TITLE: Reaffirming Support for Passage of the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act Amendments of 2014
WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and
WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and
WHEREAS, in the 112th Congress, NCAI supported S.1684, the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act Amendments of 2012, and urged Congress to pass the legislation after hearings and dialogue with tribal leaders (Resolution PDX-11-072); and
WHEREAS, in the 113th Congress, the legislation was reintroduced as S.2132, a hearing was held, the bill was reported out of committee and awaits final Senate passage; and
WHEREAS, NCAI testified in strong support of S.2132 in April 2014 and urged the Senate to avoid making significant changes to the bill that would delay or prevent its consideration and passage this year; and
WHEREAS, if enacted into law, S.2132 will provide Indian tribes with immediate benefits by removing structural barriers to energy development on tribal lands, both for renewable and traditional energy resources.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NCAI shall reaffirm by letter to appropriate members and leadership officers of Congress NCAI’s continuing request for prompt Senate passage of S. 2132 in the 113th Congress and enactment of the legislation into law; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that in the event legislation embodying the provisions of the pending Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act Amendments does not pass in the 113th Congress, this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until such time as legislation with the same or substantially the same provisions as S. 2132 (113th Cong., 2d Sess) does become law, or until this resolution is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.
CERTIFICATION
The foregoing resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at the 2014 Annual Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, October 26-31, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia, with a quorum present.