[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 45 (Monday, March 19, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S1789]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                REMEMBERING CHAIRMAN RICHARD MILANOVICH

 Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
honoring the life, work, and legacy of Richard Milanovich, longtime 
chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Chairman 
Milanovich, my good friend and California neighbor, died in Rancho 
Mirage on Sunday at age 69 after a courageous fight with cancer.
  During his quarter century as tribal chairman, Richard Milanovich 
worked tirelessly to bring prosperity and security to the Agua 
Caliente. All the while, he worked closely with surrounding communities 
and local governments to ensure that Agua Caliente's success would 
benefit not just the tribe but also the entire Coachella Valley.
  Richard grew up in the Palm Springs neighborhood known as Section 14, 
where members of the Agua Caliente dreamed of a better future. 
Richard's mother, LaVerne Saubel, was a member of the Nation's first-
ever all-female tribal council. In 1957 the council successfully 
lobbied Congress to enact legislation allowing the Agua Caliente Band 
to govern itself, though it would take another 20 years for them to 
gain full control over tribal lands.
  At age 17, Richard left home to join the Army. After serving in 
Europe, he returned to California and worked in Los Angeles as a door-
to-door salesman, honing the persuasive powers that served him so well 
in later life. Returning to Palm Springs, he joined the tribal council 
in 1978 and began his lifetime of service to the tribe.
  The Agua Caliente owned parcels of land all around Palm Springs, 
Cathedral City, and Rancho Mirage. As a tribal councilor and then as 
chairman, Richard turned this checkerboard pattern of land ownership 
into an asset. He forged mutually beneficial land-use agreements with 
all three local governments and then worked together to develop 
commerce and improve infrastructure. After taking over a rundown spa in 
downtown Palm Springs and turning it into a thriving resort, the Agua 
Caliente developed casinos and other businesses that brought prosperity 
to the tribe and hundreds of jobs to the community.
  Chairman Milanovich became a State and national leader in business 
and public policy, but he never forgot his roots or the long-term 
interests of his people. He worked to ensure that the Agua Caliente 
preserved its proud heritage while succeeding in the modern world and 
diversified its interests to maintain growth and prosperity.
  Like many other Californians, I am very sad to lose Richard 
Milanovich's voice for his tribe and for the communities he loved so 
much. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, especially his wife 
Melissa and their six children, and his many friends in the Coachella 
Valley and across America. He will be deeply missed.

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