Christopher Shays: “I rise in opposition to the Kildee-Hayworth amendment and in support of establishing a commission to examine the Federal…”

“I rise in opposition to the Kildee-Hayworth amendment and in support of establishing a commission to examine the Federal Government's policy towards Native Americans. Our Nation has a responsibility to Native Americans. This commission would go a long way in finding out if the Federal Government is meeting this responsibility. It is important for us to establish conditions so that we can examine what we are doing right, what we are doing wrong and what more needs to be done for the Native American community. Studies suggest the overall portrait of the community is failing in the areas of poverty, health care, housing, crime, education, and economic development. Finally, I fail to see any harm in establishing a commission which would make recommendations on how we can improve the performance of Federal assistance programs. I see only a positive. A commission will examine what the true effect of the Federal Government's reliance on gaming to the societal ills on reservations and answer the long-standing question of what it means for the Native American community at large. I would also suggest that whatever we are doing today for Native Americans is simply not succeeding.”