<DOC>
[109 Senate Hearings]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access]
[DOCID: f:29918.wais]
S. Hrg. 109-665
NOMINATION OF CARL J. ARTMAN
=======================================================================
HEARING
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
ON
THE NOMINATION OF CARL J. ARTMAN TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF INDIAN
AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
__________
SEPTEMBER 14, 2006
WASHINGTON, DC
_____
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29-918 PDF WASHINGTON : 2006
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COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS
JOHN McCAIN, Arizona, Chairman
BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota, Vice Chairman
PETE V. DOMENICI, New Mexico DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii
CRAIG THOMAS, Wyoming KENT CONRAD, North Dakota
GORDON SMITH, Oregon DANIEL K. AKAKA, Hawaii
LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska TIM JOHNSON, South Dakota
MICHAEL D. CRAPO, Idaho MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
RICHARD BURR, North Carolina
TOM COBURN, M.D., Oklahoma
John Tahsuda, III, Majority Staff Director
Sara G. Garland, Minority Staff Director
(ii)
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
Statements:
Artman, Carl J., nominee to be assistant secretary, Indian
Affairs, Department of the Interior, Washington, DC........ 4
Dorgan, Hon. Byron L., U.S. Senator from North Dakota, vice
chairman, Committee on Indian Affairs...................... 2
Hughes, Kathy, vice chairwoman, Oneida Nation of Wisconsin... 3
Johnson, Hon. Tim, U.S. Senator from South Dakota............ 3
McCain, Hon. John, U.S. Senator from Arizona, chairman,
Committee on Indian Affairs................................ 1
Thomas, Hon. Craig, U.S. Senator from Wyoming................ 2
Appendix
Prepared statements:
Artman, Carl J. (with attachment)............................ 9
Conrad, Hon. Kent, U.S. Senator from North Dakota............ 14
Additional material submitted for the record:
Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes Resolution
No. 20006-09............................................... 15
Letters...................................................... 17
Biographical and Financial Information Requested of
Department/Agency Nominees................................. 29
Questions with responses..................................... 49
NOMINATION OF CARL J. ARTMAN
----------
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2006
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Indian Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:30 a.m. in room
485 Senate Russell Office Building, Hon. John McCain (chairman
of the committee) presiding.
Present: Senators McCain, Dorgan, Johnson, and Thomas.
STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN McCAIN, U.S. SENATOR FROM ARIZONA,
CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS
The Chairman. Good morning.
This morning, the committee will receive testimony on the
President's nomination of Carl Artman to be Assistant Secretary
for Indian Affairs in the Department of the Interior. A
statement will also be made by Kathy Hughes, the vice
chairperson of the Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin, of which Mr.
Artman is a member.
On Thursday of last week, the committee members received a
committee memorandum containing the background information for
Mr. Artman. In addition, I have had the opportunity to meet
personally and I understand that a number of the members have
as well. His background and my discussions with him convince me
that he possesses the personal and professional qualifications
for this job. In fact, I would note that Mr. Artman appears to
have a varied background with business and government service
intermixed, which will serve him well in what is one of the
most challenging positions in the Federal Government. I believe
the President has chosen wisely in nominating Mr. Artman.
[Prepared statement of Senator McCain appears in appendix.]
The Chairman. Mr. Artman, before we proceed, I must add
this comment. Among the very significant challenges your agency
faces, the trust fund litigation is the greatest. This
committee has worked very hard to try to find a reasonable
resolution to this disaster. Over 5 weeks ago, the vice
chairman and I met with Secretary Kempthorne and Attorney
General Gonzales and proffered what we believe to be a
reasonable resolution. Both the Secretary and the Attorney
General said they would circulate that within the
Administration and get back to us. To date, we have had no
official response and the window for action this year is
closing fast.
Therefore, we have sent a letter to the Secretary and the
Attorney General again asking for a final assessment and
response. I think it is incomprehensible that the
Administration would not be able to come up with at least a
response to what is a product of years of effort on the part of
this committee and the interested parties.
