WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) today issued the following statements after being elected Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs for the 115th Congress.
“I am honored to serve as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and look forward to working with Vice Chairman Udall and members of the Committee to pass legislation that helps improve the lives of people across Indian Country. In our roles, we will address the issues of job creation, natural resource management, health care, education, public safety and housing in Indian communities,” said Chairman Hoeven. “We will also make it a priority to promote economic growth. Jobs and economic growth are the priorities that will help Indian families, communities and businesses succeed.”
“I am enormously honored to become the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, a role that will strengthen my ability to fight for and defend the sovereignty of New Mexico’s 23 tribes and all Native American communities,” said Vice Chairman Udall. “With the Indian Affairs Committee’s proud tradition of bipartisan cooperation in mind, I am very much looking forward to working with Chairman Hoeven and all our committee members to help secure progress for Indian Country. Throughout my career, I have been committed to working alongside tribes to uphold our trust responsibility. The U.S. Senate has a duty to support tribal communities in their work to build sustainable economies and good schools, provide quality health care, maintain access to clean air and water, and protect the deep Native American connection to culture and tradition. Native Americans have faced, and continue to face, great challenges and injustices – and while we have made progress, it is abundantly clear that we have much work to do to improve government-to-government consultation with tribes and to ensure environmental justice. I am proud of my long record as a strong defender of Native American rights, and this new position will enable me to work more closely with tribal communities in New Mexico and across our nation.”
“I want to congratulate Chairman Hoeven and Vice Chairman Udall on their elections,” said former committee Chairman John Barrasso. “I look forward to working closely with them both, and with all the committee members, to pass legislation that will empower tribal communities and will strengthen the government-to-government relationship the United States shares with tribes.”
“I look forward to working with Chairman Hoeven and Vice Chairman Udall to ensure that our nation’s trust and treaty responsibilities are upheld across all of Indian Country,” said former committee Vice Chairman Jon Tester. “I am confident that during this session of Congress the Senate Indian Affairs Committee will continue its long history of working across the aisle to promote tribal sovereignty and strengthen economic opportunities, health care and education for all Native American and Alaska Native families.”
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