think.
April 2007
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Siletz News
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