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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1988)
P-JTJZX imIIMI OCTOBER 1988 THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE GRAND RONDE COMMUNITY OF OREGON PRESIDENT REAGAN SIGNS RESERVATION BILL President Reagan signed legislation creating a 9,811 acre reservation for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde on September 9, 1988. Reagan's signature on the reservation bill ends an almost five year effort by the Tribe to establish a landbase, and opens the way for the Tribe to build for its future. The bill immediately puts the reservation lands, located in Yamhill County, into trust for the Tribe with the U.S. Department of Interior. Income from the reservation, estimated to be 800,000 to one million dollars annually, will be used to supplement existing tribal education, housing, and health programs, and for economic development. "This caps an extraordinary effort by the Grand Ronde Tribe to regain lost ground," Oregon Senator Hatfield said in a news release. "Tribal recognition is important to provide the right to be self-governing. The creation of a reservation is equally vital because it gives the tribe the opportunity to be self-sustaining", said Hatfield who sponsored the legislation in the Senate. "This new reservation sets straight past injustices, gives tribal members the chance to improve the quality of their lives, and protects and promotes economic oppor tunities around the entire area. The community as a whole has done itself proud by working to put together this compromise," said Representative Les AuCoin who sponsored legislation in the U.S. House. ..."It was a great relief to get the bill signed and made into law," said Mark Mercier, tribal chairman, who with other members of the Tribal Council have spent almost five years working to get a reservation established. Kathryn Harrison said she had "tears of joy" when she heard the reservation act was signed. "I though about the treaties and promises that were made," said Harri son. ..."I always felt it was our duty to regain land again," she said. The Grand Ronde Indian Reservation, established on September 9, 1988, is 9,811 acres. The Act turns over to the Tribe all accrued timber receipts beginning on the date of enactment of the Act.. Receipts from timber which has been removed from the reservation area do not apply. The Act applies the Memorandum of Agreement between the Grand Ronde Tribes of the Department of Interior. The MOA states that the Tribe will not export timber, or compete in the local timber market for a period of twenty years beginning on the day the act was signed. The Act does not provide any additional hunting, fishing or trapping rights other than those already in effect under the Consent Decree entered into on January 12, 1987 between the State of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. The Tribal Council has developed a five year compre hensive plan which will help guide tribal activities and expenditures. "This is the culmination of five years of work by the tribe, the community, and the Congress, and it can hardly be more satisfying than this," said AuCoin. RESERVATION CELEBRATION OCT. 22, 1988 12:30 - 4:30 P.M GRAND RONDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Confederated , Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon Post Office Box 38 Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347 NOVEMBER 6, 1988 GENERAL COUNCIL MTG. 12NOON NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT 2 GRAND RONDE, OREGON ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED i