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Congress Seeing Dollar Signs When Tribal Leaders Visit DC

By Rob Capriccioso, ICTMN

The week of September 9 was a big one for tribal visits to Washington, D.C.

There was a fancy shindig at Vice President Joe Biden’s house where Indian bigwigs including Jackie Johnson Pata, John Dossett, Terri Henry, Jodi Gillette and others celebrated the passage of the pro-tribal sovereignty Violence Against Women Act earlier this year. A meeting of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), focusing on the budget crisis, sequestration, and tax issues, saw dozens of tribal leaders express concerns. There were Indian health-focused meetings with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Management and Budget. A Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing (sparsely attended by any senators) focused on water rights issues facing several tribes.

Tribal leaders used their time in Capital City to lobby federal officials for protection of the federal-tribal trust relationship, while trying to stave off budget cuts, enhance tribal sovereignty, and get more federal dollars flagged for reservation economic development.

Congress members, while sympathetic to the cause, couldn’t help but see dollar signs. Ever worried about winning the next election cycle, legislators from both sides of the aisle were quick to hit up tribal leaders for big bucks.

On the Republican side, Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) hosted a breakfast for his good friend Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) September 12 at the exclusive Capitol Hill Club. The event was publicized and promoted by NCAI as part of its “Impact Days” meeting, and tribal leaders were encouraged to attend. Tickets ranged from $500 to $2,500. Organizer Shelly Roy has not responded to questions on how much money was raised, but the event was said to be well attended.

Cole told Indian Country Today Media Network that he was proud to host the breakfast, as he believes it is important for Indians to support Simpson. “Mike Simpson has been a real leader as chairman of the Interior appropriations subcommittee,” said the Chickasaw Nation citizen. “He deserves it.”

Democrats got in on the fundraising action in an even bigger way, with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on September 13 hosting a tribal fundraiser coffee reception at the Democratic National Committee headquarters where tickets also ranged from $500 to $2,500.

Tribal leaders were asked to support the campaigns of Democrats Ron Barber (AZ), Ami Bera (CA), Julia Brownley (CA), Lois Capps (CA), Suzan DelBene (WA), Pete Gallego (TX), Joe Garcia (FL), Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ), Dan Maffei (NY), Patrick Murphy (FL), Bill Owens (NY), Scott Peters (CA), Raul Ruiz (CA), and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ). Organizer Mary Ryan Douglass did not respond to questions about how much money was raised in total.

Chris Stearns, a Navajo lawyer with Hobbs Straus and a Native-focused campaign organizer, said he is proud of Democrats for reaching out to tribal leaders, and he thinks the current situation in Congress reflects a growing level of tribal clout in the American political system.

“I think that…tribes have now demonstrated success at the local and state levels in a way that is very powerful and deep,” Stearns said. “You are seeing a trickle-up effect. In fact, many of the new members of Congress already have a good familiarity with tribes from their days in lower office. So, tribes still bring the money, but now they bring more political clout, ties, and collegiality.”

Tribes have also presented themselves as major financial players on the national level. Data from July 2012 shows that tribes by then had given approximately $4 million to President Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, and the Democratic and Republican Parties—not to mention localized and state-centric donations where tribes in Washington state alone have spent copy.1 million on political campaigns since the beginning of 2011.

Kalyn Free, a long-time Democratic Indian strategist and a Choctaw Nation citizen, also sees positives in the growing campaign finance outreach from Congress to tribes.

“As the fundraising increases, so does tribal influence with key lawmakers,” Free said. “We have made huge strides in a relatively short amount of time. As tribes become more comfortable in the political dialogue, it in turn raises the profile of issues critical to Native communities.”

Still, not all tribal leaders are convinced that these expensive fundraising festivities are worth it.

“Our so-called friends in Congress are not always willing to go to bat to take lumps for us,” said Ed Thomas, president of the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribe, as he lamented the current national budget situation and cuts to tribal programs at the same time tribes are being asked for major financial donations.

“I expect our friends to do something bold for us,” Thomas said. “If we are going to support them, we have to see results.”

