Dan Boren

For us to be energy independent, we have to give incentives to our domestic industry.

Because of Oklahoma's Native American heritage, two-thirds of the state and my entire District qualifies for a tax incentive for businesses located on former Indian lands.

It does not say Treaty of France or Germany. All treaties, including that Treaty of 1851, supreme law of the land, which guaranteed your sovereignty.

Congress has to act to create sovereign self determined tribes. If we do that, we are in good shape.

Even though I am a big proponent of oil and gas development, I think when we are talking about sovereignty and tribes having the ability to say we want to do what we want to do on our land, I deeply respect the fact that you have made the…

I strongly believe that placing additional undue barriers for tribal energy development is unwise, it is also counterproductive.

Do not let them use a paring knife to take a little bit of your sovereignty. You have to fight.

I cannot understand actions that prohibit another U.S. company from competing.

I believe the Department of Defense should support competition wherever we can find it to preserve valuable taxpayer resources and to develop American industry.

I want to commend you both for coming together and sponsoring a single bill to provide for the distribution of these funds.

With tribes willing and able to invest in the energy industries, these numbers are unacceptable.

Thank you Mr. Chairman. First, I want to commend you Chairman Young for keeping the promise you made to Indian Country last year, to draft and introduce legislation that allows tribes to pursue energy self-determination.

But the government witnesses were provided with the questions beforehand. Why weren't the non-government witnesses provided with questions beforehand, the folks from the industry?

My opposition stems from the very commonsense, and indeed very vital, rule of law that says when you enter into a contract, you are expected to abide by that contract.

I am a strong believer in keeping promises and good-faith agreements.

The United States has broken its promises to Indian tribes since our country's infancy.

What is the purpose of such a compact if any party may simply break it at will, without ramifications?

The Tohono O'odham Nation has broken the compact into which it entered, thereby rendering the proposed casino in violation of the 1988 law.

The BIA is widely resented for inefficiency, stonewalling, and micromanaging tribal affairs.

This budget should strengthen the programs that allow tribal nations to act in their own best interests.

Since the passage of Cobell, the Cobell settlement, it is clear that land probating and fractionated interest costs the U.S. Government far more money than the land is worth.

This isn't the result of anything but pure government inaction, at the expense of my constituents.

These are the kinds of cuts that need to be made. This is the wasteful spending we talk about.

As a strong believer in the self-determination of tribal entities I am glad to see the budget allows for additional funding to provide newly-recognized tribes with the start-up costs.