Please take this message back to the Secretary. We
understand he has been working hard to find a settlement
solution, but if we don't act now, this historic opportunity
will be lost.
Before we begin, I must note that many of our colleagues
have additional commitments this morning, including an Armed
Services meeting I must attend. While I know that there are
many questions to ask of Mr. Artman, I hope that we can proceed
with some dispatch. As we know, Mr. Artman has committed to
giving responses to written questions back to us by Monday.
Senator Dorgan.
STATEMENT OF HON. BYRON L. DORGAN, U.S. SENATOR FROM NORTH
DAKOTA, VICE CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS
Senator Dorgan. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much.
Mr. Artman and I had a meeting earlier this morning. I
appreciate his time. The vice chairman of the Oneida Tribe is
with us today as well, I understand. Kathy Hughes, we welcome
you.
I am going to simply put my entire statement in the record.
I will defer asking questions as well. I do want to make a
comment about the Cobell case. I told Mr. Artman this morning
that I am going to support him, and I think he is someone who
has really excellent qualifications. I suggested that the only
reason to take these jobs is to make a difference and to speak
out and be strong. In his tenure, I think the Cobell case, if
unresolved, will weigh over all the other issues and have a
profound impact on virtually everything else that the
Department of the Interior is trying to do with respect to
these Indian issues.
I know that there have been meetings with Interior,
Treasury, Justice, and OMB. It seems to me that there is a less
urgent interest in this at the Office of Management and Budget.
My hope is that the Administration will find a way to bring all
these agencies together and understand the urgency of trying to
solve this problem, and doing so very soon because the clock is
ticking. If we don't get it resolved now, this is going to drag
on for years and will impact virtually every other Indian
program.
So again, Mr. Artman, thank you for coming in this morning
for a good visit. I look forward to hearing your comments
today. Then, I look forward to when you are confirmed. I think
you will be. I look forward to working with you on some very
vexing problems and challenges that we must resolve.
The Chairman. Senator Thomas.
STATEMENT OF HON. CRAIG THOMAS, U.S. SENATOR FROM WYOMING
Senator Thomas. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I won't take time.
I, too, am impressed with the background that Mr. Artman has.
Unfortunately, I have not had an opportunity to visit with him,
but I will look forward to doing that, and we can move on with
the committee.
The Chairman. Senator Johnson.
STATEMENT OF HON. TIM JOHNSON, U.S. SENATOR FROM SOUTH DAKOTA
Senator Johnson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I will just briefly say to Mr. Artman, congratulations. I
am supportive of your nomination. In my State, several lawsuits
have arisen between tribes and the BIA. While some disputes are
probably unavoidable, in many cases an improved commitment to
providing meaningful consultation with tribal governments would
go a long ways toward reducing the amount of litigation the
tribes have felt forced to pursue.
The tribes in my State are some of the poorest in the
Nation. So when they choose to exhaust their minimal resources
on the cost of litigation against the BIA, it is done only in
the most serious feelings of breach of trust. So I hope that,
again, consultation will be a very high priority. I appreciated
meeting with you in my office yesterday. Your discussion of
priorities involving education, economic development and law
enforcement are priorities that I believe need to be pursued
aggressively.
So again, congratulations, and I look forward to working
very closely with you as we deal with these issues in a
consultative, government-to-government manner with our tribes.
I will submit my statement for the record.
[Prepared statement of Senator Johnson appears in
appendix.]
The Chairman. Thank you very much.
I understand we are joined this morning by Kathy Hughes,
who is the vice chairwoman of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin,
who would like to make a comment concerning the nominee.
Welcome, Ms. Hughes. Your entire statement will be made part of
the record.
STATEMENT OF KATHY HUGHES, VICE CHAIRWOMAN, ONEIDA NATION OF
WISCONSIN
Ms. Hughes. Thank you, and good morning Chairman McCain and
members of the committee. I bring you greetings on behalf of
Chairman Gerald Danforth, who is extremely disappointed that he
cannot be here today to support one of our own, but he had
prior obligations as he is also chairman for the Great Lakes
Intertribal Council, which convenes today.
