DECEMBER 1, 1978 PAGE 5
95th Congress Wrap-up
by Jay Edwards
What Passed
P.L. 95-68, THE INDIAN FI
NANCING ACT AMENDMENTS
OF 1977 (H.R. 4992), extended
the original Act for two years
and increased its authorization
from $10 million to $14 million.
The Act consolidated four BIA
low cost revolving loan pro
grams, provides loan guaran
tees, and makes small “seed
money” grants available for
starting Indian businesses.
administrative capability and,
for food stamp programs, on
either the state’s failure to run
the program successfully itself
or the state’s voluntary determi
nation to turn the program over
to the Tribes. In any event, the
Secretary of Agriculture may
pay any amount — up to 100
percent — he deems necessary
for the programs’ effective ad
ministration.
P.L. 95-128, THE HOUSING AND
COMMUNITY
DEVELOP
MENT ACT AMENDMENTS OF
MANY INDIAN-RELATED BILLS WERE BEFORE CONGRESS IN
1978. THOSE BELOW WERE PASSED. CHECK THE NEXT
SPILYAY TYMOO FOR THOSE THAT DID NOT PASS.
dures in consultation with tradi Amendments of 1978), authorizes
tional Indian religious leaders to increased impact aid payments
determine what changes need to to public school districts with
be made to assure the preserva reservation Indian students. The
tion and protection of Indian increase, which is 125 percent of
religious freedom. A report on the present maximum formula,
those findings is to be submitted amounts to an additional $70
to Congress before mid-August, million. Receipt of the impact
1979.
funding is conditional upon the
P.L. 95-465, THE FISCAL YEAR parents of the Indian students
1979 INTERIOR AND RELA having a greater voice in the
TED AGENCIES APPROPRI educational programs offered in
ATIONS ACT (H.R. 7636), allo the schools. The new law centra
cates $1,034 billion for the BIA lizes the BIA’s administration of
for FY 79. Budget items of note education programs, diminish
include the retention of BIA- ing the role of the Area Offices,
requested $1.2 million increase and requires establishing edu
for forestry and $600,000 for cation program and facilities
rights protection of the Columbia standards.
River Indian fisheries. $560.8 P.L. 95-608, THE INDIAN
million was provided for the CHILD WELFARE ACT OF 1978
Indian Health Service and HEW (S. 1214), clarifies and enhances
Indian education programs re1 the powers of tribal courts over
Indian child foster and adoptive
ceived $71.7 million.
P.L. 95-471, THE TRIBALLY placement proceedings. It also
CONTROLLED COMMUNITY establishes standards for place
ment and safeguards the broad
ened rights of an Indian child’s
parents and Tribe to be notified
of and participate in placement
proceedings. Grants are author
ized for Indian family develop
ment programs.
S. RES. 405. TO EXTEND THE
SENATE SELECT COMMIT+
TEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS
FOR TWO MORE YEARS,
passed the Senate on October 14.
Because the Committee’s exist
ence is purely a Senate matter,
the passage by that Chamber
was sufficient to put the exten
sion into effect. Earlier in the
month, extension of the Select
Committee was added as an
amendment to the Export-Im
port Bank Act Amendments, but
that bill subsequently died in
conference, necessitating the
new passage of the Select Com
mittee’s extension.
1977 (H.R. 6655), extended the
original law for three years to
P.L. 95-74, THE FISCAL YEAR -provide community development
1978 INTERIOR AND RELA block grants (CDBGs) and fed
TED AGENCIES APPROPRI erally assisted housing to rural,
ATIONS ACT. (H.R. 7636), pro low, and middle income families.
vided $872.6 million for the BIA, The amendments changed the
$56.6 million for Indian education source of CDBG funding for
in HEW, and $428.8 million for Indian programs to come solely
the Indian Health Service. Under from the HUD Secretary’s dis
the BIA natural resources devel cretionary fund, eliminating the
opment budget, $5 million was troublesome division of Tribal COLLEGE ASSISTANCE ACT
provided for the continuation of grant applications between coun OF 1978 (H.R. 9158), authorizes
the ten year $50 million timber ties, states and regions. It also general operating and mainten
stand improvement program eliminates friction between ance grants for Tribal commu
by Vince Lovett
started in FY 1977. Add-ons of Tribes and other rural govern nity colleges. The grants are
INDIANS
SUE
USDA
BECAUSE OF DELAYS IN FOOD
direct consequence to the Con- ments competing for funds out of to provide $4,000 a year for each
PROGRAMS:
Indian
tribes
and
organizations in six states filed suit
fecierated Tribes were $6.6 mil the same pot. Additionally, the full time equivalent student en
lion for 262 new personnel in the law created a special assistant to rolled in a qualifying school. No against the Department of Agriculture November 17, charging that it
BIA’s forestry programs and the Secretary of HUD to coordi more than 15 grants are to be has failed to implement Federal food programs for reservations. The
class action on behalf of all impoverished Indians seeks a court order
$1.2 million under the U.S. Fish nate and monitor the Indian and issued the first year.
and Wildlife Service to finish the Alaska Native programs carried P.L. 95-478, THE OLDER to force USDA action by January 1 on special provisions for Indians
written into the Food Stamp Act of 1977.
Warm Springs Fish Hatchery. on by that Department.
AMERICANS ACT AMEND
Agriculture officials said they have been delayed in preparing the
Additionally, Senate report lan P.L. 95-341, AMERICAN INDI MENTS OF 1978 (H.R. 12255),
regulations to implement the Indian provisions of the Act because of
guage criticized the BIA’s forest AN RELIGIOUS FREEDOM (S. enables Indian Tribes to set up
ry practices and urged their J. Res. 102) declares that the their own organizations to pro overall revisions in the Act, shortage of staff and the special efforts to
involve tribal leaders in the process, including an all-day meeting in
correction.
