OPA

Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt today announced the appointment of Faith Roessel, a licensed attorney and enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs in the Department of the Interior.

"I am highly pleased that Faith Roessel has agreed to join the Department as my deputy," Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Ada Deer said. "She is a most welcome addition to our team and I look forward to utilizing her talents and legal knowledge in assisting tribal governments in the protection of their trust assets and their quest to become self-sufficient."

Roessel said she looked forward to working with Secretary Babbitt, Assistant Secretary Deer, and tribal leaders throughout the country in providing the best of services to Indian people. "I know this Administration is dedicated to the protection of the land and other natural resources of Indian tribes, and I am honored to have been asked to serve," she said.

Roessel comes to Interior after serving three years as Director of the Washington office of the Navajo Nation where she directed the legislative strategy of her tribe's budget and annual appropriations initiatives before the Congress. From 1987 to 1991 she served as senior staff attorney with the Native American Rights Fund in their Washington office where she represented Indian tribes and groups before the Congress, federal agencies, law judges, and federal courts.

The new Deputy Assistant Secretary served as Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) from 1983 to 1987. For two years previous she was an associate in the law firm of Vlassis and Ott in Phoenix, Arizona, a firm that served as General Counsel to the Navajo Nation.

Roessel earned her B.A. in Sociology from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, in 1978. She was awarded a J.D. in 1981, from the University Of New Mexico School Of Law in Albuquerque. Roessel is a board member of the American Bar Association's Commission on Opportunities for Minorities in the Profession and is the Chair of the ABA Multicultural Women Attorneys Network. She is also a board member of the Arizona State University School of Law Indian Advisory board and serves on the board of Americans for Indian Opportunity.

Roessel and her husband Matthew Slater have one child and reside in Bethesda, Maryland.

I am sad to announce that Mr. Thomas Richard Tippeconnic passed away on April 7, 1997 at the University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona. He was an Assistant Area Director for the Navajo Area Office, before retiring from the Bureau of Indian Affairs after 35 years of service. He spent most of his adult life working on the Navajo reservation.

He was born on February 10, 1937 in Phoenix, Arizona and was a member of the Comanche Tribe of Oklahoma. Mr. Tippeconnic earned a bachelors degree in Range Management from Oklahoma State University.

Mr. Tippeconnic is survived by his wife Alberta, two sons, Jon and Jay, a daughter-in-law, Lisa and three grandchildren, Thomas, Troy, and Tristan. He is also survived by a sister, Mary Jo Fox and four brothers, Norman, John, Robert, and David. He was preceded in death by his father and mother John and Juanita Tippeconnic and a sister Joan Marie.

"Mr. Tippeconnic will be greatly missed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a whole, but in particular by the Navajo Area Office," Ms. Deer said. "Tom always gave his best effort and was a dedicated employee. He will leave a long legacy of beneficial programs and opportunities for the Navajo people."

Mr. Tippeconnic will be laid to rest in the grasslands of the Wichita Mountains of Oklahoma. Memorial services will be held in Cache, Oklahoma at the Deyo Comanche Church at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 11, 1997 and the Fort Defiance Presbyterian Church, Fort Defiance, Arizona, on Monday April 14, 1997 at 10:30 a.m. The family requests that in place of flowers donations be made to the John W. Tippeconnic Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona.

I was briefed this morning for the first time by Special Trustee Paul Homan on his final Strategic Plan to reform trust fund management for Tribal and individual trust funds and resources.

The plan represents his views, independent from the Department of the Interior or the Office of Management and Budget. Before I make final recommendations, I intend to give the Strategic Plan close and thorough study.

However, based on a brief review and today's briefing, I have significant concerns. First, it adds another new layer of bureaucracy by creating a quasi-private, quasi-government agency to manage and administer trust funds. Creating new bureaucracies does not necessarily serve the goal of solving problems. Second, it requires large, new budget outlays, and we will need to evaluate each aspect of the proposal. Third, and most important, it seems to lack a fundamental understanding of the relationship of sovereign tribal governments and federal trust responsibilities. Indian Tribes are sovereign nations, not business enterprises to be run for profit.