I am here to represent nearly 16,000 Oneida members who
share my pride as I come forward to express our support and
confidence in the nomination of Carl Artman, an enrolled Oneida
tribal member. The Oneida continue to be proud of our
contributions to the democracy of this Nation. President Lyndon
Johnson appointed an Oneida, Robert L. Bennett, to be named the
Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Likewise, President George W.
Bush named Aurene Martin, a descendant of the Oneida, as the
acting secretary. Today, it is another Oneida considered for
the BIA's top job, Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs.
Mr. Artman is a bright and extremely hard-working
individual who has a broad and distinguished academic
background. Having earned J.D. and an LLM from Washington
University, Carl is an accomplished lawyer. Later, Carl
returned to school to complete an MBA at the University of
Wisconsin in Madison. As such, he is familiar with many legal
and economic forces that will impact this office.
Additionally, he has true Washington experience, having
worked on Capitol Hill for Congressman Oxley and later in
representing the Oneida Tribe and our interests in the halls of
Congress. Carl has great skills and broad diversity of
experience upon which to call in the exercise of duties as the
Assistant Secretary.
Also, the Oneida Tribe applauds President Bush for
nominating an individual that truly has experience in working
directly for and with tribes. It is important for tribes across
the Nation to have a native in this position that understands
and appreciates the complexities of being a sovereign within a
sovereign. As the Oneida Tribe's Chief Counsel, Carl was a
critical member of our team which successfully negotiated
several tribal-municipal agreements with those non-Indian
communities surrounding Oneida. I believe this experience will
prove to be of great benefit to all of Indian country.
In summary, he comes before you with an array of attributes
necessary to engage this Administration, understand the
relationships with Congress, and appreciate the unique and
common issues affecting the Indian nations. We believe Mr.
Artman's experience thoroughly qualifies him for this position.
Mr. Chairman, you will recall that in 1976 and again in
1989, this committee heard testimony regarding the role of our
Nation in the founding of the United States, the incorporation
of many of our governmental concepts into the American
Constitution, and our commitment to the colonies in the
Revolutionary War, commitments that helped found and serve
America.
Our people's long and proud tradition is a part of this
country's tradition of governments of and by the people. A
tradition of leaders as true public servants guides us and
certainly guides Carl. It is therefore right and proper that an
Oneida now comes forward to hold this high post. We believe
that Carl Artman will do this with honor and distinction.
Thank you.
The Chairman. Thank you very much, Vice Chairwoman Hughes.
Mr. Artman, I understand you have members of your family
here today. Would you like to recognize them?
Mr. Artman. Thank you, Senator, yes, I would.
This is my mother, Carol Artman; my wife, Wendy; one of my
two boys, Bennett; and next to Bennett is Bobby Webster, also a
member of the Oneida Tribe who came out here.
The Chairman. Thank you. You are welcome, and we are glad
you are here to take part in this great occasion as Mr. Artman
agrees to serve our Nation. We thank you, Mr. Artman. Please
proceed with your opening statement.
STATEMENT OF CARL J. ARTMAN, NOMINEE TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY-
INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Mr. Artman. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, Senator, my name is Carl Artman. It is a
privilege and an honor to appear before you this morning
seeking your confirmation of my nomination by President Bush to
the post of Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs.
I am a member of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin,
one of six Indian nations of the Haudenosaunee or Iroquois
Confederacy. I have served my tribe in positions ranging from
tribal representative in Washington, DC to chief operating
officer of a telecommunications partnership, to most recently
chief counsel to the tribe. I currently serve as the Associate
Solicitor for Indian Affairs for the Department of the
Interior.
I am honored to have been nominated by President Bush and
look forward to the challenges that lie ahead. Indian country
provides an overwhelming number of challenges, youth suicide,
drug abuse, high unemployment rates, lack of adequate health
care, challenged education facilities and curricula, crumbling
infrastructure from roads to irrigation ditches, and crime
outpacing law enforcement.
