[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 93 (Friday, June 29, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1258]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


           INTRODUCTION OF TRIBAL ENERGY SELF-SUFFICIENCY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 28, 2001

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, in my role as the Ranking Democrat on the 
Resources Committee, today I am proud to be introducing the ``Tribal 
Energy Self-Sufficiency Act'' and am pleased to note that joining me as 
original cosponsors are our colleagues Don Young of Alaska, George 
Miller of California, Dale Kildee of Michigan, Eni Faleomavaega of 
American Samoa, Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii, Frank Pallone, Jr. of New 
Jersey, Adam Smith of Washington, Mark Udall of Colorado, Betty 
McCollum of Minnesota, and Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island.
  Native Americans have, by far, the highest percentage of homes 
without electricity. Many homes on Indian reservations have either no 
electricity or unreliable electricity. I find this appalling and 
unacceptable especially in light of the fact that at least ten percent 
of the energy resources in the United States are located on Indian 
lands. In a community which often receives lower than average wages, 
Native Americans pay a larger percentage of their income on energy 
needs than the rest of us.
  In numerous instances Indian lands are criss-crossed with electricity 
transmission and distribution lines yet the Indian homes on those lands 
remain dark. Tribes often have no access to these lines and little 
authority over what energy they do receive. As we all know, this is not 
the case with the various local governments in the rest of the country.
  As the House of Representatives prepares to consider legislation to 
further advance a national energy policy, we must not forsake the 
sovereign tribes to which the United States has a trust responsibility. 
In this regard, the fundamental purpose of this legislation is to 
provide Indian Country with the tools it needs to achieve energy self-
sufficiency.
  When enacted, this legislation will go a long way to promote energy 
development of Indian lands where it is wanted and badly needed. The 
``Tribal Energy Self-Sufficiency Act'' contains a multitude of 
provisions relating to the production of energy resources on Indian 
lands, the development of renewable sources of energy, and access by 
tribes to transmission facilities largely by building upon programs 
that are already in place.
  Mr. Speaker, I have worked to draft this comprehensive energy bill 
with the Council of Energy Resource Tribes, the Intertribal Energy 
Network and numerous energy and tribal experts representing well over 
100 Indian tribes. While this legislation was developed with a great 
deal of input from Indian Country, it does not purport to include every 
single proposal or idea that was advanced. Rather, this measure is 
intended to reflect those areas where interested tribes are largely in 
agreement with refinements made as it is considered by the committees 
of jurisdiction during the legislative process.

                          ____________________