[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 190 (Thursday, October 28, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1161]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING THE LIFE OF RAYMOND MATTZ

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                           HON. JARED HUFFMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 28, 2021

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in celebration of the life 
of Raymond Mattz, who passed away at the age of 79 on September 2, 
2021. Raymond was a revered elder of the Yurok Tribe who fought for his 
people's fishing rights and their reservation, including in a landmark 
case before the U.S. Supreme Court.
  Raymond grew up in Requa, at the mouth of the Klamath River. Though 
his Yurok ancestors had signed a treaty with the U.S. government in 
1855, it was not ratified, which led the state of California to open 
the Yurok Reservation to white settlement in 1892. This meant tribal 
fishermen had to obtain permits to fish, which severely limited the 
catch that the Yurok people had depended on since time immemorial. 
After being cited by a game warden for fishing, Raymond contested his 
case in state court, and then finally in the U.S. Supreme Court in 
1973.
  The Supreme Court overturned California's assertion that the 
reservation was no longer Yurok country. Following the ruling, the 
state turned jurisdiction of the reservation to the federal government, 
which banned fishing outright and led to the salmon wars of 1978. 
Raymond was a leader among fishermen who continued to fish despite 
being targets of federal agents who often violently accosted them and 
confiscated gear. His efforts helped lead to the establishment of the 
Yurok Tribe's fishing rights on the Klamath River. Raymond also served 
on the Yurok Tribal Council and was a member of the Yurok Cultural and 
Natural Resources committees.
  Madam Speaker, I respectfully ask that you join me in extending 
condolences to Raymond's family, friends, and tribe; and in expressing 
our deep appreciation for his decades of contribution to tribal rights 
and the Yurok Tribe.

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