To these societal plagues, Indian country has its unique,
though historically consistent problems, like the erosion of
sovereignty, expanding governance and self-determination,
fighting to maintain its identity and control over its destiny
and lands.
If you asked me why I want this job, my answer will be
because of all the challenges that exist, the challenges Indian
and Alaska Natives face today seem insurmountable. Yet, I see
the determination and potential of Indians and Alaska Natives.
Reservation populations are growing. Leaders are digging in to
stem the spread of methamphetamines and the lawlessness that
follows in its wake. Educators, parents and police are learning
to identify youths at risk of committing suicide and
interceding.
Teachers at tribal schools provide more with less, and inch
by inch tribes are reclaiming their land and the inherent
rights of such ownership. As Indians and Alaska Natives reclaim
their rights lost through history or to societal plagues, the
Department of the Interior must be their partner in these
battles. I hope to expedite and streamline access to
departmental goals to assist tribal and Alaska Native
communities to develop their natural, political and
socioeconomic infrastructure.
The trust litigation of the last decade has tested the
commitment of many, especially the overarching individual
Indian money account litigation. Many in the department are
afraid their actions, no matter how well-meaning or beneficial
to the tribes, may run afoul of the attorneys or the sitting
judge, and that they may be held in contempt. This fear bogs
down the department. It impedes Indian-centric goals of the
department and hurts tribes and individuals across the Nation.
Resolution to this matter is critical, whether it comes from
Congress, the Administration or the courts.
From whatever quarter it hails, if confirmed, I stand ready
to assist in its development and implementation. The sooner
this litigation ends, the sooner we improve our relationship
with tribes and the sooner we increase for Indians and Alaska
Natives the impact of the benefits of that relationship.
The Department of the Interior can and will be a positive
force in Indian country. It is impossible to eliminate
immediately that which has festered for years. However, I will
lay the foundation for an era that will provide a fresh start
and new commitments through action to programmatic goals and
mandated duties. This will allow tribal governments, Indians
and Alaska Natives to build bulwarks against societal plagues.
They can reclaim their unique cultures, rich in tradition,
spirituality and group-centric values, not one of despair or
hopelessness.
If confirmed, I will foster an interaction of partnership
and mutual goals, not just fiduciary requirements. If
confirmed, I will use the Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Indian Affairs to promote communications between tribes that
have realized financial success through gaming or other
business ventures, and those that strive for a fraction of that
success, to move beyond the provision of subsistence benefits
to their membership.
The success of one tribe, either in business, government
administration or cultural preservation, is the best incubator
for success of other tribes. Trailblazing tribes allow those
that follow to go even further.
If confirmed, I will use the office to promote more vibrant
and goal-oriented communications between tribes and their
neighbors, be it a local or State government or a business that
seeks to partner with a tribe for their mutual benefit. If
confirmed, I hope to foster the growth of tribal governments.
Tribal sovereignty is inherent and this sovereignty is best
exhibited in a vibrant tribal government, one that understands
judicious exercise of its jurisdiction for the benefit of its
members and the seventh generation.
Tribal governments embody the power of sovereignty. Tribal
government cares for the present and plans for the future. It
is what the outside examines to judge the health of the tribe.
It is the face of the tribe and the hope of the tribe.
Tribal governments can accomplish great things. The peoples
and tribes of the Haudenosaunee, the Iroquois Confederacy,
comprise the oldest continuous participatory democracy on
earth. Authors of our United States representative government,
Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, were inspired by the
Iroquois Confederacy, its inner workings, and the constitution
of the Iroquois known as the Great Binding Law, or in our
language, Gayanashagowa.
Our founding fathers' inspirations rooted in the
Haudenosaunee guide all of our lives today and continue to
motivate people across the globe to achieve a greater freedom
for themselves and their countrymen. That is the potential of
tribal governments.
