Siletz news /, March 01, 2012, Page 12, Image 12

Indian Nations, con’t from page 1
honored to speak to you all, but especially
to address representatives of the more than
5 million Native people and the 566 Tribal
nations of Indian Country.
The State of Indian Nations is strong.
Our nations are strong. Our peoples are
strong. Like our sovereignty, the strength
of our nations is our inheritance. The
State of Indian Nations, as I outline it
today, should be defined by what we
commit to right now to make the state of
Indian Nations even stronger in the years
to come.
We all know Tribes have faced a dif­
ficult history. We are rising from harsh
economic conditions to contribute to a
more prosperous tomorrow. Tribes have
been doing more with less for generations
and I am here today to outline a path to
overcome our shared challenges - to
lay out specific economic changes and
improvements for our Tribal nations.
Some of these changes require legisla­
tive action but many others can come
from direct action by the administration.
Ultimately though, it will be the actions
of Native people that can change their
nations and communities.
Native people are the first Americans.
Tribal nations are its first governments
- one of three sovereigns recognized in
the United States Constitution. And our
America is a place where each member
of the American family of governments
contributes to a prosperous future.
Native Vote in this election year
To achieve that vision, we need lead­
ers who understand that Indian Country
matters. Especially in a presidential elec­
tion year! We're all aware of the impact an
election can have on Indian Country. And
in recent years, many have come to learn
that the door swings both ways - Indian
Country can have a significant impact on
elections - and it can be game-changing.
As grandmas on the Navajo Nation
and young people in Alaska Native vil­
lages go to the ballot box this November,
they are standing on the shoulders of those
who fought hard for that right. As students
at Arizona State University and veterans
in foreign lands cast their vote, they are
reminding America that we matter.
In the 1940s, thousands of Native
veterans returned home to a shocking
reality: America had accepted them on
the battlefield, but had no place for them
at the ballot box.
Ira Hayes - a member of the Gila
River Indian Community who raised the
flag at Iwo Jima - returned to the home­
land he had defended and was denied the
right to vote. Miguel Trujillo from Isleta
Pueblo, who enlisted as a Marine in the
days following Pearl Harbor, returned
home to New Mexico and was denied the
right to vote.
These American heroes inspired the
fight - all the way to the federal courts
- for the right to participate in the 1948
elections. They expressed the power of the
Native vote the first time they cast their
ballots and it's been at work ever since.
Stories like these have shown Native
people that when it comes to Native Vote,
we can and we must think big. Simply put,
we will work tirelessly in 2012 to see the
highest Native turnout ever.
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Visit Native Christian Conference
We know it can be done. For instance,
The 2012 Native Christian Confer­
on the Fort Belknap Reservation in Mon­
ence will feature two days of spiritual
tana, turnout rates are regularly over 80
discussions and insights about unity
percent. A survey of seniors at UCLA
in the Body of Christ on March 9-10
showed that Native young people partici­
at the Seven Feathers Casino Resort in
pate at rates higher than any other group
Canyonville, Ore.
of students. This is especially important
The event also will include Ameri­
because almost half a million Native
can Indian dancing, praise and worship,
youth will be eligible to vote for the first
and general fellowship.
time in the next four years.
The conference begins at 1 p.m. on
We already know Indian Country
March 9. Rev. Izabel Weedman will be
impacts elections but we offer even more
the first speaker in the afternoon.
potential. In 2008, one out of every three
After the dinner break, the evening
Native citizens was not registered to vote
service will feature praise and worship.
- that's more than 1 million people. So
The
first evening speaker will be Pastor
it comes down to one simple message -
Larry Gatlin, with Pastor Ellson Ben­
register and vote. We will work tirelessly
nett from Arizona closing the service.
with Native people from across America
On March 10, the program begins
to make sure all of Indian Country partici­
at 10 a.m. with praise and worship.
pates in 2012. The stakes are too high for
We will honor people in the military,
us to stay home on Election Day.
pastors and Tribal leaders of the com­
Native people don’t see the world in
munity. The speaker for the morning
two- and four-year election cycles. We're
focused on building stronger communities
for generations to come. When we step in
the ballot box, we want to vote for candi­
Native American programs at Office of
dates who will stand with Tribal nations
Management Budget.
to create a strong prosperous future. We
And finally, we call upon all candi­
are not mobilizing for one party or for dates to actively engage Indian Country in
one candidate. Indians don't just vote D
your campaign. We invite each candidate to
for Democrat or R for Republican. For
visit Indian Country to outline your policy
us, it's “I” for Indian. We are independent
positions. We also urge the campaigns to
voters and we will continue to vote for the
make sure Tribal nations are part of the
candidate who is strong on our issues and
discussion at the presidential debates.
cares about our priorities.
