[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 34 (Thursday, March 23, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1685-S1686]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 277--COMMEMORATING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE POLICY 
                      OF INDIAN SELF-DETERMINATION

  Mr. CAMPBELL (for himself, Mr. McCain, Mr. Johnson) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Indian 
Affairs:

                              S. Res. 277

       Whereas, the United States of America and the sovereign 
     Indian Tribes contained within its boundaries have had a long 
     and mutually beneficial relationship since the beginning of 
     the Republic;
       Whereas the United States has recognized this special legal 
     and political relationship and its trust responsibility to 
     the Indian Tribes as reflected in the Federal Constitution, 
     treaties, numerous court decisions, federal statutes, 
     executive orders, and course of dealing;
       Whereas Federal policy toward the Indian Tribes has 
     vacillated through history and often failed to uphold the 
     government-to-government relationship that has endured for 
     more than 200 years;
       Whereas these Federal policies included the wholesale 
     removal of Indian tribes and their members from their 
     aboriginal homelands, attempts to assimilate Indian people 
     into the general culture, as well as the termination of the 
     legal and political relationship between the United States 
     and the Indian Tribes;
       Whereas President Richard M. Nixon, in his ``Special 
     Message to Congress on Indian Affairs'' on July 8, 1970, 
     recognized that the Indian Tribes constitute a distinct and 
     valuable segment of the American federalist system, whose 
     members have made significant contributions to the United 
     States and to American culture;
       Whereas President Nixon determined that Indian Tribes, as 
     local governments, are best able to discern the needs of 
     their people and are best situated to determine the direction 
     of their political and economic futures;
       Whereas in his ``Special Message'' President Nixon 
     recognized that the policies of legal and political 
     termination on the one hand, and paternalism and excessive 
     dependence on the other, devastated the political, economic, 
     and social aspects of life in Indian America, and had to be 
     radically altered;
       Whereas in his ``Special Message'' President Nixon set 
     forth the foundation for a new, more enlightened Federal 
     Indian policy grounded in economic self reliance and 
     political self determination;
       Whereas this Indian self determination policy has endured 
     as the most successful policy of the United States in dealing 
     with the Indian Tribes because it rejects the failed policies 
     of termination and paternalism and declared that ``the 
     integrity and right to continued existence of all Indian 
     Tribal and Alaska native governments, recognizing that 
     cultural pluralism is a source of national strength.''
       Now Therefore be it Resolved, That the Senate of the United 
     States recognizes the unique role of the Indian Tribes and 
     their members in the United States, and commemorates the 
     vision and leadership of President Nixon, and every 
     succeeding President, in fostering the policy of Indian Self-
     Determination.

  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I am pleased to be joined by Senator 
McCain and Senator Tim Johnson in submitting today a resolution to 
commemorate the anniversary of a little-noticed but critical event that 
took place 30 years ago this summer.
  In July 1970, President Richard M. Nixon delivered his now-famous 
``Special Message to the Congress on Indian Affairs'' that 
revolutionized how our nation deals with Native governments and Native 
people from Florida to Alaska, from Maine to Hawaii.
  With centuries of ill-conceived and misdirected federal policies and 
practices behind us, I am happy to say that the Nixon Indian policy 
continues as the bedrock of America's promise to Native Americans.
  In his Message to Congress, the President made the case for a more 
enlightened federal Indian policy. Citing historical injustices as well 
as the practical failure of all previous federal policies regarding 
Indian Nations, President Nixon called for the rejection of both the 
``termination'' policy of the 1950s and the ``excessive dependence'' on 
the federal government by Indian tribes and people fostered by federal 
paternalism.
  Nixon observed that ``[t]he first Americans--the Indians--are the 
most deprived and most isolated group in our nation. On virtually every 
scale of measurement--employment, income, education, health--the 
condition of the Indian people rank at the bottom.''
  Thirty years later, Indians continue to suffer high rates of 
unemployment, are mired in poverty, and still rank at or near the 
bottom of nearly every social and economic indicator in the nation.
  Nonetheless, there is cause for hope that the conditions of Native 
Americans are improving, however slowly.
  The twin pillars of the policy change initiated in 1970 are political 
self determination and economic self reliance. Without doubt, the most 
enduring legacy of the 1970 Message is the Indian self determination 
policy best embodied in the Indian Self Determination and Education 
Assistance Act of 1975, amended several times since then.
  This Act, which has consistently been supported, promoted, and 
expanded with bipartisan support, authorizes Indian tribes to assume 
responsibility for and administer programs and services formerly 
provided by the federal government.
  As of 1999, nearly 48% of all Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and 50% 
of all Indian Health Service (IHS) programs and services have been 
assumed by tribes under the Indian Self Determination Act.
  With this transfer of resources and decision making authority, tribal 
governments have succeeded in improving the quality of services to 
their citizens, have developed more sophisticated tribal governing 
structures and practices, have improved their ability to govern, and 
have strengthened their economies.
  Self determination contracting and compacting have improved the 
efficiency of federal programs and services and at the same time have 
devolved control over these resources from Washington, D.C. to the 
local, tribal governments which are much more in tune with the needs of 
their own people.
  As steps are taken to provide tribes the tools they need to develop 
vigorous economies and generate tribal revenues, our policy in Congress 
and across the federal government should be to encourage and assist 
tribes to expand self determination and self governance into other 
agencies and programs, and in the process help Native people to achieve 
real and measurable success in improving their standard of living.

[[Page S1686]]

  The challenge of the Nixon Message was not only to the federal 
government but to the tribes themselves: that by building strong tribal 
governments and more robust economies, real independence and true self 
determination can be achieved.
  Our experience has shown that any cooperative efforts between the 
United States and the tribes must include a solemn assurance that the 
special relationship will endure and will not be terminated by the fits 
and starts of periodic economic success enjoyed by some Indian tribes.
  President Nixon wisely realized that the mere threat of termination 
results in a tendency toward an unhealthy dependence on the federal 
government which has plagued Native people for decades. As President 
Nixon himself knew, Native people are not hapless bystanders in this 
process. His Message recognized that the story of the Indian in America 
is one of ``endurance, survival, of adaptation and creativity in the 
face of overwhelming obstacles.''
  This persistence and tenacity by Native people have been the 
foundation in forging a more enlightened Indian policy and with the 
assistance of the United States will, I am confident, result in true 
self determination for Native people in the United States.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Nixon Message and 
the combined efforts of Natives and non-Natives alike in making Indian 
self determination a reality.

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