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Daines, Tester push Little Shell Recognition Bill through committee

March 18, 2015

Senate Indian Affairs Committee passes legislation to federally recognize Little Shell (U.S. SENATE) — Montana Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester today helped advance their bill to grant federal recognition to the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians out of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. The Little Shell Tribe, headquartered in Great Falls, was recognized by the State of Montana in 2000, but has sought federal recognition for over 35 years. Both Tester and Daines applauded this important first step in getting the tribe federally recognized. “For far too long, the Little Shell Tribe has jumped through bureaucratic hoops and

Daines Fights for Tribal Needs at Three Senate Hearings

March 11, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today fought for Montana’s tribes, pressing Obama administration witnesses on the responsible stewardship of federal funds to benefit tribal housing, health services and public safety. During three different Senate Committee hearings today, Daines called on witnesses to ensure that federal dollars intended for Montana’s tribes are being properly allocated to help tribal members on Montana’s reservations, rather than being misused or creating bureaucratic waste. Daines sought to rein in exorbitant administrative costs at Indian Health Service (IHS), ensure efficient allocation of tribal housing resources and address the communications challenges facing first responders on reservations and

Daines Calls for Prioritized Funding for Tribal Water Projects

March 4, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines is working to ensure that Montana tribes have the resources they need to maintain irrigation projects on Montana reservations. During today’s Senate Indian Affairs Committee legislative hearing on S. 438, the Irrigation Rehabilitation and Renovation for Indian Tribal Governments and Their Economies Act (IRRIGATE Act), Daines stressed the importance of fixing the maintenance backlog issues facing a number of irrigation projects throughout Indian Country, including five in Montana. Daines also reiterated his support for funding additional authorized rural water projects through the Bureau of Reclamation, including those on the Fort Peck and Rocky Boy

Daines: BIA Dollars Should Support Tribes, Not Bureaucracy

February 24, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today called on the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to prioritize Montana tribes’ interests in the agency’s fiscal year 2016 budget request and ensure that federal dollars are being better used to support tribes’ needs – not spent on bureaucracy. During today’s Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing on the President’s FY2016 budget request for Indian programs, Daines pressed BIA witnesses to increase the agency’s efforts to promote tribal sovereignty and provide tribes with greater primacy in the management of local health care provided by Indian Health Services. “Montana’s tribes must be empowered to drive

Daines Meets With Montana Tribal College Leaders

February 10, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today met with representatives from Montana’s tribal colleges to discuss the important role these institutions hold in providing Native American students with the training and skills that they need to obtain good-paying jobs. Today’s meeting comes on the heels of the bipartisan Senate passage of legislation cosponsored by Daines to designate the week beginning February 8, 2015 as “National Tribal College and Universities Week.” The bill also calls on the people of the United States and interested groups to observe the week with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs to support the nation’s tribal colleges

Daines Works to Secure Support for Tribal Water Projects

February 10, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today announced that he has helped introduce legislation to ensure Montana tribes have the resources they need to maintain irrigation projects on Montana reservations. Daines today joined Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Jon Tester (D-MT) in introducing the Irrigation Rehabilitation and Renovation for Indian Tribal Governments and Their Economies Act, which will fix critical maintenance backlog issues at certain Indian irrigation projects throughout Montana and the West. Montana currently faces the largest maintenance backlog of Indian irrigation projects. “We need a long-term strategy to maintain and address the

Daines Works to Advance Interests of Montana Tribes

February 4, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today spoke out about the lack of assistance available for tribal housing loan programs and called on Congress to find solutions to make loan programs more accessible for Montana’s tribes. “If you don’t have a home, achieving other life needs is difficult. But with these high unemployment rates we see in Indian country, access to loans is very difficult. The Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act, I believe, is an important law to facilitate access to housing for Native American communities,” Daines stated today during a Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing on hearing

Tester, Daines introduce Little Shell recognition bill

January 6, 2015

(U.S. Senate) – On the first day of the 114th Congress, Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines introduced a bill to grant the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Cree federal recognition. The Little Shell Tribe, headquartered in Great Falls, has sought federal recognition for over 35 years. The State of Montana recognized the Little Shell tribe in 2000. “Congress has a trust responsibility to our nation’s tribes, and that responsibility should extend to Montana’s Little Shell,” said Tester, ranking member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. “Their federal recognition will strengthen all of Indian Country and help us live up

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