"This decision, which would fundamentally change the nature of tribal land in the United States, caught most individuals in the tribal community by surprise."
"H.R. 3697 and H.R. 3742, bills whose enactment would have amended Section 19."
"This whole issue of force, this predates this freeze, of forced relocations is really interesting."
"I think each side has a pretty good argument to make because at the end of the day we just underfund the program."
"Frankly, you cannot really assess the needs if you do not track them anyway, you do not know if you are doing any good."
"It is a nightmare problem in Oklahoma, the allotment situation, so what is the feasibility?"
"this really is a huge problem jurisdictionally because historically you gave tribes the ability to have jurisdiction over their people but you did not give them any jurisdiction with people on their l..."
"The tribe owns the land, and the tribe ought to be free, to develop its resources."
"I want to say how much I appreciate your emphasis on the energy part of this and just kind of make a point for the record if I may, Mr. Chairman."
"The politics are tough."
"If you are not there and do not have these urban-based centers where so much of the native population is now off reservation and doing other things."