U.S. Government shall protect vide social and nutritional care September. Roger Schwartz, a member of the public interest law firm
P.L. 95-113, THE INDIAN FOOD
and preserve the right of Ameri for their elderly. Federal grants representing the Indian groups, said, “We have monitored USDA’s
AMENDMENTS OF 1977 (H.R.
can Indians to practice their are to cover 100 percent of the rule-making process for over a year, and by this time it’s clear they
5466), are part of the Large traditional religions, including costs, and a section provides for have not done their best to implement these critical improvements for
Agriculture Act of 1977. The their access to religious sites, the Tribal organization’s acquisi Indian people.”
amendments provide the potent and the use and possession of tion and conversion of unused
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Carol Foreman said the proposed
ial for Tribal administration of sacred objects, and the freedom BIA schools to senior centers.
changes will be published within several weeks, noting they had been
food stamp and commodity dis to engage in traditional ceremo P.L. 95-524, THE COMPRE held up largely to respond to requests for changes made by the groups
tribution programs on the reser nies. It also requires that all HENSIVE
EMPLOYMENT that filed suit. “It is somewhat strange to meet for a day and a half
vation. Tribal take over of the agencies of the U.S. Government AND TRAINING ACT AMEND- with some people and carefully consider their comments, then be sued
programs depends on the Tribe’s review their policies and proce MENTS OF 1978 (S. 2570), alter by these same persons for taking the time to incorporate changes
and extend the CETA jobs pro based on some of their comments,” she said.
grams through 1982. The new law
Spilyay Speak»®»™*®«
increases the Indian set-aside INDIAN LEADERS WRITE ATTORNEY GENERAL ABOUT HIS
formula for general CÉTA func ANTI-INDIAN VIEWS:
tions from 4 percent to 4.5
In a 20-page letter signed by John Echohawk of the Native
percent and provides a new 2 American Rights Fund and Sam Deloria of the American Indian Law
percent set-aside for Indians in Center, Indian tribal leaders expressed “alarm and fear” arising
THERE WAS THIS TEACHER who was teaching school in the back
Title II public service employ
country hills of the southern mountains. One day she asked one of the ment. Additionally, it permits from public statements made by Attorney General Griffin Bell about
the Justice Department’s role in protecting Indian rights. Charging
boys who lived there, “From the SKUNK we get FUR don’t we the Secretary of Labor to waive
that Bell’s statements have been contrary to the principles that have
Frank?” His reply was, “That sho is right Maam, as FER as the time limit for a person
governed relations between Indian tribes and the United States for 200
Possible.” YIKES
working in a public service years, the letter says: “It is neither accurate nor fair to trace what
ss SS ss
employment job in a program you characterize as ‘the peculiar state of Indian law’ in your House
THERE WAS THIS CATHOLIC PRIEST who was asked to make a call
operated by an Indian Tribe. Judiciary Committee tœtiniony to loose terminology by the Supreme
at the hospital. The Priest was very pleased for the invitation to visit Tribal CETA operations mav Court. Tne alleged conflict problem that you have raised goes to the
the lady in the hospital, on his way into the hospital he meets the also compete. ■” - ~ P^ent essence of the relationship between Indian tribes and the United
lady’s daughter. She said, “I’m glad you could come, my mom is in .. ^«».arylund under the new States. If the United States had a disabling conflict, it should never
room 46, fourth floor.” The Priest said, “What happened,js.ygjff ritle VII private sector jobs have entered into treaties with the Indian tribes in which the tribes’
program. A 2 percent set-aside ownership and possession of their reserved lands and rights were
minister away?” The girl said, “No, he
for Indian youth programs was secured and protected in return for the cession of vast amounts of
the sickness might be contaggyss “SS
. a chief that had two dozen wives that lived five miles retained, as was the national land. The United States should not have made promises it could not
SWay. Every day the Chief would get the best warrior to go and get one administration of Indian CETA keep. If your views are correct, the United States should never have
of his wives and bring her to his lodge. The Chief lived to be about 90 programs.
sued to protect Indian rights. We believe that the United States
years old but his best brave died at the age of 45. The mor 4 of the story P.L. 95-561, THE INDIAN BASIC government was representing the people of the United States when it
is, “It’s not the women that kill you but the running after them that EDUCATION ACT (Title XI of negotiated and ratified those treaties and it has done so ever since
does.” YIKES
H.R. 15, The Elementary and when it has sought to protect and enforce their terms and to fulfill
SS SS SS
Secondary
Education
Act other laws and policies relating to Indians.”
THERE WAS THIS GUY WHO went to church quite often, and one day
this guy dozed off to sleep in the middle of the sermon. The preacher
stopped and asks a boy sitting next to him and said, “Hey son, would
you wake the guy next to you?” “Heck no,” said the boy, “You wake
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AFTER A HARD DAYS WORK I was real hungry and had the taste for
NAME_________________ ,_________ :_____________ '______________ ______
bacon and eggs, so I go into this super market and buy these two huge
eggs, rush home put the fry pan on the stove, take one of the eggs and
cracked the shell and these “Pantie Hose” fall out. YIKES
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WOULD YOU BELIEVE THAT WHEN I first went out into the world I
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didn’t have a thing to my name. I used to sleep on the floor sit on boxes
and stuff like that. I had nothing in my apartment. I met this girl one
day and she begged to see where I lived, so I finally gave in and took er
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of was, “Oh No! I’ve been robbed.” YIKES
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THERE WAS THIS GUY who asked his friend, “How long have you
had your mustache?” His friend answered, “Since I was two years
old.” “How could you have had a mustache since you were two years
old?” “That’s easy, I didn’t know how to shave at two years old.”
YIKES
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