[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 115 (Wednesday, July 15, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S4104]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO MEL TONASKET

  Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I rise today along with my colleague 
Senator Murray to join many in the Pacific Northwest community and 
Indian country to honor Mel Tonasket, a leader and member of the 
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.
  Mel retired last week after more than 55 years of service to his 
Tribe, community, and country.
  After serving the Nation in the U.S. Navy, Mel worked for the Bureau 
of Indian Affairs for 8 years before being elected in 1970 to the 
Colville Business Council, the governing body of the Confederated 
Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Mel would continue to serve on the 
Colville Business Council as a representative of the district serving 
Omak, WA, at various times for the next 55 years, which concludes with 
his well-earned retirement.
  Mel helped lead the Colville Tribes and Indian country during one of 
the most consequential periods in modern Tribal history. He was part of 
the generation of Native leaders who sought to reverse the Federal 
policy of termination and fought to preserve the rights and future of 
Tribal communities. That work helped protect the sovereignty of the 
Colville Tribes and contributed to a broader movement that reshaped 
Federal Indian policy.
  Mel's impact extended well beyond his reservation. From 1973 to 1976, 
he served for 4 years as president of the National Congress of American 
Indians, the largest and oldest national Tribal organization in the 
United States. While President, he helped mobilize national support for 
landmark legislation, including the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, 
the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and the 
Indian Child Welfare Act. Between breaks serving on the Colville 
Business Council, Mel worked for the Indian Health Service and retired 
from Federal service as the CEO of the Colville Service Unit, which 
provides healthcare to citizens of the Colville Tribes.
  Over the course of his career, Mel served in numerous leadership 
roles and has represented Tribal governments in national and 
international forums. Through that leadership, he strengthened the 
voice of Tribal nations at the national level and helped secure 
protections and opportunities that continue to benefit Native families 
and communities today.
  It is my honor to join the Colville Tribes, the people of Washington 
State, and all those throughout Indian Country in congratulating Mel 
Tonasket on this remarkable milestone. Mel, we wish you the best of 
luck in your retirement and hope you can create more memories in this 
next stage of your life.

                          ____________________