Andrea Joy Campbell: “I think he might be mistaken about what 2604 did. In fact, maybe something else, too, and that is simply this. Tribes…”

“I think he might be mistaken about what 2604 did. In fact, maybe something else, too, and that is simply this. Tribes, generally, if they are not absolutely sure of themselves when they enter into agreements, or when they are dealing with the Federal Government, hire pretty sophisticated attorneys to do the research for them. All of these different groups, including the National Congress of American Indians, representing over 300 tribes; the Council of Energy Resource Tribes, representing over 50 tribes; the U.S. Eastern and Southern Tribes, representing over 50 tribes; the Pueblos of New Mexico; the Jicarilla Apache Tribe of New Mexico; and the National Tribal Environmental Council have had attorneys look at 2604 and, clearly, none of them has said anything about erosion of trust responsibility because--and I mentioned earlier--it is stated in 2604, on page 14, line 18 through page 15, line 3, that, if anything, tribal trust relationship is strengthened under 2604, which is the amendment I introduced the other day and am going to reintroduce. Unlike the Bingaman amendment, which I think, frankly, weakens trust responsibility--as near as I can tell, the language in his amendment weakens it.”