That Big Pumpkin in the Sky: Harvest Moon Really Shines This Week

NASA/YouTubeThe harvest moon is giant and red upon the horizon because it rises at sunset. — NASA/YouTube
The harvest moon is giant and red upon the horizon because it rises at sunset.

Source: Indian Country Today Media Network

The harvest moon is still upon us, as the fall equinox approaches this weekend.

The fullest moon of the month fell on the night of September 18-19, but as NASA points out in this video, the moon is in the midst of a string of days during which it rises at sunset. And when that happens, the horizon-moon illusion combines with the sunset colors to redden it.

“When you add these effects together the Harvest Moon often looks like a great pumpkin,” NASA says. “The experience is repeated for several nights in a row around the equinox.”

So check the horizon tonight for a giant pumpkin. The fall equinox arrives on Sunday September 22.

Native Youth Among Seven Killed in Raging Colorado Floodwaters

Brennan Linsley/Associated PressThe raging floodwaters of Boulder Creek, at the base of Boulder Canyon, on Friday September 13. — Brennan Linsley/Associated Press
The raging floodwaters of Boulder Creek, at the base of Boulder Canyon, on Friday September 13.

Source: Indian Country Today Media Network

The death toll rose to seven in the floods ravaging Colorado, among the victims American Indian Wesley Quinlan, and his girlfriend, Wiyanna Nelson, both 19.

The two were swept away by raging floodwaters on Wednesday September 11 as they tried to make it home along with two other friends, who survived. Just a week earlier the pair had vacationed with Quinlan’s mother, Glenda Aretxuloeta, to celebrate her birthday and meet her Native family members, the Denver Post reported.

“He was very, very connected to my Native American heritage,” Aretxuloeta told the newspaper, which did not give a tribal name.

As many as seven people have died in the massive floods that have been inundating Colorado since last Wednesday, including two women who are missing and presumed dead.

Boulder and Longmont, Colorado, continued to be inundated in floodwaters on September 16 as bad weather and heavy clouds grounded National Guard helicopters; more than 1,000 people awaited evacuation, and 1,000 or more were still unaccounted for, cut off because of ravaged infrastructure.

At least four people are confirmed dead, CNN reported, and two more are presumed to have perished in the raging floodwaters. Fox News said as many as seven had died.

On Saturday September 14 President Barack Obama declared Colorado a disaster area, and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) said it was continuing to monitor the situation.

Besides the 19-year-old couple, two other victims were discovered in a roadway and a collapsed home, CNN said, while the two people presumed dead are two women, one 60 and the other 80.

With helicopters grounded, rescue crews were working on the ground only. But even they faced obstacles, with Colorado National Guardsmen among 51 people who had to be rescued on Sunday, along with first responders and civilians, when their own tactical trucks were stranded by rising floodwaters in Lyons, Colorado, Fox News said. Fifteen remained stranded after air rescues were suspended, the Colorado National Guard said in a statement.

“Mother Nature is not cooperating with us today, and currently we are not flying,” National Guard incident commander Shane Del Grosso told reporters, according to CNN. “But tomorrow if we get that window of opportunity, which is sounds like we might get, we have the horsepower to hit it hard.”

The toll is high financially as well, with Boulder County looking at a copy50 million repair bill that is 10 to 15 times its annual budget, the county’s transportation director, George Gerstle, told CNN. That’s to repair up to 150 miles of roads and as many as 30 bridges.

Besides the devastation and tragedy, the floods are troubling because they did not come from routine sources, National Geographic reported. Normally they come about from spring rains, or intense summer thunderstorms that dump voluminous rain in concentrated areas, NatGeo.com said. This was different. In just a few days, 15 or more inches of rain—more than the record high for an entire month—had fallen in the Boulder area, said Brad Udall, director of the University of Colorado, Boulder’s Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy and the Environment, to NatGeo.com.

“This was a totally new type of event,” he said, “an early fall widespread event during one of the driest months of the year.”

It may be yet another symptom of climate change, NatGeo.com noted. The drought that has gripped the Colorado River Basin for 14 years has hardened the soil, and wildfires have stripped vegetation. This leaves no place for water to go, and no fauna to halt its progress, both of which can create conditions for devastating flooding.

