Congressman Denny Heck introduces the Billy Frank Jr. Tell Your Story Act

Press Release

To honor the life and legacy of an American champion for Native American treaty rights and environmental stewardship, today Representative Denny Heck (D-Wash.) introduced the Billy Frank Jr. Tell Your Story Act.

If passed, H.R. 2270 would designate the wildlife refuge on the Nisqually River Delta as "The Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge." The legislation also creates a National Historic Site at the location of the signing of the 1854 Medicine Creek Treaty, and requires the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to involve the Nisqually, Muckleshoot, Puyallup, and Squaxin Island Tribes in the development of educational materials for the National Historic Site.

"When Billy Frank Jr. told his story, he was a fisherman trying to do what was right. But in the story of our state, he is a leader who inspired a movement for justice, and dedicated his life to collaborating with others in order to safeguard our environment for everyone," Heck said. "When visitors come to the wildlife refuge, I want them to sense the spirit of Billy Frank Jr. and the work of all of the tribes to defend and preserve our beautiful land and resources. Without that context, the background and history of our area gets lost. This is a way to preserve not just the refuge, but the stories surrounding it."

Cosponsors include the entire Washington state Congressional delegation (Reps. Suzan DelBene, Jaime Herrera-Beutler, Derek Kilmer, Rick Larsen, Jim McDermott, Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, Dan Newhouse, Dave Reichert, Adam Smith), Congressional Native American Caucus Co-Chairs Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Chair of Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs Don Young (R-Alaska), and Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.).

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