[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15703-15704]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING ELOUISE COBELL

  Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise today to honor this weekend's 
passing of my friend Elouise Cobell--an extraordinary Montanan, 
American and American Indian. I am proud to have nominated her for the 
Congressional Gold Medal. As a role model for every American child, she 
deserves that highest honor.
  Elouise Pepion Cobell was a star--truly a guiding light that will 
always lead the way for all Americans who fight for justice and 
fairness. Elouise's tireless leadership set this Nation on a new 
course, and what she accomplished reminds us that any person in any 
part of this country has the power to stand up and right a wrong, no 
matter how difficult it may be.
  Sharla's and my thoughts and prayers are with Elouise's husband 
Alvin, her son Turk, and her entire family. We join the Blackfeet 
Nation and all Montanans in mourning, honoring and celebrating the life 
of an extraordinary Montanan. Future generations will learn about 
Elouise Cobell's legacy and they will be inspired to follow her lead. 
She will always be remembered as an American hero.
  I have many memories of Elouise. I first met her when I was a State 
Senator. I knew what she was working on but I never imagined she would 
ever get as far as she did. Not many people in this world have the 
determination in them that Elouise had. From those early days, until 
just a few weeks ago, I talked to her numerous times. She had been 
fighting the Federal Government in court for a decade, and wouldn't 
take ``no'' for an answer. She knew what she wanted, and wanted it 
yesterday.
  After I finally convinced her I wanted to help, our relationship 
changed. We became friends working together on a common goal; a 
settlement that was fair and balanced. And believe me, as my friend, 
she was not afraid to call me and tell me what she thought and how to 
get things done.
  But I will never forget talking to her on the afternoon of November 
19, 2010. The Senate had just approved the Cobell Settlement. Our bill 
paved the way to send her settlement to President Obama for his 
signature. She knew it would mark the end of her historic battle. I 
called to make sure she knew the good news. That tougher-than-nails 
woman was sitting inside her home in Browning, while fierce Montana 
winds dropped the temperature to 17 degrees below zero. Thirty years of 
determination flowed through the tears in her eyes. She was happy. She 
was relieved. She was thankful.
  It was in 1996 that she took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and 
filed an historic lawsuit seeking justice on behalf of herself and 
500,000 individual American Indians. At that time, all she wanted was 
an accounting for what they were owed. Her decision changed her life 
and the lives of every American Indian for generations to come. Her 15-
year court battle resulted in the largest settlement with the 
government in American history.
  Throughout the years, through painful criticism and generous support, 
she relentlessly led the charge against government mismanagement. She 
was unyielding in her pursuit of justice for one of this Nation's most 
vulnerable populations. After battling the Federal Government for 
nearly 30 years, President Obama signed into law the $3.4 billion 
settlement of the lawsuit that Congress approved earlier that year. At 
the signing ceremony, President Obama said, ``It's finally time to make 
things right.''

[[Page 15704]]

  After all, the government had mismanaged the lands in question for 
123 years.
  Above everything else, history will remember Elouise Cobell for 
bringing justice to her community. She demonstrated perhaps the 
greatest strength--and asset--in Indian Country: kinship. As the years 
wore on, she fought harder for her family community.
  When Montana elected me to the U.S. Senate, Elouise wasn't far behind 
me in Washington. She told me that many of the members she represented 
were elderly. The longer this case drags on, fewer of them will see the 
justice they deserve.
  That is why I was disappointed earlier this month when a Washington 
court allowed several appeals of the case to move forward.
  For many reasons over the years, Elouise Cobell earned recognition as 
a respected leader and role model. She walked in two worlds. Born on 
the Blackfeet Reservation on November 5, 1945, she was one of eight 
children. She was a great granddaughter of Mountain Chief, one of the 
legendary leaders of the Blackfeet Nation.
  She and her husband operated a cattle ranch, and she founded the 
first Land Trust in Indian Country. For 13 years, she served as co-
chair of the Native American Bank and as a trustee for the National 
Museum of the American Indian. She served as trustee for the Nature 
Conservancy of Montana.
  She was executive director of the Native American Community 
Development Corporation. In 2004, the National Center for American 
Indian Enterprise Development bestowed upon her the Jay Silverheels 
Achievement Award.
  Elouise remained true to her local community and to her cultural 
identity. But she also achieved success at the highest levels of non-
Indian society. Elouise graduated from Great Falls Business College and 
attended Montana State University, where she received an honorary 
doctorate. In 2011, Dartmouth College awarded her an honorary degree of 
Doctor of Humane Letters. The President of Dartmouth told her: ``You 
fought a David and Goliath battle and won.''
  Her story of courage is an inspiration to Native people and indeed to 
all Americans. She demonstrated that our legal system is strong enough 
to protect even the most vulnerable, and this nation, the most powerful 
on earth, keeps the promises we make.
  She was a remarkable woman. Montanans and I will miss her dearly.

                          ____________________