The Navajo Nation is currently contending with a similar situation related to drought, as parts of the reservation are recovering from flooding that also occurred last week.

Moreover, these dynamics feed into and exacerbate one another as wildfires become more frequent on a warming planet, creating more flood-prone land, NatGeo.com said.

Connecting the Dots: How Climate Change Is Fueling Western Wildfires

Cherokee Nation Provides $1.3 Billion Impact on Oklahoma Economy

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker is joined by Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Todd Lamb for economic impact announcement.

Source: Native News Network

TULSA, OKLAHOMA – Touting the phrase “A strong Cherokee Nation means a strong Oklahoma,” the Cherokee Nation announced on Tuesday the Tribe provides a $1.3 billion economic impact to the state of Oklahoma’s economy.

Tribal officials announced its impact Tuesday during a luncheon with several state, county and local officials at its entertainment flagship property, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.

The research study shows, with the $1.3 billion economic impact, the tribe’s activities directly and indirectly support more than 14,000 jobs and provide more than $559 million in income payments.

“The Cherokee Nation is stronger than ever and, as a result, so is the state of Oklahoma,”

said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker.

“What is good for the Cherokee Nation is good for everyone in our state. From the number of jobs we provide to the services we administer to the local vendors we put to work, the Cherokee Nation positively impacts the lives of so many Oklahomans. And we’re not going anywhere. Essentially, the Cherokee Nation is a corporate headquarters that will never leave town.”

Since 2010 study, the Tribe has increased its direct economic output to more than $1 billion, which is a 25 percent growth. Cherokee Nation’s direct pay to employees has increased by more than $120 million, resulting in more than $375 million in income payments to its workers. During the same period, direct employment grew by nearly 250, reaching 9,244 employees, including contract workers.

“Cherokee Nation government and business operations continue to offer expanded economic opportunities in northeast Oklahoma,”

said Dr. Russell Evans, executive director of the Steven C. Agee Economic Research and Policy Institute, who authored the report assessing the Cherokee Nation’s economic impact on northeast Oklahoma.

“The tribe’s operations are a critical source of economic strength for the region.”

With its capital in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the Cherokee Nation provides an array of government services, spurs economic development and provides financial support to the entire region.

Cherokee Nation works alongside county, state and local governments to improve roads and bridges, provide much needed funding to rural schools, ensure communities have good, clean running water and improve access to health care.

Cherokee Nation’s economic development engine, Cherokee Nation Businesses, reported record revenues of more than $715 million during fiscal year 2012. Along with supporting vital government services, the Cherokee Nation reinvests its business profits to create more Oklahoma jobs and further diversify its non-gaming businesses.

Beyond its direct investments, Cherokee Nation supports a number of local, diverse and growing industries that help drive private and public sector partnerships. The tribe assists with child care, career training and development, elder services and contract health. These services, as well as other services, are often met through the private sector and funded by the Cherokee Nation. This impact also comes in the form of goods or services purchased for Cherokee Nation economic activities.

For example, the tribe recently announced a $100 million investment in its tribal health care system, which supports more than a million patient visits each year. This type of activity spurs purchases and subcontracting to many privately owned small businesses throughout the tribe’s jurisdiction.

“It’s very eye opening to people when they begin to understand all the Cherokee Nation does for our state and, specifically, the northeast region,”

Baker said.

“We are extremely proud to support more than 14,000 employees and countless small businesses. As a lifelong small business owner myself, I know how important a strong local economy is and what it means to the people who live here.”

The report was commissioned by the Cherokee Nation and produced by Evans. He and his research team at the Steven C. Agee Economic Research and Policy Institute in the Meinders School of Business at Oklahoma carefully collected and reviewed data to paint an accurate picture of the Cherokee Nation’s impact on the state of Oklahoma.

Google strikes energy deal with Native American firm

Google strikes deal with a small, Native American-owned firm called Chermac Energy, which is developing the Happy Hereford wind farm outside Amarillo, Texas.

Source: USA Today

Google needs a lot of energy to keep its data centers humming around the world. That can get dirty, environmentally, so the the world’s largest Internet search company is trying to get its power from renewable sources.

