On the recordMarch 24, 2023
The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community have always been stewards of Oregon's land and natural resources. Like so many other indigenous peoples, they have faced tremendous injustices at the hands of the Federal Government. That is why I rise today in support of my very first bill in Congress, the Grand Ronde Reservation Act Amendment of 2023, to correct those past injustices. In 1994, the Tribes sought to fix a survey error, which led to the Federal Government making yet another error that removed Grand Ronde's right to pursue any further land claims even if more mistakes are discovered. No other Tribe in Oregon faces this kind of restriction. The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde shouldn't either. We are not responsible for the ills of the past, but we are responsible for remedying them today. My bill contributes to that, and I thank my Oregon colleagues for supporting it. ____________________
