NCT Delegates visit U.S. Senator Max Baucus' office
On November 3rd, 2009 a Northern Cheyenne delegation consisting of Vice-President Joe Fox Jr., Councilman Robert D Bailey, Executive Director Lafe Haugen and Board Chairman, Claude Leedom made a trip to Washington DC to meet with Montana Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester, Deputy Assistant Secretary Rodger Boyd and Assistant Secretary of Public and Indian Housing, Sandra Henriquez of HUD, Assistant Secretary Larry Echo Hawk of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, National American Indian Housing Council and the National Congress of American Indians.
The main things discussed at these meetings included the; $70 million dollar Otter Creek Settlement with the Tribe, Northern Cheyenne Tribal Schools funding, the $6 million dollar Northern Cheyenne Broadband/cell phone application, funding for reservation Roads, Imminent Threat funding and the $900,000 Indian Community Development Block Grant Funding. The delegation also requested support on the HEARTH Act being introduced in the House of Representatives proposing a simpler process regarding Leases on Tribal Lands regarding Housing.
NCT delegates meet with Dept. of Interior Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk
The meeting with Rodger Boyd’s office was a success with talks of another ‘Imminent Threat’ grant being available for the Tribe in the amount of $425,000. This application for funding will be used to address the non-working Fire Hydrants in all our communities and for a Telemetry system for our Water Tanks. The Northern Cheyenne Tribal Housing Authority successfully managed the grant that was given to the tribe two years ago by using the funds to upgrade the Water treatment plants in four of the five districts on the reservation. Joe Fox and RD Bailey will be pushing this application through the Tribal Council in the near future so we can receive these funds.
The meeting with Larry Echo Hawk was a huge success. Vice-President Fox shared with Mr. Echo Hawk the issues that the Tribe has been facing regarding funding for; Roads, Law Enforcement, NC Tribal Schools funding, Trust Land issues, the HEARTH Act and issues with Natural Resources and Archaeological sites. Mr. Echo Hawk had a majority of his staff in this meeting and required answers from them to the Vice-President Fox’s questions. A follow up letter to the Tribe will be forthcoming as Larry promised to work with and support the Tribe’s in all their initiatives.
U.S. Senator Jon Tester
On Wednesday, visits were made to the offices of Montana Senator’s Jon Tester and Max Baucus to discuss the long standing issue of the Otter Creek Settlement. Tribal Attorney, Steve Chestnut accompanied the delegation and presented the documentation. Both Senators agreed that they would support this bill once it reaches their offices. They also agreed to help get the USDA Application get pushed through for the Broadband/Cell phones for the reservation. The Otter Creek Bill could bring the Tribe well over $70 million dollars once it is passed not including the funds from Coal Sales on Federal Tracts located off the reservation.
On Thursday, Vice-President Joe Fox, represented the Northern Cheyenne People by attending the first-ever Tribal Leaders meeting held with President Barack Obama at the Department of Interior. The Vice-President was in attendance with over 500 other Tribal Leaders from all over the nation to discuss issues ranging from Treaties to Health Care to Housing. As was stated in his press conference, President Obama has promised to work with and do all he can for Indian Country as long as he is in office. This was quite a meeting as this is the first time that we can remember that our Tribe was represented in a meeting with the President of the United States.
Lafe Haugen, Claude Leedom, Councilman RD Bailey and Vice-president Joe Fox meet with HUD Office of Native American Programs officials, including Assistant Secretary, Sandra Henriquez and ONAP Deputy Assistant Directory Roger Boyd (behind VP Fox).
This trip was a huge success with many more doors opened for the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. The Northern Cheyenne Tribal Housing Authority has a very good Consultant in Kristy McCarthy-Weight of Washington DC. She has done an extremely good job in scheduling meetings with these Top Federal Officials and having face to face talks so they can best understand the situations that happen here on our reservation. We will continue to do all that we can in the coming year to apply for all the funding that is available to us in Washington DC.
A special ‘Thank you’ goes out to Vice-President Joe Fox Jr and Tribal Councilman Robert D Bailey for taking time out of their busy schedules to come to Washington DC to represent and voice their concerns for the Northern Cheyenne People. We can all be proud that we have Tribal leaders who want to see change and are doing all that they can to insure that our tribe continues to prosper and succeed.