I cannot support, and I believe that most tribes will not support, the separation and dissipation of the government-to-government trust relationship that extends well beyond funding to upholding the social, economic and cultural best interests of tribes and individual tribal members.

Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Ada E. Deer today announced that the Bureau of lndian Affairs will assume the operations of law enforcement for the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma effective immediately for a period of approximately two months. This period will allow the Nation to resolve internal difficulties which have recently developed.

The decision by the BIA is based upon recent events that have occurred at Cherokee. "The BIA is committed to ensure that law and order is maintained within the Cherokee Nation," Ms. Deer said. "We will assume the Cherokee Nation's law enforcement program as a cooperative effort with the Nation and local officials."

This action does not indicate any BIA position in the Cherokee Nation's internal dispute over local matters and the Nation must use its own governmental procedures to resolve the conflict between the judiciary and the executive branch. "Of course, the BIA will provide necessary technical assistance and advice as requested, but BIA's law enforcement's mission will be to ensure the safety of the community and its property," Ms. Deer said. "The BIA is prepared to assist the Nation in this assumption initiative until the situation has stabilized and the Nation is able to reassume its own law enforcement program".

The BIA Muskogee Area Office will be the field office responsible for initiating this action. The Official in charge during the transition of the Law Enforcement Program is Criminal Investigator Mr. Perry Proctor.

Ada E. Deer, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs announces that the Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP), within the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Projectneat, Inc., have entered into a partnership whereby Projectneat will provide Internet appliances to every elementary and secondary school in the BIA school system by September 1, 1997.

Projectneat, is an independent, non-profit public charity organized under I.RS. 501(c)(3) and is based in Santa Clara, California. Founded in July, 1996, it has assembled a team of leading companies and associations to donate the hardware and software to connect schools to the Internet. Projectneat's mission is to connect every K-12 school in America to the Internet, with emphasis being placed on connecting under served schools first.

"This initiative will connect the 187 schools serving American Indian students in 23 states providing access to the information superhighway and expanding education programs at the schools," Ms. Deer said. "We are thrilled that our American Indian students will have this access because there is a wealth of educational material available on the Internet that they will now be able to use. This is truly a dynamic initiative."

The Internet appliance provided by Projectneat, is a simple push-button access system which displays information on a large television screen instead of a computer monitor. These devices are considerably cheaper and easier to use than a conventional computer hook-up, because of the 27" TV screen, an entire class may share information in a classroom setting. In addition, one system can serve an entire school. Schools will be able to access the Internet by dialing in through the Educational Native American Network (ENAN) which has been sponsored by the OIEP since 1988.

"The installation of this equipment addresses one of OIEP's primary goals -- to connect every school and tribal community to each other and the world -- as well as President Clinton's challenge to link every school to the Internet," Joann Sebastian Morris, Director of the Office of Indian Education Programs said. "I am very excited about this program. It will provide our isolated, rural schools a resource that they have not previously had."

The BIA's OIEP provides educational services to reservations across the Untied States from Maine to the State of Washington. More than one half (105) of the 187 schools are operated by Indian tribes through grants from the BIA with the remainder operated by the OIEP.

"This partnership is a natural one, as our initial goal states we want to serve schools in rural areas and BIA schools certainly fall into this category. Our preliminary discussions with the BIA have been very positive and many important milestones have already been achieved," Mr. Tom Rahimi, President, Projectneat said. "The distribution of the equipment will happen during the 8th, week of July in conjunction with a conference at Snowmass, Colorado."

"I can think of no better way to bring excitement to our classrooms then connecting them to the vast information superhighway. Our students have much to learn from others and a great deal to contribute to the pool of information available on the Internet," Mr. Peter Camp, Projectneat Coordinator said. "Through Projectneat Indian students will have the same access that other students have in urban areas."

For additional information on Projectneat, access www.projectneat.org. The Office of lndian Education Program's home page may be accessed through the BIA's home page www.doi.gov/bureau-indianaffairs.html. Mr. Camp, BIA Project Coordinator can be reached at (202) 208-4411 and Mr. Tom Rahimi, Projectneat's contact is at (408) 235-7760.

On May 20, 1997 Ms. Deer, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs called an all employees meeting at BIA Headquarters, Washington, DC. The purpose of this meeting was to provide information relative to current matters taking place within the Bureau of lndian Affairs and to present a Summer Action Plan. "I would like to see the Bureau become a dynamic entity accomplishing positive things at the end of this Summer," Ms. Deer said.

The Summer Action Plan

BIA employees were equated to being front line troops in the "war supporting tribal sovereignty," and Ms. Deer challenged the employees to accomplish the following ten goals within the next 90-days.

1. Gear up for the "fight of our lives" regarding proposals to tax Indian gaming and all anti-sovereignty proposals. Requests from Congressional Affairs are going to require rapid response and quick turn around when Congress returns in June.
2. Improve the overall quality of our internal communications. An all employees meeting will be conducted once a month for the remainder of Ms. Deer's term so that everyone will have good information about what is happening. The meetings will take place on the third Wednesday of each month at 10:00 AM.
3. The Office of Indian Education Programs will work to complete the Five Year plan supporting tribal colleges as required by the President's Executive Order on Tribal Education.
4. Continue work and cooperation with the Office of Audit and Evaluation to maintain the excellent progress we have achieved in resolving audit findings and to continue to improve and strengthen our operations.
5. Supporting the BIA's budget process and the Office of Management and Administration in pulling together by providing effective, well-prepared, and timely submitted budget justifications.
6. Re-double our efforts in drafting performance measures as part of the National Performance Review and Government Performance Results Act.
7. Finalize the Self-Governance draft regulations and have them sent to OMB for clearance by the end of August.
8. Complete the Tribal Shares process.
9. As a personal work assignment Ms. Deer pledges to work more directly with the White House and the new House Native American Caucus in advocating for Indian Country and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
10. Form a new working group to develop plans for a Summer Indian Affairs picnic. Schedule date is Wednesday, June 25, 1997, Little Bighorn Day.

Ten BIA employees were recognized for "On the Spot" awards for accomplishing and performing extra "hard work" over the last few months. The ten individuals are:

Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt today transmitted proposed Congressional legislation to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives that would allow several small parcels of Bureau of Land Management land to be transferred to California tribes throughout the State.

"The draft bill I submitted fulfils a promise made by the Clinton Administration to several California tribes with an inadequate land base that we would try to help them," Babbitt said. "This land will be used to build housing or for non-gaming businesses that will benefit their economies and those of surrounding communities."

The land being proposed for transfer has been the subject of broad local consultation and has received formal support from governing bodies of adjacent non-Indian communities. The land under consideration does not include habitat for threatened or endangered species. No disturbance of the land's sub-surface would be authorized in the draft bill.

If Congress passes legislation and the President signs it into law, the following tribes would receive land taken in trust for future benefit: 561.69 acres to the Pit River Tribe; 40 acres to the Bridgeport Indian Colony; 240 acres to the Utu Utu Gwaitu Paiute Tribe (Benton Paiute reservation); 200.06 acres to the Fort Independence Community of Paiute Indians; 5.03 acres to the Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians; 40 acres to the Morongo Band of Mission Indians; 59.20 acres to the Pala Band of Mission Indians; 1,360 acres to the Cuyapaipe Band of Mission Indians; 1000.78 acres to the Manzanita Band of Mission Indians; and 299.04 acres to the Fort Bidwell Community of Paiute Indians.

All of the parcels are adjacent to existing reservations, and will be added to the reservation lands if the draft bill is enacted. All valid existing rights will be preserved, and any grazing privileges will be maintained for two years from the date of enactment. No appropriation of funds will be necessary to accomplish the transfer, and each parcel has been subject to environmental analysis. Further environmental analysis would be required by the Bureau of Indian Affairs before any development activities could take place.

"This legislation could provide great relief and economic benefit to tribes that were never given an adequate reservation area," Babbitt said. "This is a win for the tribes and a win for nearby communities who can expect more economic opportunities as a result of these transfers. I urge Congress to move quickly to support and sponsor this draft bill."

