Joe Garcia: “I ask this committee to empower Tribal Government in the next reauthorization measure by giving Tribes the resources…”

Native Americans have been handled, yeah, very badly in this country, treated very badly since 1607.

I think we can all agree that we have a crisis on our hands. It's profoundly disappointing, however, that some of my colleagues are using this crisis as an excuse for inaction.

We can keep looking to the past, and there will not be a solution.

In return, the Federal Government promised, through signed treaties, statutes, and Executive orders, to extend its protection to Tribal Governments and to our citizens.