Political Quotes

“I concur with this observation about the poor BIA oversight and management of locally operated TPA programs. The BIA has not been able to tell the Senate just how these funds are spent by tribal governments. Other than broad categories, the tribes themselves do not have to report how these funds are meeting tribal needs and goals. There are so many eligible uses for these funds that tribes do not report TPA spending to the BIA with any specificity. In public safety, for example, TPA funds can be spent for police cars. Natural resource funds can be spent on growing blue corn or improving a fish hatchery. The BIA has little information about how tribal goals are being met with TPA funds, and TPA funds make up almost half of the entire BIA operations budget for Indian programs. Any effort to help us clarify the precise use of TPA funds will be a major step forward in accountability for both tribes and the BIA. I welcome a pilot effort to move toward that goal.”