Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 4439 the Katimiin and Ameekyaaraam Sacred Lands Act. I was proud to partner with Sen. Padilla and introduce the House companion, H.R. 6032. This bill will place 1,031 acres federal lands located in Humboldt and Siskiyou counties into trust for the Karuk Tribe. Natural resource stewardship of land, wildlife, plants, and water is at the core of the Karuk people's culture and identity. Yet 95 percent of their aboriginal territory is currently under federal management, undermining the tribe's ability to exercise traditional practices that have been passed down since time immemorial. These lands, known as Katimiin and Ameekyaaraam, are ceremonial areas and village sites located at the Karuk Tribe's ``center of the world.'' These areas are where the final series of the Tribes' annual Pik-ya- yish World Renewal ceremonies take place. Ameekyaaraam is located downriver from Katimiin and serves as the site of the Jump Dance and First Salmon ceremonies and is the historical location of pre-contact intertribal fish harvesting. While arrangements with the Forest Service have allowed the Karuk Tribe to use these areas for their ceremonies, their access is not always guaranteed, and privacy from the public remains an issue. This legislation returns this sacred ground to the Karuk Tribe, correcting a historic injustice.…”