The latest effort, announced Tuesday, is a deal with a small, Native American-owned firm called Chermac Energy, which is developing the Happy Hereford wind farm outside Amarillo, Texas.

Google said it agreed to buy the entire 240 megawatt output of the wind farm, which is expected to start producing energy in late 2014.

This is Google’s fifth long-term energy agreement like this and its largest so far. The company has contracts for more than 570 megawatts of wind energy – enough to power about 170,000 houses, it noted.

Google can’t use this energy directly in its data centers, but the company gets credit for the renewable energy and sells it to the wholesale market. That’s a contrast to some other parts of the world. In Sweden, Google said it can buy wind energy and use it in its Hamina, Finland data center.

Data centers use a lot of energy, so sourcing power efficiently gives technology companies an edge. In early 2010, Google got a license to trade energy on the wholesale market, which allows the company to buy in bulk, a useful advantage.

Hundreds turn out for Days of Caring

Volunteer Heather Hopingardner mows overgrown grass at the All-Breed Equine Rez-Q for United Way of Snohomish County’s annual Day of Caring.— image credit: Lauren Salcedo — Volunteer Heather Hopingardner mows overgrown grass at the All-Breed Equine Rez-Q for United Way of Snohomish County’s annual Day of Caring.
— image credit: Lauren Salcedo

By Lauren Salcedo, The Marysville Globe

MARYSVILLE — More than 800 volunteers spent their weekends painting fences, cleaning schools, picking up litter and more as part of United Way of Snohomish County’s 20th annual Days of Caring efforts on Sept. 13 and Sept. 14.

In the Marysville and Tulalip areas, volunteers from across Snohomish County visited the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club, All-Breed Equine Rez-Q and Pinewood Elementary to give back to their community by spending two days taking care of much-needed maintenance.

“We found out two weeks ago that we had been chosen for this day of service,” said Dale Squeglia, director of the All-Breed Equine Rez-Q in Tulalip. “It was a surprise. A very nice surprise. United Way is here mowing the lawn, weed-whacking and painting everything. It’s just amazing.”

The All-Breed Equine Rez-Q is a nonprofit that rescues horses from abusive or neglectful situations, and either keeps them on their property to live out their days or looks for appropriate places to re-home them. On Friday, Sept. 13, employees of Crane Aerospace in Lynnwood helped complete yard work, and prepared the rescue’s fences and barns for painting on Saturday, Sept. 14, by Snohomish County Public Utility District employees.

“United Way is already a supporter of us financially and helps us out,” said Squeglia. “This is the first time we’ve had them actually come out and physically help us, so we are very excited.”

Volunteer Sharon Peck was responsible for filling out the application to participate in the Days of Caring.

“We have two armies of people coming out to work all day, both days,” said Peck. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for the people of the community to become aware of our needs, and also to have someone do the work that we don’t have the volunteers to do on a regular basis, and they get to spend a day working outside. Our project was called ‘Four Legs and Two Big Brown Eyes: Helping Snohomish County Horses.’ Nobody could resist that.”

At Pinewood Elementary, representatives from Union Bank and the The Daily Herald newspaper volunteered to sweep the grounds, clean-up flower beds and gardens, pressure-wash playground equipment and pick up litter.

“We all know funds are being cut, and so we are here helping the kids,” said Tiffany Lock-Osterberg of Union Bank, who noted that her company participated in the Days of Caring at Pinewood last year. “We painted the hopscotch areas, helped clean up graffiti and painted a mural. Last year, the kids came out and said, ‘Thank you,’ and even helped out. They did that again this year and that’s really great to see.”

Marysville mayor Jon Nehring visited Pinewood Elementary on Friday, Sept. 13, along with United Way of Snohomish County Vice President Karen Crowley.

“A big part of Marysville is the volunteers,” said Nehring. “As mayor, that means a lot to me, especially to see them out here helping our schools. As a campaign chair for United Way, this is a great way to show what United Way is all about. I don’t think there is any other day of the year that is like this. There are 800 volunteers out in Snohomish County right now. It’s truly amazing to see all the work they are doing.”

Crowley said that the volunteer efforts at Pinewood Elementary specifically helped improve morale at the school.

“We had three companies volunteer here last year, and Union Bank was one of them so it is great to see them back again,” said Crowley. “What touched us is that it seemed that they felt they hadn’t been paid attention to. Last year, students put signs together saying, ‘Thank you,’ and you got a sense of real appreciation from them. There was a mural painted with kids and volunteers, and I remember chatting with a mom who was in tears and she said, ‘We thought our kids were forgotten.’ It was really powerful.”

In Snohomish County, 73 teams participated in 41 projects benefiting 30 different agencies as a part of the annual Days of Caring.

“That’s a total of 3,746 hours, which at the standard economic value for volunteer time — $22.69 per hour — would come up to $85,000,” said Neil Parekh, vice president of marketing and communications for United Way of Snohomish County.

For more information on United Way, and volunteer opportunities in Snohomish County, visit www.uwsc.org.

Rain gardens at Tulalip admin building are decreasing pollution runoff

Admin building rain gardens, expect to see hundreds of blooms next spring.Photo by Monica Brown — Admin building rain gardens, expect to see hundreds of blooms next spring.
Photo by Monica Brown

By Monica Brown, Tulalip News writer

TULALIP, Wash. – The rain gardens at the Tulalip administration building have had a year to flourish, and flourish they have. When you drive through the parking lot you see trees in the garden strips along with some shrubs, but towards the back you can see a spray of green areas that are roped off. Some people are not aware that these roped off garden areas are not weeds, but are native vegetation and they were chosen specifically for their ability to remove pollutants.

“It’s a menagerie, but that’s how it was designed, to be low growing and provide a green landscape that would help filter out the pollutants,” said Derek Marks of Tulalip Natural Resources.

Last year, the Natural Resources department was able to take a few garden areas within the admin building parking lot and turn them into rain gardens. Shortly after it was completed it had been sprayed with herbicides, a major no-no when it comes to rain gardens. “You don’t build a rain garden to manage it with herbicides,” said Derek. “The rain garden themselves filter the pollutants; we’re not supposed to add pollutants to them.”

The gardens contain mainly different species of sedge, rush, woodrush and grass along with western buttercup, great camas and chocolate Lily. This last spring there weren’t many blooming camas or chocolate lily because the time between when they were planted and when they bloom in spring was too short for them to become established.

Chocolate lilyPhoto By Derek Marks — Chocolate lily
Photo By Derek Marks

“We’re expecting a lot more to bloom next spring. You’ll probably see several hundred camas plants out here blooming,” commented Derek, about the shortage of blooms this last spring.

Derek explains that, “the rain gardens are filter strips.” And, “the plants and microbes work hand in hand to break down the pollutants.” They remove toxins, oils and heavy metals that are in water runoff from the parking lot. Without the rain garden the pollutants in the water runoff would make their way out and contaminate the Puget Sound. The possibility of turning other garden strips within the parking area into more rain gardens has come up, but nothing has been decided on as of yet.

This pilot rain garden project was developed by Tulalip’s Natural Resources’, Valerie Streeter and Derek Marks. They caution that although some of these plants are known for being harvestable, these particular plants, and any that may reside in other rain gardens, are not harvestable because they are full of toxins.

Camas bloom Photo by Derek Marks — Camas bloom
Photo by Derek Marks

For those that would like to start their own rain garden, Washington State University and Stewardship Partners have begun a campaign to install 12,000 rain gardens in the Puget Sound area by the year 2016. The website for the campaign has videos to explain the whole process of putting in a rain garden and lists the many resources available to someone interested in installing one. Please visit 12000raingardens.org for more information about rain garden installation.

Seminole Tribe of Florida Expands Juice Business

Source: Native News Network

WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA – The Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc., through its growing citrus production business, Seminole Pride, has acquired a majority interest in Noble Food Service, the sales and marketing division of Noble Juice of Winter Haven, Florida.

“Our combined entity offers everything from premium orange juice, which is the standard bearer of citrus juices, to a full array of specialty citrus juices, the fastest-growing segment of the business.”

Said Tony Sanchez, president of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc, the Tribe’s business development arm.

