[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 197 (Thursday, December 13, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H10190]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RECOGNIZING MELVIN PHILLIPS

  (Ms. TENNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize my dear friend Melvin 
Phillips, a full-blooded Oneida Indian, who is facing eviction from his 
ancestral land by the illegitimate CEO of the Oneida Indian Nation, Ray 
Halbritter.
  Mr. Phillips currently resides on ancestral land in Vernon, New York, 
which his family has possessed for centuries, long prior to the last 
treaty signed by the State of New York in 1842, of which all of his 
ancestors signed all of the treaties with the State and were codified 
into State law thereafter.
  Melvin Phillips is an 82-year-old leader of the Orchard Party Band of 
Oneidas. Virtually all the elected officials in my region, including 
the Governor of New York, my 2018 opponent, and all of my predecessors 
who held this seat, overtly or tacitly, wrongly support the eviction of 
this genuine Native American and his family from their ancestral lands, 
in spite of all the laws in place to protect Mr. Phillips.
  I have represented Mr. Phillips and his family pro bono because of 
his amazing story. He is the epitome of the American hero, albeit the 
Native American hero.
  Mr. Phillips refuses to compromise his integrity. He is a fighter for 
the truth. He will not cash in to this corrupt casino leader or anyone 
else to protect his land or his culture.
  Regardless of any official position I hold, I will not stop fighting 
for Mr. Phillips and his family no matter how many millions are spent 
to defeat me at the ballot box by Mr. Halbritter and his shills or how 
difficult the odds may be for this great American.
  For more information, please go to www.melvinphillipsstory.com.

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