Political Quotes

“I come to the floor as a former chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee of the Senate to talk about the issue of the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act--the package before us today to be discussed and voted on within the next hour. I know we are going to be hearing from the current chairman, Senator Hoeven. We are going to be hearing from Senator Moran, Senator Flake, and others. I would like to associate my remarks with those I know they will make, specifically, those of the chairman and my other colleagues, and emphasize the need to recognize and respect Tribal sovereignty. As Senator Moran will explain shortly, this legislation seeks to fix the National Labor Relations Board's 2004 decision to treat Tribal government employers and tribally owned businesses as private entities, not as sovereign governments. They are sovereign governments. The National Labor Relations Board's decision, I think, is the wrong decision. It increased uncertainty for Tribes, as Tribes suddenly faced regulation from a body that failed to recognize their government-to- government relationship. I think it was a complete mistake by the National Labor Relations Board, which is why I am proudly here to support the legislation we are discussing here today. Suddenly, as a result of this ruling, these Tribal businesses became commercial entities. These businesses provide critical services on Tribal lands and in their communities.…”