That’s why today, I'm calling on
Opportunities for
all presidential candidates to make sure
congressional action
Indian Country is at the table during the
Between now and the election, we
campaign and throughout your admin­
have a lot of work to do! For all of the
istration. These specific actions should
partisan challenges of the past year, the
form the foundation of your Native
Congress has found common ground on
policy platform:
Indian policy. Under the bipartisan lead­
ership of Senators Akaka and Barrasso,
First, we call on the president to
the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
send a special message to Congress on
has worked tirelessly across party lines to
the importance of the nation-to-nation
develop legislation that promises to trans­
relationship. In 1970, President Nixon
form Indian Country. And in the House,
sent a historic message to Congress on
Republicans like Chairman Don Young
Tribal self-determination. That message
and Democrats like Dale Kildee have
launched the self-determination era - the
worked hard to educate their colleagues
very framework that allowed Tribes to
about the benefits Tribal governments
prove our capacity as governments. All
offer our nation.
presidents should do the same.
There are some important things
Second, we call on the president
the Congress can do right now that can
to fully implement the United Nations
grow Indian economies and create jobs.
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Without spending a dime, the Congress
Peoples. We specifically call for a review
can fix the problems created by the Car-
of all existing federal law to ensure they
cieri Supreme Court decision and offer
are in alignment with the declaration.
certainty for land-into-trust transactions
Third, we call for an Annual Nation-
that are critical to Indian Country’s eco­
to-Nation Summit and ongoing high-level
nomic future.
meetings. This would institutionalize
The Department of the Interior
the current Tribal Nations Summit, a
is already acting to streamline lease
meaningful commitment to our nation-to-
approvals for renewable energy develop­
nation relationship that must be upheld by
ment and we urge the Congress to pass
all future presidents. We also call on the
the HEARTH Act to expand leasing
president to convene regular meetings on
reform and to pass an Indian energy self-
specific issues between Tribal leaders and
determination law.
cabinet secretaries.
Congress can also act on public safety
Fourth, elevate Native people in the
legislation that will attract businesses to
federal government. It is past time for
our communities. We urge passage of
qualified Native people to be seated on
amendments to the Stafford Act that are
the federal bench. The appointment of a
supported by FEMA and would remove
senior advisor on Native American Affairs
burdens from states and Tribes in times
has advanced policymaking at the White
of critical emergencies when lives are on
House and we applaud President Obama
the line.
for his leadership. With the importance of
Native women are the protectors of
the Indian budget in the coming decade,
our culture, our families and our future.
we urge the creation of an office for
We call on the Senate to pass the Violence
March 2012
session will be Rev. Millie Salt. At
noon, we will break for lunch.
The conference will resume at 2
p.m. with two speakers, Pastor Randy
Ives and Tribal Chairman Don Gentry of
Chiloquin. Prayer and encouragement
will take place from 3:30-5:30 p.m. and
a healing room will be available.
The closing session will start at 7
p.m. with Pastor Don Causey as the first
speaker and Pastor Bennett concluding
the services.
Various vendors will have Indian
handcrafted items for sale.
For conference reservations or
additional information, please call
Millie Salt at 928-775-6897; e-mail
her at salt_of_the_earth513©hotmail,
com; or write to her at 6125 N Michele
Lane, Prescott, AZ 86305.
Tickets are $ 15 for two days or $ 10
for a day and are available at the door.
Against Women Act Reauthorization and
the SAVE Native Women Act - both of
which would take critical steps to address
the horrific rates of violence being perpe­
trated against our women.
The Native CLASS Act offers the
chance to provide the kind of education
our young people need to succeed today
and build the economies Indian Country
needs for tomorrow. Our young people
must not be left behind anymore.
Congress must stand with us now
to get these bills passed, but long-term
success depends on America keeping her
promises. That’s why NCAI, along with
our partners in Indian Country, are mak­
ing available to you today our plan for the
Indian budget.
This document outlines our vision for
investing in the future of our America and
stabilizing the Indian budget. It will cre­
ate reliable, safe domestic energy; it will
build a 21st century education system; it
will modernize our infrastructure; and it
will fund implementation of critical legis­
lation like the Tribal Law & Order Act and
the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
Just as our plan holds hope for the
future, the Budget Control Act poses
great risks. The act requires Congress to
cap discretionary spending for the next
10 years. Much of the funding that fulfills
the federal trust responsibility is catego­
rized - wrongly, in our view - as domestic
discretionary spending.
The trust responsibility is not a discre­
tionary choice. It is not a line item. It is a sol­
emn agreement that has been sustained over
hundreds of years. Unless Congress acts to
hold Tribal programs harmless, then starting
in 2013 we are facing 10 to 15 percent cuts
across the board for the next decade - cuts
that will threaten essential services and
affect millions of Native citizens throughout
vast regions of rural America.
We are well aware of the budget chal­
lenges our nation faces. We live in Indian
Country - we know all about doing more
with less. We urge Congress to stand up
for the relatively small piece of the federal
budget that belongs to Tribal nations and
our citizens.
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