“By joining forces in a sales and marketing operation, Seminole Pride and Noble Juice will create one of the industry’s most extensive line of citrus juices and expand their distribution to more restaurants, schools, hotels, hospitals and catering operators throughout the United States,”

Sanchez said.

Seminole Pride products will now be sold through a broad national network of juice retailers, while Noble Juice will benefit from the minority supplier status of Seminole Pride. The two entities will share profits from future growth.

Citrus juices sold through Noble Food Service include:

Orange
Red grapefruit
Blood orange
Pummelo Paradise
Tangerine
Tangerine guava mango
Tangerine clementine
Organic orange
Organic orange tangerine
Organic grapefruit
Lemon
Lime

Noble Food Service also markets organic apple juice, lemonade, organic lemonade and bottled spring water.

“The Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Roe family share a strong commitment to the sustainability of Florida’s bounty,”

said Quentin Roe, chief executive officer of the Noble companies, including Noble Food Service.

“In addition to responsible growing practices, we both feature eco-friendly containers, including the juice industry’s only 100 percent plant-based bottle and label.”

The Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc., the business development arm of the Seminole Tribe, is working to diversify its product offerings under the Seminole Pride brand, which currently supplies spring water and beef, in addition to juice. Seminole Pride uses only those oranges that are picked at the peak of maturity to ensure a sweet and delicious juice.

Fruit for Seminole Pride is grown on the Brighton Seminole Reservation and at approved groves throughout Florida. The Seminole Pride business is one example of the Seminole Tribe’s mission to better the lives and livelihoods of all the American Indian peoples.

Tulalip is ready for VAWA

During a visit from White House officials, Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama, and Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls, commended Tulalip for all of it’s efforts, both in criminal justice in general and specifically for playing such an impactful role bringing awareness to the plight of Native American women left out by original VAWA.
Photo/Brandi N. Montreuil

By Niki Cleary, Tulalip News

TULALIP, Wash., — “It’s not enough to cry peace, we have to act peace and we have to live peace,” Tulalip Tribal Court’s Chief Judge Theresa Pouley opened a September visit from White House officials with her teachings as a citizen of the Colville Confederated Tribes and as a tribal court judge.

She went on to explain that although talking and planning are necessary to ensure justice, walking the talk is crucial.

“Law and justice is made up of every arm of the tribe,” said Pouley. “Everyone meets once a month and we all pitch in to see what we can do to make the justice system better. A separation of powers doesn’t mean a separation of problems and certainly doesn’t mean a separation of solutions. One of the great things that Tulalip does is collaborate, out of the box, to provide services. That’s the core of the way justice gets done in Indian Country.”

That collaboration, she clarified, along with a history of providing due process beyond the requirements of the law, are just two of the reasons that Tulalip is ready to take over jurisdiction of all cases involving domestic violence. Until now, tribes have had no jurisdiction over domestic violence when one of the parties involved is not a tribal citizen.

“This is a historic moment,” said Pouley. “I want to marvel in the fact that for the first time, tribal courts are given authority over non-tribal [citizens]. We recognize that tribes are in the best position to do it [enforce the Violence Against Women Act], and we can do it better. We’re waiting to be a pilot. We’re ready to go and we can change the face of this community!”

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was originally passed 19 years ago. The re-authorization of the act was delayed by a fight to include provisions protecting Native American women.

President Obama encapsulated the necessity for those provisions during a speech he made while signing the re-authorization.

“Indian Country has some of the highest rates of domestic abuse in America. And one of the reasons is that when Native American women are abused on tribal lands by an attacker who is not Native American, the attacker is immune from prosecution by tribal courts. Well, as soon as I sign this bill that ends.”

Tulalip’s Interim Chief of Police Carlos Echevarria reiterated the importance of tribes having jurisdiction over all domestic violence cases.

“We see up to 75,000 visitors daily,” he pointed out. “We have 13,000 non-member residents, a lot of traffic and a lot of guests. I can’t tell you how frustrating it’s been arresting non-Indians for domestic crimes against members and knowing that nothing was likely to be done.”

