In March 2010, Siletz Tribal repre
sentatives, council members Bud Lane
and Tina Retasket, General Manager
Brenda Bremner, Tribal Attorney Craig
Dorsay and I attended many important
meetings and made a number of impor
tant contacts with our own congressional
representatives.
The organizations we attended in
cluded the National Congress of Ameri
can Indians (NCA1) and the National
Indian Gaming Commission (N1GC).
this cause and we hope the issues can be
worked out.
During our D.C. visit, we also at
tended a nice reception for Sen. Daniel
Inouye (see photo below), who has been
a champion for Tribes for the past several
years. We took the opportunity to not only
thank him for his contributions, but also
ask his support for a Carcieri fix.
Oregon Tribal Gaming Alliance
Meeting with NIGC Officials
We met with the current chairman
and staff of NIGC to discuss issues of
special interest and concern to us. As for
the appointment of a permanent NIGC
chairman, we learned that candidates’
names would be submitted to fill the
vacant position temporarily held at this
time by George Skibine.
Chairman’s Report
Meetings with House and Senate
Committees and NCAI
In previous issues of Siletz News, I
reported on one of our Tribe's priority
issues, which is to obtain congressional
support for legislation authorizing 99-
year fee-to-trust leases. We also used this
opportunity to continue to secure con
gressional support and update committee
members on our major Tribal activities
and issues.
This update included a status report
on the more than $6 million the Tribe
received from various agencies under the
American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act (ARRA). We listed the following
agencies that contributed to our Tribe
under ARRA:
BIA/Federal Transportation Agency
for road improvement
Department of Energy for energy
conservation strategies
Environmental Protection Agency for
a water project
Health and Human Services for child
care development projects
Housing and Urban Development for
housing block grants
Department of Labor for summer
youth program
Department of Agriculture for equip
ment for food distribution program
Oregon Department of Energy for
weatherization and startup program
Send letters to:
Open to Tribal members of all ages
Siletz
Siletz Tribal Community Center
April 6-6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
May 4-6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Portland
Portland Area Office
April 12-6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
May 17-6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Salem
Salem Area Office
April 13-6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
May 18-6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Eugene
Eugene Area Office
April 5-6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
May 3-6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Come and join other members of your community and Tribe in learning to
speak one of our ancient languages.
For more information, contact Bud Lane at the Siletz Cultural Department at
541-444-8320 or 800-922-1399, ext. 1320; or e-mail budl@ctsi.nsn.us.
Siletz News
*
Standing Committee
Appointments
In closing, 1 want to take this oppor
tunity to thank the Tribal members who
applied to serve on committees this year.
Everyone who applied was approved to
serve. It’s important to keep the Tribal
Council advised on issues and commit
tee members are one important source of
information for the council.
There is a Standing Committee ordi
nance that governs committee meetings,
activities and travel. The committees must
keep minutes and provide meaningful
input to the Tribal Council.
Tribal Children Need Foster Parents
Introduction to the Athabaskan Language
*
The new dormitory has been com
pleted at Chemawa Indian School, the
oldest continually operated boarding
school in the United States. All the old
dorms have been tom down and the new
dorm is occupied.
The school held a nice reception for
visitors just prior to its 130th birthday
celebration. The new Chemawa dorm has
pictures of the old campus and is very
nicely built and decorated.
At NCAI, major issues of national
importance were discussed, including the
Carcieri fix, the Cobell settlement, the
Indian Health Care Improvement Act and
the upcoming national budget hearings
that will significantly impact Tribes.
Regarding the Carcieri fix, you will
recall it was the Narragansett Tribe’s
land-into-trust application that formed the
basis of the Supreme Court’s Carcieri vs.
Salazar decision.
That decision not only has an impact
on the Narragansetts but also on Tribes
across the country. Contrary to what had
been the country's policy for more than
75 years, the court ruled that Tribes that
had not been recognized in 1934 don't
have the right to have land taken into trust
under the Indian Reorganization Act.
This is an issue about which the
NCAI and individual Tribes are deeply
concerned and involved, an issue the U.S.
Courtesy photo
Congress will need to “fix.”
As for the Cobell lawsuit settlement, Alfred "Bud" Lane III and Delores Pigsley attend a reception honoring Sen. Daniel
there were indications a few weeks ago Inouye of Hawaii in Washington, D.C., on March 1.
that the Obama administration and lead
plaintiff Eloise Cobell had come to an
agreement on terms. This turned out not
to be the case, however.
Many obstacles are still in the way
Do you value Siletz Native culture and want to help preserve it? If so, please con
of a settlement. Questions about lawyer sider fostering for the Tribe. The Siletz Tribe needs loving, stable, nurturing homes in
fees have been raised, among others. all areas. If you are interested, please contact Shawna Henarie, foster care certifier, at
Eloise Cobell has been a champion for 541-444-8275 or 800-922-1399, ext. 1275; or visit www.ctsi.nsn.us/icw.html.
N u u - wee-ya ’ (our words»
2
Close to home, an issue about which
the Oregon Tribal Gaming Alliance
(OTGA) has been very much involved is
the proposed non-Tribal casino that will
be on the Oregon ballot this fall if enough
signatures are collected.
Preliminary studies indicate the pro
posed casino will have a negative impact
on Tribal casinos as well as Oregon Lot
tery revenue. Because of this, OTGA does
not support the proposed casino project
that would be located at the old dog track
in Wood Village east of Portland.
The OTGA will study the impact and
implications of such a casino on Oregon
Tribes and develop an action plan address
ing those issues.
Chemawa Indian School
April 2010
Siletz News
P.O. Box 549
Siletz, OR 97380-0549
541-444-8291 or
800-922-1399, ext. 1291
Fax: 541-444-2307
E-mail: pias@ctsi.nsn.us
Siletz News is free to enrolled
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Change of address: Tribal mem
bers - call the Enrollment Department
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per office.