[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 93 (Thursday, May 27, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3889-S3890]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          TRIBUTE TO THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF SILETZ INDIANS

 Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, last September, the Echo Mountain 
Complex Fire swept through Lincoln County in my home State of Oregon. 
Nearly 300 homes were destroyed. At least 50 other buildings and 
structures were burned as well. In just a few days, the lives that 
residents spent decades building literally went up in smoke. These 
devastated families began looking around for help--for safety and 
security; for support getting back on their feet and rebuilding their 
lives. And they quickly found that help coming from the Confederated 
Tribes of Siletz Indians.

[[Page S3890]]

  Even as the fire raged and families raced out of its path, leaving 
their homes and belongings behind, the Siletz worked with the Red Cross 
to open the doors of the Chinook Winds Casino to provide shelter and 
safety for their displaced neighbors in need. Sadly that safety and 
security provided by the Siletz was short lived as the casino itself 
was forced to be evacuated as the fire made its way dangerously close. 
And with the loss of power and phones lines and people in their cars on 
the way to the casino while others were leaving, it was hard getting 
any clear information. How harrowing it must have been for all those 
who believed they had escaped the worst, only to be forced once more to 
run from the path of an oncoming inferno. But the Tribe used the 
casino's shuttles to bring evacuees to the Newport Red Cross site, 
while staff volunteered to help deliver meals to those in need.
  Fortunately, the casino was not damaged, and everyone who was there 
made it to safety. And after the fire subsided, leaving a path of 
destruction in its wake, the doors of Chinook Winds and its hotel were 
once again opened to those in need. Families and members of the 
community who could not be in their homes--whether because those homes 
were completed gone or damage to roofs and other parts made them 
unlivable--were able to stay for up to 3 months at no cost to 
themselves until they could return to their own houses or found a new 
permanent living situation.
  But all these months later, many Oregonians impacted by the Echo 
Mountain Complex Fire are still struggling to rebuild their lives. Many 
still don't have a place to call home. Fortunately, they once again 
have the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians looking out for and 
working with them, in partnership with FEMA, to get them back on their 
feet.
  Since March, the Tribe has been hosting FEMA provided trailers on 
their lands to house Oregonians impacted by the fire until they can 
find permanent housing--something that could take anywhere from 18 to 
24 months in this part of the State that continues to struggle with a 
shortage of affordable housing.
  This is the first time in Oregon's history and potentially in the 
history of the whole country that FEMA has partnered with the 
leadership of a Tribe to host housing units on Tribal lands. FEMA was 
originally working with Lincoln County and Lincoln City to put these 
homes on another site, but that effort was stalled when the Agency 
found several problems with the site. Hearing about the problems and 
recognizing the urgent need to get roofs over the heads of these 
families, the Siletz jumped at the chance to help out.
  Thanks to the partnership between the Tribe's leaders, FEMA, Lincoln 
City, which had to change a zoning law to help make it happen, and 
Siletz Tribal Business Corporation staff, this project was developed 
and completed in record time--a testament not only to the real need for 
this help but to everyone's commitment to making it happen. And today, 
all 25 trailers are fully occupied, and the people living there have 
developed their own little community to support one another.
  We all owe a debt of gratitude to the members of the Confederated 
Tribes of Siletz Indians for not only opening their doors and helping 
those in need in the middle of two crises--the pandemic and the Echo 
Mountain Complex Fire--but for continuing to step up and help their 
neighbors in need all these months later. It really speaks to the 
spirit of the Tribe and to the entire Oregon community to see that, 
when times get tough and people are in need of help, they can count on 
others to be there for them.

                          ____________________