Tulalip Vice-Chairwoman Deborah Parker, who has become known nationally as the face of Native women affected by VAWA, put it in even plainer words.

“We shouldn’t have to walk in fear that we’re going to be raped or abused at any age, from infants to our elders. We get these calls daily. Pretty soon, with your help, this will change.”

Although pleased with this expansion of tribal jurisdiction, Echevarria said it can’t be the last step in recognizing tribes rights to police their lands.

“This is a significant achievement to all tribes and another step in creating a safer community,” he said. “We’ll now move on to the next step, full criminal jurisdiction and a reversal of the Oliphant decision.”

Although no decisions or formal announcements came from the day-long tour, Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama, and Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls commended Tulalip for all of it’s efforts, both in criminal justice in general and specifically for playing such an impactful role bringing awareness to the plight of Native American women left out by original VAWA. She made a point of thanking Vice-Chairwoman Parker for being willing to relive her painful past, ‘not just one time, but over and over and over again,’ in order to ensure that Native women are protected in the future.

“It’s an exciting time to be here,” said Jarrett. “As we heard from Chief Justice Pouley, you are ready. Now it’s up to our team to step up to the plate.”

Sacred Arizona Site Under Siege Pending House Vote

Source: Indian Country Today Media Network

On Thursday, the House will vote on a bill that would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey more than 2,400 acres of U.S. Forest Service land in southeast Arizona to the Resolution Cooper Mining Co. Enactment of the bill would allow Resolution Cooper, dually owed by Rio Tinto Mining and BHP Billiton, to operate a large-scale cooper mine on Oak Flat disrupting sacred tribal grounds.

If passed, this bill referred to as the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange Act, could potentially destroy sacred tribal places of worship by allowing the foreign mining giants to extract one cubic mile of ore from beneath the surface of the earth. The mining companies would extract the ore through an ecologically destructive process called block cave mining.

In 2011, ICTMN reported that Resolution Copper would use controversial block-cave method, in which explosives are set off below the ore body, creating a space underneath and allowing the ore to collapse from its own weight, after which it’s extracted. Opponents fear the method could damage Native American sacred lands, among them the historical Apache Leap, where tribal warriors leaped to their deaths rather than surrender to Arizona soldiers, according to historical accounts like this one.

In a press release, Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) urged colleagues to vote “no” on the bill and said that Oak Flat has been a place where Native Americans have prayed, gathered medical herbs and plants, healed in holy perennial springs, and performed religious ceremonies for decades.

“The protection of places of worship is a fight for which we should all be united,” Moore wrote in a press release to her colleagues. “We must stand together to protect places of worship, including tribal sacred sites because these sites are part of the rich heritage and culture of our country and the essence of our moral identies.” She said the bills passage would jeopardize the cultural history of other sacred sites by setting a precedent with regard to federal protection of tribal sites.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) in February. Last month, Gosar invited the public to a town hall meeting to gage support of his efforts to bring thousands of jobs to Arizona’s Copper Corridor. He said this goal could be achieved if 678 is passed. “Getting this critical jobs bill across the finish line requires Arizonans to rise up and let their voices be heard. Nearly 4,000 jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity are at stake.”

The withdrawal of Resolution Cooper’s controversial block cave mining process is supported by the San Carlos Apache Tribes, local tribes, and some environmentalists.

Arizona Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ)

The project has also been opposed by Arizona Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) whowrote about his oppositionto the bill saying that he was not opposed to mining, in principle, but said that they should not come at the expense of Native American rights.

ICTMN also reported that the bill would give around 2,400 acres of public land in southeastern Arizona to Resolution Cooper Co. in exchange for around 5,000 acres in several parcels around the state. As it stands, the bill has largely remained the same.

The federal government has acknowledged its obligation to protect sacred tribal grounds, but if the land swap bill passes, Moore said, Oak Bluff would be transferred to Resolution Copper for private ownership, and out of the domain of regulation by federal law.

“People who think money is first over water and land, such as some people in Washington, are destroying the earth and that’s where our argument is,” San Carlos Apache Tribe Chairman Wendsler Nosie, told ICTMN in 2010. “That’s wrong. You cannot do that, and that’s why I’m standing up for this.”