But before they inspire neighbors or nations, tribal
governments must be able to fight the cancer within, the
obstacles of drug abuse, youth suicide, joblessness,
hopelessness. Indians and Alaska Natives must reach into their
past to find their way and provide impetus for change.
If confirmed, I hope to bring forth the potential of the
breadth and depth of the Department of the Interior and
specifically the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Indian
Affairs so that Indians and Alaska Natives can use these
resources, their resources, to conquer problems bearing down on
their governments and people to gain that foothold that will
propel them upward and preserve a culture and build a legacy,
and to provide a future for their seventh generation that is as
great as their past.
Mr. Chairman, Senators, thank you.
[Prepared statement of Mr. Artman appears in appendix.]
Senator Dorgan [presiding]. Mr. Artman, thank you very
much.
Chairman McCain had to leave for the Committee on Armed
Services where they are considering the issue of tribunals for
the prosecution of terrorists. As all of you know from having
been reading the papers in recent days, Chairman McCain is one
of the central discussants in this issue, and had to be down at
Armed Services right now. He apologizes, but we will proceed to
consider the issues on the agenda in the absence of Senator
McCain. He has asked me to proceed.
Let me ask whether Senator Thomas has any questions of Mr.
Artman?
Senator Thomas. Thank you.
Thank you for your testimony. Certainly, your experience
will be useful.
It is my understanding that in your tribe, you have been
involved in some off-reservation casino activity. Tell me what
your position is on that. Will you recuse yourself on this?
What is the situation?
Mr. Artman. Thank you, Senator, for the question.
To answer the last part of the question, first, yes, when I
was chief counsel for the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin,
I was involved in a New York land claims matter that did
involve the potential of an off-reservation gaming site as part
of the settlement. With regards to the recusal, in my packet I
have included a letter from our ethics office at the Department
of the Interior which outlines my recusal, which will be very
narrow and it will focus on the issues that have involved the
Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin in the past. The letter
goes into further detail on that.
With regards to off-reservation gaming itself, I know that
has been a very hot-button issue of recent years, and certainly
looking at even yesterday on the House side, with the
consideration of the legislation. At this point, the Indian
Gaming Regulatory Act has considered the potential of off-
reservation gaming, and it has outlined in broad form how that
may occur. The rules as implemented by the Department of the
Interior of what we will call section 20 expand on that
further. Soon, the Department of the Interior will be issuing
the section 20 regulations to bring those into the Federal
Register process, to make those processes public and
consistent.
Since that has been considered by the Congress in IGRA and
it requires a two-part determination, one that looks at the
impact to the local governments, to other communities, to the
tribal communities that may be nearby, and a concurrence by the
Governor. That is something we take very seriously. In that
initial analysis done by the Secretary of the Interior, we look
at all sorts of factors, and that analysis takes a long time.
Out of the dozens that have been submitted, I believe only
three have passed so far, and none in recent years.
If Congress should decide to change, amend IGRA to address
the off-reservation gaming issue, if confirmed I stand ready to
implement the law as written.
Senator Thomas. Thank you.
Senator Dorgan. Mr. Artman, again we thank you for taking
on this mission. It is in the interests of this committee and
the entire Congress, and I think our country, that you succeed.
We have, as I said, very difficult problems to grapple with,
very high unemployment, a crisis in health care, housing and
education on many reservations in this country. We want you to
succeed and we appreciate your willingness to accept this role
in public service.
Unless there is objection, we will by unanimous consent
this morning approve the nomination and report the nomination
to the floor of the Senate. Without objection, the nomination
will be approved.
This hearing is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 10 a.m., the committee was adjourned, to
reconvene at the call of the Chair.]
=======================================================================
A P P E N D I X
----------
Additional Material Submitted for the Record
=======================================================================
Prepared Statement of Carl J. Artman, Nominee, Assistant Secretary for
Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior
Mr. Chairman, Senators, my name is Carl Artman. It is a privilege
and an honor to appear before you this morning seeking your
confirmation of my nomination by President Bush to the post of
assistant secretary for Indian Affairs.
