We do have in the Constitution our basis for our relationship to the sovereign nations.

I think with lending as sluggish as it is right now that the lender would be very hesitant to lend money where there is some question as to whether the law covers them as a really existing potential borrower.

In certain states, there are treaties, specific treaties signed by tribes, yet through the years, the Department of the Interior and the BIA have just dropped certain tribes that were signatories to those treaties from the rolls.

And I think, as Mr. Cole stated earlier, it has the potential to affect generations of economic development that have really turned around tribal communities.

We are glad to have you supporting so strongly the rights of the sovereignty of the Indians.

Just as an aside, my father lived in the area of where your reservation is, Buckley, Michigan.

we want to be fair and abide by the Constitution, abide by the treaties.

But this would be as a result of litigation, would it not?

And I just want to let the author know there are some real conflicts here, and unless they are addressed, we will have a little problem.

I first of all would like to thank the gentleman from the Interior Department for his testimony.

We are not saying by any means there is no need for a solution. Let us just make sure it is the right solution that respects the needs of citizens and communities and towns and cities and states as well as a fair process and also that…

I am part of that trust responsibility. The trust responsibility is not just with the executive branch of government.