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Date Posted: 01:05:03 07/17/01 Tue
Tribes Involvement in Legislature Highest Ever
July 15, 2001, 02:45 PM
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By AP Staff
Native American tribes were more involved in the 2001-2003 Legislative session than ever before, and tribal leaders say those efforts paid off in the passage of key bills and better political relationships.
With new resources from gaming and resorts, tribes this
session spent more time and money hiring lobbyists and
educating lawmakers. They also spent tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions last year to increase their influence.
As a result, the Legislature passed a record number of bills relating to Indian culture, including a ban on the word "squaw" in the public place names and a bill creating a Native American languages teaching license.
"The time and the effort in the government-to-government process has really made Native Americans a stronger player within this process," said Justin Martin, director of the intergovernmental affairs department of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.
Sen. Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day, said many tribal members are on a first-name basis with legislators for the first time in 10 generations. He said they were asked to consult on issues such as land use and cultural resources.
Legislators and their staff are beginning to understand that tribal members also are residents of Oregon and do not solely deal with the federal government, says Karen Quigley, director of the Legislative Commission on Indian Affairs, which acts as a liaison between tribes and the state.
One example was the passage this session of SB770, which extended an executive order from Gov. John Kitzhaber calling for increased relations between state and tribal leadership.
The order, which originated in 1996, will now continu beyond Kitzhaber's term in the form of a statute.
Quigley said the new law is the first of its kind in the
nation and that she has had requests from other states and tribes to speak about it.
"The reputation, nationally, that Oregon has is a model of
how state and tribal relations works well," she said."Oregon is becoming nationally known as a place that tries to work it out.
"This session, tribes worked hard to show lawmakers that they are not "the equivalent of tavern owners," when it comes to laws affecting gambling and casinos, Quigley said.
As a result of that communication, in part, all three gaming-related bills introduced this session died in committee.
During the 2000 campaign cycle, the Grand Ronde gave more than $84,900 -- an amount similar to communications giant Qwest and lobby groups such as the Oregon Realtors Association, according to the Money In Politics Research Action Project.
The donations, which were $28,000 more than last cycle's, were not directed at any one party or cause.
"It's a well-thought-out effort that is intended to amplify
our voice in the process," Martin said.
The Confederated Tribes of Umatilla, Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua, and The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs also spent money on lobbyists this session, according to the research group.
"We were afraid to step in and ask anything because the
doors were always closed," said Arlita Rhoan, a Sahaptin language teacher on the Warm Springs Reservation. "Our culture doesn't lead us to reach out for handouts, but today's world is asking us to stand up and speak out for what we need."
(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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