[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 9 (Thursday, January 13, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S218]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING CALEB SHIELDS

  Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I would like to share a few words today to 
honor an outstanding leader and friend of mine who recently passed 
away.
  Caleb Shields was the retired Chairman and former Councilman of the 
Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation in Montana.
  We talk a lot about service in this body, but everyone in Congress 
could learn from how Caleb lived his life.
  He dedicated himself to service--service to this country, where he 
served honorably in the United States Navy; service to his Tribe as an 
elected leader for 24 years and as one of their most tireless 
champions; and as the author of a 500-page book on his Tribe's history, 
he served the next generation of the Fort Peck Tribes and the next 
generation of Montanans who now have access to knowledge that won't 
ever be forgotten.
  Caleb was widely regarded as one of the most influential Tribal 
leaders in the country during his tenure, a reputation that was well-
earned. Among his many achievements are his successful 20-year fight to 
get a water pipeline and treatment center on the Fort Peck reservation. 
After they were built, they were both named in his honor, and for 
generations to come, the name Caleb Shields will continue to serve the 
Fort Peck Tribe.
  Less widely known were the small ways that Caleb showed his love and 
devotion for the Fort Peck Tribe. I am told that Caleb could recite the 
record of the Poplar High School basketball team all the way back to 
the 1970s. Caleb was devoted to that team, and believed strongly that 
basketball could provide hope and momentum that could propel the dreams 
of future leaders.
  Caleb's legacy, his friendship, and his leadership will be felt for 
generations. I want to express my deepest sympathy to Caleb's wife of 
58 years, Yvonne, to the whole Shields family, and to the Fort Peck 
Tribes for the loss of this great leader. Caleb made our state and our 
Nation stronger, and he will never be forgotten.

                          ____________________