Political Quotes

“I rise today to introduce a technical amendment to the Act of June 18, 1934, the Indian Reorganization Act. Trust land is essential to a tribe's ability to exercise their inherent sovereignty. It allows Tribal Nations to protect their historic, cultural and religious ties to the lands where their ancestors lived. Trust lands are also vital to tribal economic development and self-government as tribes provide a wide range of governmental services to their members including, running schools, community centers, health clinics, law enforcement and numerous other social and governmental services. Federal Indian policy regarding tribal lands has not always been favorable to the Tribal governments and individuals. The General Allotment Act of 1887 led to land losses of more than 100 million acres of tribal homelands. Those land losses had a devastating effect on the tribal communities, institutions and economies that relied on their homelands. Seeking to address the consequences of that ill-advised policy, Congress enacted the Indian Reorganization Act in 1934. This act was intended to reverse the prior federal policy of allotment. By passing the Indian Reorganization Act, Congress recognized that a land base was essential for the economic advancement and self-support of Indian communities. The IRA allowed tribes to restore their homelands and to rehabilitate their economies and communities.…”