May 12:
The Senate will convene at 2:00 p.m. and will be in a period of morning business with Senators
permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each, with the time until 5:30 p.m. equally divided and controlled
between the two Leaders or their designees. There will be no roll call votes on Monday. Senators should be prepared to vote as early as 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday in relation to the following items: the
McConnell amendment No. 4720 (energy) with a 60-vote threshold; the Reid amendment (energy) with a
60-vote threshold; passage of the flood insurance legislation (either S. 2284 or H.R. 3121); and cloture on
the motion to proceed to H.R. 980 (collective bargaining). If cloture on the motion to proceed is invoked, all post-cloture time will be yielded back and the motion to proceed will be agreed to.
Many contentious issues face American Indians today, many from throughout their storied history with the United States government. With over 550 Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages in the United States, nine Indian tribes are located within the boundaries of the State of South Dakota. The reservations and populations vary in size; however, most are large tribes, with land based economies. As a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, I am committed to representing the voice of South Dakota's American Indians and American Indians/Alaskan Natives throughout the United States. As a member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, I have advocated, and will continue to advocate, for projects that are necessary to the livelihood of the members of the nine Indian tribes in South Dakota.
Over my time in Congress, I have enjoyed a strong working relationship with the tribes in South Dakota and look forward to continuing that relationship. Despite considerable development over the past generation American Indian tribes in South Dakota continue to face significant challenges, including staggering unemployment rates, inadequate health care and educational inequalities. Each of the tribes in South Dakota entered treaties with the Federal Government guaranteeing important rights and responsibility owed to Indian tribes and their membership which continue today.
Economic Development in Indian Country
Fostering small business growth is a vital step toward increasing employment opportunities and improving local economies in Indian Country. Encouraging the startup and growth of Native American-owned businesses is an important component of my Hometown Prosperity Plan for improving our South Dakota economy.
As a part of the plan, I will renew efforts to pass my Native American Small Business Development Act. This legislation is designed to create new private sector jobs and increase prosperity in Indian Country. It would create three grant programs to promote new Native American-owned businesses and establish a permanent Office of Native American Affairs within the U.S. Small Business Administration. I first introduced this legislation in 2002. It has passed the full Senate more than once, but was never enacted into law. I have reintroduced my legislation in this Congress, and it has bipartisan support. I will renew my efforts to pass the legislation so that more people in Indian Country will have the assistance they need to launch new, self-sustaining businesses.
Issues affective South Dakota's Native population
Education
Office
of Indian Education Programs | No
Child Left Behind
Health Care
Indian
Health Service | Administration
for Native Americans | American
Indian Health
Economic Development
The
Economic Development Administration | US
Small Business Administration - Office of Native American Affairs
Additional Resources
Bureau
of Indian Affairs | National
Congress of American Indians | American
Indian Resources (South Dakota State Historical Society)
Master Sgt. Woodrow Wilson Keeble is a hero that has served our nation
honorably and made South Dakota and all of America proud. Learn
more about him and Tim's work to secure him the Medal of Honor.
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