All Quotes

Gaming, whether you agree with gaming or not, has done a great deal on a lot of reservations.

It has always amazed me that states can go out and open up gaming and then try to restrict it when tribes try to do it on their reservations.

But you cannot put children in unsafe, unsanitary, dangerous buildings and expect them to learn.

I appreciate his support to bring that out on the table.

If I could, Mr. Chairman? Do you get any funding from the state to maintain roads on the reservation?

Thank you both for being here today. I appreciate it very much.

I would just say what we need is restoration dollars for those fire ravaged areas across the country.

But we would like the resources at a time of decreasing budgets, and I am trying to find money to build new schools among other things in Indian Country.

It is clear to me that if we are really going to have a change in how we construct school buildings and so forth on the reservation, it is going to have to come from this committee.

I have no problem meeting our obligations, and building homes, and doing the necessary things. I really hate spending money in court.

Maybe the most honest statement that has ever been made in Congress, you cannot afford us.

That is what frustrates me, is we have so many Federal agencies telling you what to do on your land, and I think we have got to change that.

I went out to Fort Hall reservation when they started this immersion school out there, which is fascinating.

This focus on education is very important, and these immersion skills are, I think, vitally important to preserving a culture, one that we cannot let die.

As you know, I don't have to tell you anything you don't already know, but diabetes is a problem particularly among the Indian population.

Are you competent to make decisions of what is in the best interest of your tribe on your own lands?

You could fix this in your report language. You could fix this, and get us going in the right direction.

Congressman Simpson, we thank you for coming to Pine Ridge, and for coming to Lakota Country several summers ago.