I am a member of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin, one of
six Indian nations of the Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois Confederacy. I
have served my tribe in positions ranging from the tribal
representative in Washington, DC to chief operating officer in a
telecommunications partnership to, most recently, chief counsel of the
tribe. I currently serve as the associate solicitor for Indian Affairs
in the office of the solicitor within the Department of the Interior.
I am honored to have been nominated by President Bush and look
forward to the challenges that lie ahead. Indian country provides an
overwhelming number of challenges: Youth suicide, methamphetamine
abuse, high unemployment rates on many reservations, lack of adequate
health care, challenged education facilities and curriculums, crumbling
infrastructures from roads to irrigation ditches, and crime outpacing
law enforcement personnel and funds. Additionally, Indian country has
its unique, though historically consistent, problems like the erosion
of sovereignty, expanding self-governance and self-determination,
ensuring adequate housing, and fighting to maintain its identity and
control over its destiny and lands.
If you ask me why I want this job? My answer will be: Because of
all the challenges that exist. The challenges Indians and Alaska
Natives face today seem insurmountable. Yet, I see the determination
and the potential of Indians and Alaska Natives. Reservation
populations are growing. Leaders are digging in to stem the spread of
methamphetamines and the lawlessness that follows in its wake.
Educators, parents, and police are learning to identify youth at-risk
of committing suicide and interceding. Teachers at tribal schools
provide more with less. Inch by inch tribes are reclaiming their land
and the inherent rights of such ownership.
As Indians and Alaska Natives reclaim their rights lost through
history or to societal plagues, the Department of the Interior must be
their partner in these battles. I hope to expedite and streamline
access to Departmental programs to assist tribal and Alaska Native
communities to develop their natural, political, and socio-economic
infrastructure.
The trust litigation of the last decade has tested the commitment
of many, especially the overarching Individual Indian Money Account
litigation. Many in the Department are afraid their actions, no matter
how well meaning or beneficial to the tribes, will run afoul of the
plaintiffs attorneys and the sifting judge, and that they may be held
in contempt. This fear bogs down the Department, impedes the Indian-
centric goals of the Department, and hurts tribes and individual
Indians across the nation. Resolution to this matter is critical,
whether it comes from Congress, the Administration, or the courts. From
whatever quarter it hales, if confirmed, I will assist in its
development and implementation. The sooner this litigation ends, the
sooner we improve our relationship with tribes, and the sooner we
increase for Indians and Alaska Natives the impact of the benefits of
that relationship.
The Department of the Interior can and will be a positive force in
Indian country. It is impossible to eliminate immediately that which
has festered for years. However, I will lay the foundation for an era
that will provide a fresh start and new commitments, through action, to
programmatic goals and mandated duties. This will allow tribal
governments, Indians, and Alaska Natives to build bulwarks against the
societal plagues. They can further reclaim their unique cultures rich
in tradition, spirituality, and group-centric values, not one of
despair and hopelessness.
If confirmed, I will foster an interaction born of a partnership
and mutual goals, not just fiduciary requirements.
If confirmed, I will use the Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Indian Affairs to promote communications between tribes that have
realized financial success, either through gaming or other business
ventures, and those that strive for a fraction of that success to move
beyond provision of subsistence benefits for their membership. The
success of one tribe, either in business, government administration, or
cultural preservation, is the best incubator for success of other
tribes. Trailblazing tribes allow those that follow to go even further.
If confirmed, I will use the Office to promote more vibrant and
goal-oriented communications between tribes and their neighbors, be it
a local or State Government or a business that seeks to partner with
the tribe for their mutual benefit.
If confirmed I hope to foster the growth of tribal-governments.
Tribal sovereignty is inherent, and this sovereignty is best exhibited
in a vibrant tribal government one that understands judicious exercise
of its jurisdiction for the benefit of its members and the seventh
generation. Tribal governments embody the power of sovereignty. The
tribal government cares for the present and plans for the future. It is
what the outside examines to judge the health of the tribe. It is the
face of the tribe and hope of the tribe's future.
