Tribes
The Second District is home to many sovereign tribes whose history in the region is critical to its character and makeup. I am proud to support measures to respect tribal sovereignty and to work with tribes as co-managers of many of the natural resources in the Northwest. I will continue to work to push to ensure that Indian Country receives a fair shake, and that tribes receive the help they need to continue economic development efforts underway.
Accomplishments
- Introduced the Samish Indian Nation Homelands Act of 2012 (HR 5992), which would require the Secretary of Interior to take selected lands into trust for the federally recognized Samish Indian Nation for basic government services and economic development.
- Met with tribal representatives and spoke out strongly in favor of inclusion of allowing tribal authorities to prosecute non-natives who live on tribal land and are accused of domestic violence under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Also spoke in support of allowing tribal authorities to issue and enforce restraining orders to protect domestic abuse survivors.
- Pushed for a Head Start and Early Childhood Education grant for the Tulalip Tribes, which received a $850,000 grant in July 2012.