All Quotes

Clearly, there are politics all around, and to pretend that there is not because it is the executive branch exercising its prerogative is, I think, naive.

Since it appears the political branch understands recognition is a political matter, would you agree that it is more constitutionally proper for that recognition decision to be made in Congress?

If already under this rule they are re-allowing, renegotiating people who have been denied, is there anything in what we are doing in the status quo within the Department of the Interior that would stop a future assistant secretary from…

I don't care what the game I have to play is, I just want to know what the ball looks like.

Congress has plenary power, in terms of its relations with the Indian tribes. So, I do not have any constitutional concerns.

I do not. I think clear constitutional precedent is delegated power, and well within the purview.

The transparency is when it comes here in a political process, where we do things in an open committee meeting.

Choosing between an unaccountable subsidiary of the executive branch versus a body like Congress, that has direct accountability to the citizens of the states, I think the choice for us is the latter.

The question at issue is not 'should potential tribes be recognized' but 'who should make the final determination of recognition' when so many critical interests are at stake.

I am proud to be American. But I am also proud of my Native Hawaiian heritage, its rich cultural traditions and its contributions to this country.

I am still open to those ideas, if you will be happy to send them to me.

I actually have some of the Utah Native Americans that are in my office that I need to meet with.

One of the reasons why I would like this in statute is so we know exactly what the game is, what the ball looks like, and it is listed in statute.

I cannot find the reference to which you say you have that power in there.

I appreciate you wanting to explain here. I do not have much time.

I suggest, respectfully, that we ought to really look at the big picture if we truly want to help the American Indians-- or just talk about it.

It is time for a paradigm shift, and it is time to actually have the agencies working with Congress, not opposed to Congress.

I would hope you would admit that if we put the criteria in statute, it has far more power and clarity than if it was simply in a regulation.