Tribal governments can accomplish great things. The peoples and
tribes of the Haudenosaunee, the Iroquois Confederacy, comprise the
oldest continuous participatory democracy on Earth. Authors of our, the
United States, representative government, Ben Franklin and Thomas
Jefferson were inspired by the Iroquois Confederacy, its inner-
workings, and the Constitution of the Iroquois Nations known as the
Great Binding Law, GAYANALAGOWA. Our Founding Fathers' inspirations,
rooted in the Haudenosaunee, guide all of our lives today and continue
to motivate people across the globe to achieve a greater freedom for
themselves and their fellow countrymen.
This is the potential of tribal governments.
But before they inspire neighbors or nations, tribal governments
must be able to fight the cancer within--the obstacles of drug abuse,
youth suicide, joblessness, and hopelessness. Indians and Alaska
Natives must reach into their great pasts to find their way and provide
the impetus for change. And if confirmed, I hope to bring forth the
potential of the breadth and depth of the Department of the Interior,
and specifically the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian
Affairs, so that Indians and Alaska Natives can use these resources--
their resources to conquer the problems bearing down on their
governments and people, to gain that foothold that will propel them
upward, to preserve a culture and build a legacy, and to provide a
future for their seventh generation that is as great as their past.
Mr. Chairman, Senators, thank you.
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Prepared Statement of Hon. Kent Conrad, U.S. Senator from North Dakota
Mr. Chairman, thank you for holding this hearing today to discuss
the nomination of Carl J. Artman to head the Bureau of Indian Affairs
at the Department of the Interior.
The position of Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs has been
vacant for more than 1\1/2\ years I am pleased that the committee will
be acting today on his nomination so that we can quickly fill this very
important position.
I have not had an opportunity to meet directly with Mr. Artman, but
I do want to take 1 moment to highlight some of the issues of concern
to me and the tribes in my State. I continue to be concerned about the
lack of oversight by the BIA over the Joint Tribal Advisory Committee
[JTAC] funds provided to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Three
Affiliated Tribes. These funds were provided as compensation for the
land lost due to the construction of the dams along the Missouri River.
Unfortunately, despite guidance from Congress on how the funds were to
be spent, funds released by the BIA have not always been used for the
intended purposes.
I also continue to be concerned about the BIA's lack of support for
United Tribes Technical College [UTTC] located in Bismarck, ND. United
Tribes is a unique institution; it is the only intertribally-controlled
postsecondary vocational institution in the country. UTTC provides
valuable educational opportunities to students from more than 40 tribes
across the Nation. While the BIA believes the college's funding through
the Department of Education is adequate to meet its needs, UTTC cannot
keep its doors open without the funding it has received from the BIA.
Housing, health care, education, and economic development are also
great needs across Indian country that have not been adequately
addressed by this Administration.
These are just a few of the many challenges facing tribes and
Native Americans in my State. I hope that soon after he is confirmed
Mr. Artman will visit North Dakota and sit down with tribal leaders and
hear from them directly. I think such a meeting would be very valuable
as he tackles this great new challenge.
The great plains tribes have worked very hard to strengthen
government-to-government relations between Indian nations and the
Federal Government. As the head of the BIA, Mr. Artman will help guide
these relations and set the tone for the Administration with respect to
Federal Indian policy.
Programs and services targeting Native Americans result not from
Federal largess; they are part of a commitment to tribes by our
country. We need to live up to those obligations by ensuring adequate
resources for health care, housing, education, and economic
development. And part of that obligation is a strong working
partnership between the Federal Government and tribal nations.
Mr. Chairman, the tasks facing Mr. Artman are serious and
challenging. I think this is one of the hardest jobs anywhere. I wish
him well and hope that he will be a good advocate within the Federal
Government for the tribes of this Nation.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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