Resolution # ECWS-14-006
TITLE: Unified Positions to Address the Transportation Needs of Tribal Nations
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, on February 25 and 26, 2014 the Tribal Transportation Reauthorization Unity Summit was held in Denver, Colorado, and the Summit resulted in the development of Tribal Transportation Unity Act positions; and
WHEREAS, the Tribal leaders and tribal transportation officials of the Tribal Transportation Reauthorization Unity Summit developed the DENVER UNITY STATEMENT 2014, that calls upon all tribal Nations, the National Congress of American Indians and Intertribal Transportation Association, National Tribal Transit Association, and all other intertribal organizations to embrace the positions developed in Denver and to work jointly with the Tribal Transportation Unity Caucus and tribal advocates to develop policy briefing materials, draft proposed legislative language and engage with the congressional committee leadership and staff to advance the mutually agreed upon objectives identified in the attached TRIBAL TRANSPORTATION UNITY ACT SUMMARY FOR THE 113th CONGRESS February 27, 2014.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Congress of American Indians supports the effort of the Tribal Transportation Reauthorization Unity Summit and does hereby honor the participant’s request for the National Congress of American Indians to embrace the TRIBAL TRANSPORTATION UNITY ACT SUMMARY FOR THE 113th CONGRESS OF February 27, 2014; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT ALSO RESOLVED, that the National Congress of American Indians will assist the Tribal Transportation Unity Caucus in: the development of policy briefing materials; drafting of proposed legislation language; engaging the congressional committee leadership and staff to advance the objectives of the Tribal Transportation Unity Act positions; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.
CERTIFICATION
The foregoing resolution was adopted by the Executive Committee at the 2014 Executive Council Winter Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Westin Washington City Center March 11 -13, 2014, in Washington, DC with a quorum present.