Votes to Advance RFK Bill Out of Committee
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today issued the following statement after the Washington Commanders and Ryan Wetzel agreed on a path forward for honoring the iconic Native American logo that the franchise proudly wore for nearly 50 years. That logo was inspired by Blackie Wetzel in 1971 (Ryan’s grandfather) and modeled after historic Blackfeet tribal leaders, most prominently Chief Two Guns White Calf. The team has also committed to never again censor the logo on merchandise that commemorates former players. With these agreements, Daines voted in support of the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act today in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee.
“Three years ago this week Don Wetzel came to my office to share with me his father’s legacy and the history behind the famous Washington logo. He had a vision to use the proud symbol to benefit his people. This morning, I spoke to his son, Ryan Wetzel, about the ongoing negotiations and the progress that has been made…
“I am proud to say, after speaking with my constituents, that they are satisfied with the ongoing negotiations with the team and feel optimistic about the direction that they are heading. Therefore, I will support the bill and vote in favor of its passage out of committee with the condition that the team follows through on the commitments made to the family.
“I urge the team to continue their dialogue and reach a conclusion that honors their past, honors Don Wetzel’s vision to use the logo to help Indian Country and honors the will of the Blackfeet Tribe to restore the logo to place of honor and prominence,” Daines said.
Daines said.
Watch Daines’ full remarks HERE.
Daines and Don Wetzel’s first meeting, November 2021.
Background:
In November 2021, Don Wetzel met with Daines in Washington, D.C., to share his father’s, Blackie Wetzel, story and raise awareness around the logo. Following the visit, Daines partnered with the Wetzels to begin highlighting the Native American heritage surrounding the logo.
This spring, when the RFK bill was considered before the National Parks subcommittee, Daines, as top Republican on the subcommittee, pledged to block the billuntil the Washington Commanders and the NFL work with the Wetzel family to honor this legacy and Native American communities.
Following Daines’ push at the hearing, the NFL and the team started discussions with the Wetzel family in order to reach an agreement.
Daines has also identified and called out multiple occasions of unnecessary censorship of the logo. Following an instance this fall when Daines caught the team allowing players to wear a shirt with the logo but selling a shirt to fans that censored the logo, the team committed to stop censoring the logo on merchandise moving forward.
Last week, during Native American Heritage month and three years after the first meeting with Don Wetzel, Daines took to the Senate floor to highlight the logo’s cultural legacy, the support from the Blackfeet Nation and its ties to Montana’s rich Native American history.
###
Contact: Matt Lloyd, Rachel Dumke