SILETZ NEWS
Delores Pigsley,
Tribal Chairman
Brenda Bremner,
General Manager
and Editor-in-Chief
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
Vol. 44, No. 2
Presorted
First-Class
Mail
U.S. Postage
Paid - Permit
No. 178
Salem, OR
Siletz News
Confederated Tribes of
Siletz Indians
P.O. Box 549
Siletz, OR 97380-0549
February 2016
Photo by Diane Rodriquez
Candidates for the 2016 Tribal Council
election include (l to r) Alfred (Bud)
Lane III, Delores Pigsley, Selene
Rilatos, Bonnie Petersen, Frank Aspria
Sr. and Lillie Butler. Not pictured:
Sherelle Martin and Phillip Rilatos III.
All ballots for this election must be
received by 4 p.m. on Feb. 6.
You can vote in person on Feb. 6 at the
Tribal Community Center in Siletz,
Ore., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Be sure to vote!
14 th Annual State of Indian Nations Oregon expands career readiness
with $9 million investment in
Address
Remarks of Brian Cladoosby, President
hands-on learning for 142 schools
National Congress of American Indians
Jan. 14, 2016 • Washington, D.C.
A moment of progress
and promise
I thank the Creator for bringing us
together. My fellow Tribal leaders, members
of Congress, members of the administra-
tion, veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces,
friends and partners gathered here and
watching from home – thank you for joining
us for the State of Indian Nations address.
On this day, we meet at a moment of
progress and promise in Indian Coun-
try. Progress made possible by Tribal
self-determination. This administration
– and a growing number in Congress –
understand that when Tribes forge their
own paths, Indian Country benefits and
America benefits.
Two days ago, President Obama deliv-
ered his final State of the Union address
to talk about America’s progress. He said,
“But such progress in not inevitable. It is
the result of choices we make together.”
This morning, I want to reflect on
the progress that Indian Country has
made in the face of the challenges we
have inherited and recognize the promise
we can seize by strengthening the self-
determination that Tribes have always had.
Our nation-to-nation relationship
When our ancestors first welcomed
European settlers to this continent,
indigenous nations had formed a wide
range of strong and sophisticated systems
of governance.
The Wampanoag, the Muscogee,
the Anishinaabe, the Ottawa alliance all
existed long before colonies and states
and, ultimately, the United States. There
were six Tribal nations in the Iroquois
Confederacy. This will sound familiar
to you – civilian representatives chosen
to serve in a central government, with
separate military leadership. Benjamin
Franklin said, in so many words: If the Six
Nations can do it, why can’t the colonies?
This indigenous framework became
America’s framework. And as the U.S.
government took shape, it continued to
recognize the self-determination and
independence of Tribal nations.
The Constitution puts it plainly. It
gives Congress the power, and I quote, “to
regulate commerce with foreign nations,
and among the several states, and with the
Indian Tribes.”
T hat’s WITH foreign nations.
AMONG states. And WITH Indian
Tribes.
But our right to retain our powers of
self-government is not just printed in the
text of the Constitution. It has also been
affirmed in laws, executive orders and
Supreme Court decisions. Thomas Jef-
ferson wrote to President George Wash-
ington, and I quote, “Indians [have] full,
undivided and independent sovereignty
as long as they choose to keep it, and this
might be forever.” 1
See Address on page 10
PORTLAND, Ore. – One hundred and forty-two Oregon middle schools and high
schools – serving more than 85,000 students – have secured career readiness grants
totaling $9 million, Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian and Deputy Superintendent
of Public Instruction Salam Noor announced on Jan. 12.
The CTE Revitalization Grant funds will serve diverse communities around the
state with programs focused on advanced manufacturing, engineering, agricultural
science, app development, robotics, tourism, forestry, home renovation and health care.
“A skilled workforce is the foundation of a healthy economy,” said Avakian. “Today’s
grants will give more Oregon students access to the hands-on learning and skills train-
ing that they need to succeed. The grant fund takes a bottom-up approach so that the
career readiness investment matches the greatest need in high-wage, high-growth fields.”
In total, the 25 grants will leverage additional funds from 277 local business and
community partners.
“These grants will help more students prepare for college and career,” said Deputy
Superintendent Salam Noor. “I’m very pleased to see the ongoing expansion of hands-
on, applied learning to more schools around the state. These programs are good for
students, good for businesses, and good for local communities.”
Graduation rates for students in CTE programs are near 90 percent, according to
the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium.
The grants build on earlier investments by the Oregon Legislature in 2011, 2013
and 2014 totaling $14 million.
The CTE Revitalization Advisory Committee – composed of representatives from
organized labor, trade organizations, education and Oregon’s energy and business com-
munity jointly appointed by the Oregon Department of Education and Bureau of Labor
and Industries – reviewed 73 applications totaling $24.5 million in requests.
The committee prioritized applications based on geographic diversity, community
partnerships and programs that lead to high-wage, high-demand occupations, especially
for historically underserved students.
A diverse coalition of advocates will seek to refill and expand the grant fund dur-
ing the 2017 Oregon legislative session as part of the larger effort to ensure that every
middle school and high school has access to high quality and engaging CTE programs.
The grants are distributed as follows:
See Grants on page 16