More American Indian Leaders to Testify before US House Appropriations Committee

by Native News Network Staff in Native Briefs. Discussion »

US House

NATIVE BRIEF: WASHINGTON DC - Amidst the climate to cut the federal budget, American Indian leaders and other concerned parties, including President Ben Shelly of the Navajo Nation, testified on Capitol Hill Tuesday that keeping spending at current levels or even increasing funding is essential in Indian Country.

President Shelly told the House Appropriations Committee’s Sub-committee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies the annual federal budget provides essential needs to Indian Country. He said to the sub-committee should “honor your treaty obligations and support our budget recommendations for FY 2012.”

“We cannot 'drill and fill' our way out of dental disease,” said Dr. Matthew Neary, chairman of the American Dental Association’s Council on Government Affairs, told the sub-committee. “But we can prevent it - which is a more cost-efficient and a better way of reducing oral disease.”

Dr. Neary was on Capitol Hill requesting an increase in spending by $726,000 in Indian Country for the Indian Health Services’ Early Childhood Caries Initiative.

Several American Indian leaders will testify in a second day before the House Appropriations Committee. Testimony is expected to continue to focus on the need to retain adequate funding for American Indian programs throughout Indian Country. These hearings will not be webcast.

WHEN:     Wednesday, May 4, 2011

TIME:     9:30 am edt

WHERE:     Rayburn House Office Building, Room B-308

WITNESSES:

The Honorable Laura Richardson, Representative, US Congress

Robert Bear, Chairman, Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation

Arlan Melendez, Chairman, Reno-Sparks Indian Colony Tribal Council

Nathan Small, Chairman, Ft. Hall Business Council, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes

Andrew Joseph, Chairperson of the Board, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board

Ron Suppah, Vice-Chairman, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon

Delores Pigsley, Chairman, Tribal Council, Siletz Tribe

N. Kathryn Brigham, Secretary, Board of Trustees, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation

C. Larry Blythe, Board Member, Intertribal Timber Council

N. Kathryn Brigham, Secretary, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission

Cheryle A. Kennedy, Chairwoman, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde

Joseph Pavel, Vice-Chairman, Skokomish Tribal Nation

Lawrence W. LaPointe, Vice-Chairman, Puyallup Tribe

Billy Frank, Jr., Chairman, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission

Ray Peters, Inter-Governmental Liaison to the Tribal Council, Squaxin Island Tribe

Sheri Lee Williams, Councilwoman, Lummi Indian Business Council

Fawn Sharp, President, Quinault Indian Nation

Micah McCarty, Chairman, Makah Tribal Council

Brian Patterson, President, United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc.