[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 19990]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  COMMENDING FORT PECK RESERVATION AND FEDERAL HIGHWAYS ADMINISTRATION

 Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I want to take this moment to call 
the Senate's attention to a historic agreement that was signed today 
between the Federal Highways Administration and the Assiniboine & Sioux 
tribes at the Fort Peck Reservation in Montana.
  Today, Fort Peck entered into an agreement with FHWA to directly 
manage highway funds for the reservation, allowing increased focus on 
the local needs of tribal members. Fort Peck is one of five tribes that 
were selected for this new partnership. By empowering the tribes to 
administer these funds directly, FHWA is recognizing the critical need 
for improved transportation infrastructure on tribal lands. From 
increased safety to economic development, tribal authorities are best 
suited to direct this funding in a manner that will serve the needs of 
their communities.
  In the recently passed highway bill, the Indian reservation roads 
account was substantially increased, which also demonstrates the 
Federal commitment to tribal transportation needs. I was pleased to 
support this increase, and even more pleased that Montana is leading 
the way in this new era of government-to-government cooperation in 
administering these funds.
  I am a firm believer that empowering folks on the ground to address 
the specific needs of their communities generally yields the best 
results, and no where is that more true than in Indian Country. 
Montana's tribes are working tirelessly to improve the quality of life 
for their people, and investing in basic infrastructure, like roads, is 
the foundation of economic growth in these rural areas. Safe, reliable 
roads are needed to get kids to school, people to work, and products to 
market. This is a basic need we are talking about here, and I am 
confident that the leaders at the Fort Peck reservation are best suited 
to tackle these challenges.
  I would like to congratulate Fort Peck and FHWA for this 
groundbreaking partnership. I am hopeful that we can build on this 
initiative and expand the ability of tribal leaders to shape the future 
of their people. 

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