Thomas Daschle: “as my colleagues will attest, I routinely come to the Senate floor to discuss the numerous challenges facing Native…”

“as my colleagues will attest, I routinely come to the Senate floor to discuss the numerous challenges facing Native Americans in my state, and across Indian Country. While I've spoken at length about the need to address Indian education, Indian health care, and economic development on Indian reservations, I am here today for a different reason: to congratulate one of my constituents on an extraordinary accomplishment. Earlier this month, Rae Ann Red Owl of the Pine Ridge Reservation became the first Lakota person, man or woman, to receive a master's degree from the nursing program at the University of North Dakota. More than that, when she walked across the stage, she became the first woman ever from Pine Ridge to earn a master's degree in nursing. While earning a master's degree is a remarkable achievement, for Rae Ann, this step represents yet another obstacle overcome in a long life of beating the odds. Rae Ann can trace her desire to attend college all the way back to when she was in fifth grade and had to get a ride to school with her grandfather because she had overslept and missed the school bus. As her grandfather drove her to school, he told her, "education is the most important thing in life." That advice made her decide right then and there that she wanted to attend college. Unfortunately, fulfilling dreams like this one is easier said than done in Indian Country.”