Barrasso Delivers Keynote at the Reservation Economic Summit -- RES DC 2015
"Members of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Board, tribal leaders, and distinguished guests, I want to wish you a good morning and a warm welcome.
"I also want to thank the National Center's President -- Gary Davis -- and Chairman of the Board -- Derrick Watchman -- for inviting me to address the 2015 Reservation Economic Summit D.C. conference.
"I am truly honored to serve as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
As chairman, I have made it a priority to focus on issues that will help Indian communities to prosper and to enjoy healthier lives. A fundamental part of both of these goals is to spur economic development in Indian communities.
"Tribal leaders from the two tribes in Wyoming -- and leaders across the country -- have expressed to me how vital economic growth is to them, and to their communities. It is time that we empowered more tribes, more communities, and all the people in those communities to find their own piece of the American dream.
"We're only six months into the new Congress, and the Senate Indian Affairs Committee has already made great progress on issues related to this kind of economic development. The vice chairman of our committee -- Senator Jon Tester -- has been a great partner, and all of the members of the committee have done a great job of getting right to work on these important matters.
"We have worked on a bipartisan basis to pass several key bills. This legislation will improve economic activity across Indian Country, and empower tribes to govern their own destinies.
"The first of these was a bill I Introduced with Senator Tester, called the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act. This is legislation that we have been working on for several years -- and it all started with conversations we had with a variety of tribal leaders. This legislation will cut through Washington's red tape and empower tribes to develop their own energy resources.
"The bill will streamline the required approvals of many energy development transactions on Indian lands -- things like business agreements, right-of-ways, and leases.
It's a great idea, and it's a win for everyone. More energy development means more jobs across Indian Country -- and more American energy contributing to our nation's energy security.
"We passed this legislation out of the committee at one of the first business meetings that I called as chairman. I will continue to work with other members in Congress and the Obama administration to move this bill. It has bipartisan support, it's good for America, and there's no reason we can't get this signed into law.
"The committee is also working to help the many tribal economies that are based on agriculture. The Interior Department started several irrigation projects on Indian reservations during the late 1800s and early 1900s. It started, and then it never finished them. This neglect has led to inefficient water delivery. It damaged infrastructure, and it backlogged maintenance in the amount of hundreds of millions of dollars.
"In my home state of Wyoming -- and across the west -- there are many ranchers and farmers who still depend on the Bureau of Indian Affairs to deliver water. The federal government is long overdue in delivering on the promises that it made to Indian Country to develop these irrigation systems.
"That's why I introduced the Irrigation Rehabilitation and Renovation for Indian Tribal Governments and Their Economies Act, or the IRRIGATE Act for short. This bill provides $35 million each year -- for the next 20 years -- to begin to address the deferred maintenance of these water systems. This will give farmers and ranchers the water they need -- and a higher quality delivery system they can depend on in the future.
"This bill is critical to many tribal agricultural economies. The committee worked in a bipartisan fashion to get the IRRIGATE Act approved quickly. That's not always easy here in Washington, and we did it. We did it because everybody agrees that makes sense for Indian Country and it makes sense for America.
"Now, as important as economic development is, it relies on good governance. That includes stable tribal government infrastructure. Good governance creates a healthy environment --in which businesses can flourish, and economies can grow.
"To do that, tribes must have the tools to govern their own communities. They must be free from unnecessary bureaucracy and costly delays. That's why I introduced the Department of the Interior Tribal Self-Governance Act of 2015 -- so that tribes can administer certain Indian programs such as natural resource management or tribal courts.
"The committee passed this legislation too -- again, with bipartisan support. This legislation gives the Interior Department more guidance on things like how much time they can take to make decisions. It gives tribes greater certainty. This legislation is pending before the Senate now, and I'm working with Senator Tester to move it forward, and get it signed into law.
"Finally, I also introduced the long overdue reauthorization of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act. The committee passed this legislation as well. When you go home, and people tell you that Congress is gridlocked, you tell them that there are still things that Democrats and Republicans agree are good ideas -- and these are some of them.
"All families need good, safe homes. They need them to prosper and live healthy lives. There are far too many inadequate homes, and there is far too much homelessness across Indian Country. We have got to address these problems.
"This legislation is pending with the Banking Committee now, and I hope we're going to see it advanced later this summer. It has been a busy six months, and there is much more work left to do.
"As the Chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, I firmly believe that the best solutions for Indian Country, come from Indian Country. I committed right from the start to listen to Indian Country on the issues, and to have a conversation on economic development. That meant getting out to the field as well.
"We've had 14 hearings so far this year. That includes three field hearings and six listening sessions. Several of these have been issues that will directly affect tribal economies.
"These issues include helping entrepreneurs, and developing coal and other natural resources. They include water rights settlements, and tribal transportation, and improving Indian schools.
"These hearings have taken us to the Wind River Indian Reservation in my home state of Wyoming, to the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, and to Anadarko, Oklahoma. Just last month, the committee held a field hearing in Oklahoma that focused on how Indian-owned businesses have achieved sustainable success -- and it looked at what barriers still remain.
"That hearing featured Indian entrepreneurs, as well as government representatives, and an education-related business development center. The testimony showed us some inspiring efforts of Indian business owners who are competing and delivering products. They're doing it locally and nationally, and they're experiencing growth -- as well as growing pains.
"We need more success stories from American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and entrepreneurs. Everyone understands that there are many challenges for businesses across the country. These challenges are even greater in American Indian and Alaska Native communities in particular.
"Some of their economies are based in agriculture, while others may be based on natural resources, or finance, or manufacturing. One thing that seems to apply to all of these across the country is the difficulty businesses have in getting access to capital. They may encounter reluctant lenders, or too few markets. There may be problems getting the human capital, and finding the right distribution systems.
"All of these things add to the difficulties that hard-working entrepreneurs face in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. We must find a way to overcome these hurdles. So I called a committee oversight hearing that will be held later today on this very topic.
"Yesterday, our committee held a listening session on the Buy Indian Act and on Community Development Financial Institutions. These are important components of Indian economies.
"Today's hearing will build upon our past hearings, and our listening sessions, to provide recommendations for congressional actions. These might be more legislative action, and they might be additional oversight -- whatever we can do to improve access to the capital that businesses need.
"I want to point out that the National Center's Chairman of the Board, Derrick Watchman, will be testifying before us this afternoon. The National Center provides important opportunities to foster economic development in Indian Country.
"It encourages partnerships, and it promotes entrepreneurship. This kind of work is vitally important. All of Indian Country -- and all of America -- benefits from it. So I look forward to tapping into Derrick's expertise, and his experience, at the hearing today.
"Available markets are an essential basis for getting access capital. To build a market, there must be an awareness of the existence of Indian entrepreneurs and companies. Promotion is a key feature of economic development.
"At this afternoon's hearing, we're also going to hear from Alejandra Castillo, who is the national director of the Minority Business Development Agency at the Department of Commerce. This agency's whole purpose is to promote and help develop minority-owned businesses. I look forward to hearing how her agency can do more for American Indian and Alaska Native businesses.
"I also invite you to join us at 2:15 this afternoon in the hearing room 628 of the Senate Dirksen Office Building -- or through the live streaming that will be provided at this conference.
"There is a lot of work left to do, and today's hearing is a good start. I intend to continue working on all of these issues as chairman -- to help tribes, their economies, and all of their members achieve greater success.
"Thank you again for this opportunity to speak to you today. I wish you all a wonderful conference."
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