[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15410]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      IN APPRECIATION OF THE NORTHWEST INDIAN FISHERIES COMMISSION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DENNY HECK

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 29, 2015

  Mr. HECK of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and thank 
the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission for its unyielding dedication 
to the restoration of Puget Sound and the protection of Tribal treaty 
rights for the First Peoples of the Pacific Northwest.
  For Tribes, clean water and healthy salmon are not just perks of life 
in the Pacific Northwest; they are the centerpiece of the Tribes' 
history, culture, and way of life. Unfortunately, changing ocean 
chemistry, degrading habitats, and stormwater runoff are posing an 
existential threat to these resources.
  Following a landmark victory reaffirming treaty-protected fishing 
rights, the Tribes created the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission to 
assist them in developing biologically sound fisheries and restore the 
salmon runs that sustained their people for centuries. The 
interconnectedness of habitats and ecological systems throughout the 
Puget Sound region means that Tribal participation is vital to all 
aspects of natural resource management in the Pacific Northwest.
  To that end, NWIFC provides a forum for member Tribes to jointly 
address natural resource management issues and enables Tribes to speak 
with a unified voice on issues of mutual concern. For decades, NWIFC 
and the Tribes have asked the Federal Government to fulfill its treaty 
obligations by protecting the Puget Sound and restoring salmon runs.
  Today, I thank the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission for its 
partnership and cooperation in the development of the Promoting United 
Government Efforts To Save Our Sound Act, or the PUGET SOS Act. This 
bill requires a more coordinated and deliberate effort within the 
Federal Government to restore and protect the Puget Sound, and it 
explicitly recognizes and prioritizes the treaty rights of the 
sovereign Tribes. I sincerely thank the Commission's staff for their 
assistance and advice in crafting this important piece of legislation.
  I raise my hands to the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and its 
member Tribes for their tireless efforts to save the Puget Sound.

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