Letter to President George W. Bush

July 7, 2003
The Honorable George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

It has come to my attention that the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs and Associate Solicitor positions in the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) have been staffed for months only by interim employees. I am writing to respectfully urge you to fill the positions with permanent selections, so that stability and clarity may be brought to the bureau.

As you know, the Assistant Secretary and Associate Solicitor are responsible for overseeing the BIA and managing its legal issues, respectively. With interim staff members filling these top posts, there has been a lack of clear vision and leadership in the bureau, resulting in delays in key decisions, such as the pending application of the St. Regis Mohawk casino in Sullivan County, New York.

The BIA post of Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs has been open for over six months. Aurene Martin is currently serving as Acting Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs. Martin formerly served as Deputy Assistant Secretary under Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Neil McCaleb, who held the post from July 5, 2001- January 2, 2003. Before McCaleb took the job, there was another six-month vacancy in the position.

The Associate Solicitor position, which is also vacant, manages all legal matters that arise from the programs and activities of BIA. The job includes providing legal services to the Interior Department, handling litigation, and reviewing and commenting on legislative proposals.

Instability at the top of any organization never bodes well for its performance, and the BIA is no different. I encourage you to fill these senior positions with capable, organized individuals as soon as possible. If you intend to retain the current interim employees, I would request that you make their selections permanent so that they can proceed with full decision-making authority.

Thank you for your consideration of this request. As always, if I may be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator