NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS
Resolutions Committee Recommendation
Resolution #: SPO-16-040
Title: “Reaffirmation of Support for the Proposed Tribal Resources Economic Growth
Act of 2016”
Comments:
•
This resolution calls for NCAI’s support of the Tribal Resources Economic Growth Act of
2016, which would create permanent tax incentives on Indian lands, establish new
demonstration programs for tribal renewable energy, establish a tribal broadband fund, and
develop tribal industrial hemp.
Recommendations:
• The proposed draft bill has not been introduced in Congress and a draft for consideration was
not submitted (at the Resolutions submission deadline) for the Resolutions Committee to
review.
• Recommend tabling this resolution since the bill is still in draft form and has not been
introduced in Congress.
• Since the proposed bill references numerous issue areas (such as renewable energies, taxation,
telecommunications, and inclusion of possible tribal coastal resiliency provisions), the
recommendation is that NCAI work with sponsors and other tribes to determine a legislative
strategy moving forward and possible consideration of a resolution during the 2016 Annual
Convention. Pieces of the draft could also be incorporated into other NCAI resolutions.
Sponsor a member in good standing (yes/no)?: _____
NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS
The National Congress of American Indians
Resolution #SPO-16-040
E X ECUT IV E C O MMIT TE E
TITLE: Reaffirmation of Support For The Proposed Tribal Resources Economic
Growth Act Of 2016
P RESIDENT
Brian Cladoosby
Swinomish Tribe
F IRST V ICE -P RESIDENT
Fawn Sharp
Quinault Indian Nation
R ECORDING S ECRETARY
Aaron Payment
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa
Indians of Michigan
T REASURER
W. Ron Allen
Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe
R E G I O N AL V I C E P RES IDE NT S
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
ALASKA
Jerry Isaac
Native Village of Tanacross
E ASTERN O KLAHOMA
Joe Byrd
Cherokee Nation
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
G REAT P LAINS
Leander McDonald
Spirit Lake Nation
MIDWEST
Roger Rader
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi
N ORTHEAST
Lance Gumbs
Shinnecock Indian Nation
N ORTHWEST
Mel Sheldon, Jr.
Tulalip Tribes
P ACIFIC
Jack Potter, Jr.
Redding Rancheria
R OCKY MOUNTAIN
Darrin Old Coyote
Crow Nation
S OUTHEAST
Larry Townsend
Lumbee Tribe
S OUTHERN P LAINS
Liana Onnen
Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation
S OUTHWEST
WHEREAS, the Council of Energy Resource Tribes has a long history of
cooperation and coordination to support Tribal energy development; and
WHEREAS, this tradition is continuing through the development of an
updated and revised Bill entitled the "Tribal Resources Economic Growth Act”
(TREGA) to support tribal energy and telecommunications planning; and
WHEREAS, the intent of TREGA is to create permanent certain tax incentives
on Indian lands, establish new demonstration programs for tribal renewable energy,
establishment of the Tribal Broadband Fund to provide for tribal broadband
deployment, and develop tribal industrial hemp; and
WHEREAS, the office of U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA) has
requested to incorporate Tribal Coastal Resiliency provisions within the TREGA
proposed draft; and
Joe Garcia
Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo
W ESTERN
Bruce Ignacio
Ute Indian Tribe
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jacqueline Pata
Tlingit
NCAI HEADQUARTERS
1516 P Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20005
202.466.7767
202.466.7797 fax
www.ncai.org
WHEREAS, Tribes are in support of the proposed draft TREGA pertaining to
tribal industrial hemp as a cash crop, and the establishment of a Tribal Broadband
Fund; and
WHEREAS, the TREGA of 2016, if introduced as legislation in the United
States Congress or otherwise approved or implemented, as amended, to include tribal
broadband deployment and other key demonstration programs, will have an important
role in promoting tribal welfare, economic growth and energy development, and
appears to continue to be gaining strong consideration in the Congress.
NCAI 2016 Midyear
Resolution SPO-16-XXX
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Congress of American
Indians supports the proposed Tribal Resources and Economic Growth Act of 2016 for strong
consideration, and, as appropriate, introduction and enactment, in the United States Congress, for
the policy reasons cited above, and to further tribal sovereignty through economic growth.
CERTIFICATION
The foregoing resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at the 2016 Midyear Session of the
National Congress of American Indians, held at the Spokane Convention Center, June 27 to June
30, 2016, with a quorum present.
Brian Cladoosby, President
ATTEST:
Aaron Payment, Recording Secretary
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