Siletz news /, January 01, 2011, Page 6, Image 6

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
President Obama meets with 12 Tribal leaders Dec. 15 to hear directly from Indian Country about their policy priorities and concerns. Also in the meeting were Attorney
General Eric Holder, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, White House
Domestic Policy Council Director Melody Barnes and other administration officials. Tribal representatives included Earl J. Barbry Sr., Chairman, Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of
Louisiana; Cedric Black Eagle, Chairman, Crow Nation; Brian Cladoosby, Chairman, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community; Karen Diver, Chairwoman, Fond du Lac Band
of Lake Superior Chippewa; Brenda Edwards, Chairperson, Caddo Nation; Tex G. Hall, Chairman, Mandan, Hidatsa and Ankara Nation: Three Affiliated Tribes; Gary
Hayes, Chairman, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe; John Red Eagle, Principal Chief, Osage Nation; Joe Shirley Jr., President, Navajo Nation; Robert H. Smith, Chairman, Pala
Band of Mission Indians; Edward K. Thomas, President, Tlingit Haida Central Council; and Mervin Wright, Jr., Chairman, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe of Nevada.
Tribal Summit, con’t from page 1
ereignty and this face-to-face summit is
to allow our governments to address the
shared responsibility and obligation to our
Native American citizens,” said Brian Cla­
doosby, president of the Affiliated Tribes
of Northwest Indians and chairman of the
Swinomish Indian Tribal Community.
“There are many issues to address
in Indian Country, but one that brings
it together. It is: What can President
Obama do in the next two years to uphold
the federal trust agreement with Indian
Tribes? Let us first understand the mean­
ing of this agreement. Our expectation is
simple, hold up your side of the deal with
honor and respect,” he added. “We view
this summit as an opportunity to move
towards the next chapter in the Era of
Sovereignty for Tribes. We are being very
realistic about these opportunities under
the Obama administration and let me be
clear, this is a long road ahead of us and
we need to use this as a time to build a
foundation. ”
Tribal leaders and President Obama
entered these meetings following one of
the most significant years of bi-partisan
accomplishments for Indian Country.
Since the first Tribal Nations Sum­
mit, held by the Obama administration
in November 2009, the U.S. government
has taken historic steps, including making
permanent the Indian Health Care Im­
provement Act; signing into law the Tribal
Law & Order Act; reaching agreement on
USDA’s settlement of the long-standing
Keepseagle case; and signing into law the
Cobell settlement, closing the chapter on
more than a century of government mis­
management of Indian assets.
Understanding the Enrollment Department and how it can assist you 4?
The activities and responsibilities of
the Enrollment Department are not al­
ways understood by Tribal members, even
though it’s one of our most important pro­
grams. Without enrolled Tribal members,
there would be no programs in our Tribe.
In this department, we receive wonder­
ful news of babies bom to Tribal members
and hear from children and adults who were
adopted out and find their way back to the
Tribe. Sadly, we also hear when a member
has walked on; this never gets easier.
It’s important that you keep the des­
ignation of your beneficiary updated with
the Enrollment Department because we
don’t second-guess you - if you desig­
nated your “ex” as your beneficiary, that’s
who will receive your death benefit.
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Siletz News
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If you do not designate a beneficiary
or if your beneficiary has passed on, your
loved ones will not be eligible for the addi­
tional $ 1,000 death benefit otherwise paid
directly to your designated beneficiary.
Be sure to keep your beneficiary des­
ignation up-to-date. The form can be found
on the Enrollment section of the website or
can be requested from us (see below).
The Enrollment Department assists
with the annual per capita distribution and
maintains Tribal member addresses used
by our Tribal departments. Therefore, it’s
very important that you update the Enroll­
ment Department with your current mailing
address and a contact number in case your
mail/newspaper is returned to the Tribe.
In order to facilitate a valid election,
January 2011
Tribal law prohibits Tribal Council from
approving any enrollment application,
name change, loss of enrollment or
removal from the roll requests from
Dec. 1 to the first Saturday in February
the following year.
Applications for enrollment with
the Tribe still can be submitted and the
Enrollment Department will review them
and make recommendations to the Enroll­
ment Committee for action after the first
Saturday in February.
After the Enrollment Committee
votes on the recommendations, the list of
applicants will be posted on our website
and in Tribal offices, allowing 15 days for
a protest. At least 20 days after posting,
if there are no protests, the recommenda-
tions are reviewed by Tribal Council at
its regularly scheduled meeting in March.
The Enrollment Department will send
a letter to the applicant via mail of the
outcome.
If you have any questions or just want
to give us updated information, please
contact either of the following:
Loraine Butler, Enrollment Clerk
Direct phone: 541-444-8258
E-mail: loraineb@ctsi.nsn.us
Toll-free: 800-922-1399, ext. 1258
Angela Martin, Data Coordinator
Direct phone: 541-444-8292
E-mail: angelam@ctsi.nsn.us
Toll-free: 800-922-1399, ext. 1292