I join Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt and Attorney General Janet Reno in strongly opposing proposals by some members of Congress to levy taxes on tribal government revenues from gaming and other economic activities. As they noted in a joint letter to U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Archer, H.R. 325 and H.R. 1554 are contrary to the United States' longstanding protection of tribal self-government and the Federal trust responsibility. Moreover, taxation of tribal gaming revenues contradicts Congress' own intent when it enacted the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, which explicitly states that the purpose of revenue derived from Indian gaming is to "promote tribal economic development, self-sufficiency, and strong tribal governments."

Tribal enterprises produce revenues that are invested in tribal development and the delivery of tribal government services. Unlike private-sector businesses, profits from tribal enterprises accrue to the benefit of entire communities just as profits from state-owned enterprises flow back into state treasuries. Indian nations, like state governments, are an integral part of our nation's Constitutional structure. Tribes are governmental entities with the same authorities and responsibilities of any government. Lawmakers have a responsibility to the citizens of this nation to understand these Constitutional principles and to act consistently with them. To do otherwise breaches the trust the American people have placed in their elected officials and, in this regard, the special trust between the Government of the United States and the Indian nations.

Until now, the rule has been that governments do not tax other governments just as the Federal government does not tax states. The rules should not change just because the government in question is a tribal government. Indian tribal governments struggling to overcome centuries of poverty should be supported by the United States and not unfairly singled out for punitive treatment.

I was delighted and gratified that the House Ways and Means Committee rejected proposals to tax proceeds of tribal commercial enterprises. If enacted, it would have constituted a major reversal of federal Indian law and policy· and would have wiped out tribal economies which are only now for the first time in American history beginning to show signs of economic growth. It would have been ironic indeed were the Congress to have undermined its own thirty-year effort to effect economic and business development in Indian Country just as these efforts were beginning to show some signs of progress.

I would like to thank those on both sides of the aisle, Democrats and Republicans, who showed leadership in defeating this punitive action against tribes. To the 22 members who voted to reject federal taxation on American Indian tribal governments, I thank you for refusing to break faith with America's first peoples. Your vote serves to not only to reaffirm the solemn commitments this nation has made to American Indians, but reflects favorably on our nation as a whole. Great nations keep their word.

Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt,' Attorney General Janet Reno, and Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin also deserve praise for defending the tribes' long-established position as members of this nation's Constitutional family. Tribes are governments and deserve to be treated as such. I am proud that the President and his Administration have demonstrated such a strong commitment to this principle.

I commend the following House members for their votes to reject tribal taxation: Rep. Xavier Becerra (CA); Rep Dave Camp (MI); Rep. Benjamin Cardin (MD); Rep. William Coyne (PA); Rep. Philip English (PA); Rep. William Jefferson (LA); Rep. J.D. Hayworth (AZ); Rep. Amo Houghton (NY); Rep. Nancy Johnson (CT); Rep. Barbara Kennelly (CT); Rep. Jerry Kleczka (WI); Rep. Sander Levin (Ml); Rep. John Lewis (GA); Rep. Robert Matsui (CA);Rep. Michael McNulty (NY); Rep. Richard Neal (MA); Rep. Jim Nussle (LA); Rep. Jim Ramstad (MN); Rep. Charles Rangel (NY); Rep. Pete Stark (CA); Rep John Tanner (TN); and Rep. Karen Thurman (FL).

Ada E. Deer, Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs, will serve as co-Grand Marshall in a march honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., on January 15, 1996, in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Martin Luther King, Jr., Center for Nonviolent Social Change is commemorating the twenty-eighth Annual King Week, and Dr. King's sixty-seventh birthday with a week of activities in Atlanta. The Center's activities began on January 7, 1996, and will culminate with a "National March of Celebration & Rally" at 1:00 P .M. on Monday, January 15th.

The celebration is expected to include domestic and international policy makers, educators, and religious leaders and will be locally televised.

Ms. Deer was the recipient of the Martin Luther King, Jr., award from George Washington University, Washington DC, in 1995.

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