[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 151 (Tuesday, November 15, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2358]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TRIBUTE TO PRESIDENT TEX HALL, NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 15, 2005

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a person who 
I consider not only a leader in Indian Country, but a friend, Tex Hall, 
for all of his hard work as President of the National Congress of 
American Indians (NCAI). Tex Hall is a man who has led by example, 
dedicating himself to advancing the standard of living for our Nation's 
first citizens through bold vision, dedication, and integrity. A 
tireless advocate, Tex has used his position as NCAI president to 
promote strong tribal sovereignty through self-governance. He has 
addressed both the challenges and opportunities that lie before today's 
American Indian and Alaska Native nations.
  As Tex stated earlier this year in his State of Indian Nations 
address, tribes are ``A vital part of this country's conscience, its 
past and its future . . . Strong, healthy tribal self-governance is not 
just good for the economy of tribal nations, but for the economy of the 
United States as a whole . . . Today, Indian Country is moving forward 
and in the right direction,''
  For Tex Hall, 2005 marks the end of four outstanding years as head of 
the National Congress of American Indians, the Nation's oldest and 
largest Native American organization, representing over 200 Indian 
tribes in the continental United States and Alaska. Tex's successful 
2001 election marked the first time in history that an individual from 
his tribe, or from the state of North Dakota, had been chosen to lead 
NCAI. Tex has played a key role in the great strides that Indian 
country has made, keeping promises, and making a difference in the 
lives of Indian people--for generations to come.
  Tex G. Hall--whose Indian name ``Ihbudah Hishi'' means ``Red Tipped 
Arrow''--grew up on his family's cattle ranch in Mandaree, located in 
the heart of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation in North Dakota. 
One of eight children, Tex and his three brothers and four sisters were 
instilled with a deep respect and appreciation for education. In the 
mid-1970's, Tex received his high school diploma at a time when fewer 
than 40 percent of the Nation's Native Americans were graduating from 
high school. Persistent in his educational quest, Tex attained his 
bachelors degree--in an era when only 8 percent of his fellow Native 
Americans graduated from college--and proceeded to obtain a Masters 
degree in educational administration.

  Tex wished to instill the importance of education in the Indian youth 
of his reservation. For 11 years, Tex served as the Superintendent and 
Principal of Mandaree School. Both his classroom instruction and 
basketball coaching earned Tex 1995's award of North Dakota Indian 
Educator of the Year. To this day, Tex lives and learns by example--he 
is currently pursuing a Ph.D. degree in education.
  As a committed leader, Tex followed in the footsteps of both his 
father and grandfather, winning a seat on the Tribal Council of the 
Three Affiliated Tribes (comprised of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara 
tribes, having joined together in the mid-1800's) at Fort Berthold in 
New Town, North Dakota. Eventually becoming the Chairman of his tribe--
exactly 40 years after his grandfather was elected Chairman--Tex has 
served two terms, winning re-election in 2002. Among other positions, 
Tex has served as Secretary and Treasurer of the United Tribes 
Technical College, Chairman of the Great Plains Tribal Chairmans' 
Association, Chairman of the Native American Bank Corporation, Co-
Chairman of the National Tribal Leaders Task Force on Trust Reform, and 
President of the NCAI President's Health Technology Task Force.
  As president of NCAI, Tex successfully worked to ensure that the 
government-to-government relationship and consultation was strictly 
adhered to on all important matters. As Co-chair of the Task Force on 
Indian Trust Funds, he brought together representatives of all tribes 
together with the Department of Interior to work through problems with 
trust fund management. He is truly a uniter and not a divider as he has 
managed to work with Indian country to consolidate and unite on like 
matters.
  Tex has also worked with me in my capacity as the Ranking Democrat on 
the Resources Committee on legislation to protect Indian sacred sites 
from being destroyed by human abuse. We worked together on drafting the 
Native American Sacred Lands Act and Tex stood shoulder to shoulder 
with me as we announced the introduction of this important legislation. 
Though we have not been able to enact this bill as of yet, I know Tex 
will continue to fight with me to protect the rights and the sites that 
our first Americans hold sacred.
  Tex Hall has been a major force in several advancements made by 
tribal governments on a national level. In 1999, Tex chaired a meeting 
on Indian treaty issues with President Clinton and representatives of 
the Great Plains Tribes. In 2000, as a result of that meeting and 
others, President Clinton signed an Executive Order on Consultation 
with Indian Tribal Governments, stating, ``There is nothing more 
important in federal-tribal relations than fostering true government-
to-government relations to empower American Indians and Alaska Natives 
to improve their own lives, the lives of their children, and the 
generations to come. We must continue to engage in a partnership, so 
that the First Americans can reach their full potential. . . . This 
Executive Order builds on prior actions and strengthens our government-
to-government relationship with Indian tribes.''

  Multiple hurdles still obstruct elevation of the standard of living 
for Indian people. As Tex told Judy Sarashon of the Washington Post in 
2004, ``Unfortunately, the first Americans have been the forgotten 
Americans.'' Nevertheless, Tex Hall is a man who continues to dedicate 
his life to advancing the opportunities for Indian Country; an 
assiduous champion in the fight to protect Indian sacred sites, I have 
had the honor to work with Tex and hope to successfully pass 
legislation that addresses the protection of Native American sacred 
lands.
  Whether it is his work strengthening the Violence Against Women Act, 
tackling the fight to protect sacred sites, or his willingness to 
travel wherever needed to help work out a problem, Tex Hall will be 
remembered as a great president of the National Congress of American 
Indians; and I am proud to call him my friend. Tex, thank you for your 
service.

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