On April 14, 2005 in a round table sub-committee
hearing, Chairman Harold Frazier testified
before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee
on Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior
and Related Agencies regarding the fiscal year
2006 budget. Only thirty Tribal Leaders were
selected to provide both written and verbal
testimony.
In addition to written testimony highlighting
CRST appropriation priorities and special projects,
Chairman Frazier also submitted the CRST Appropriation
Packet and respectfully asked Congress to protect
and increase the funding levels for Native
Americans especially those areas that are most
impacted by poverty.
Among his comments directly to the Sub-Committee,
Chairman Frazier discussed that the Tribe is
forced to deal with the BIA budget process
and it is not working for us and has our Tribe
fighting against other Tribes for funding.
The money is not going where it is needed and
is dispersed through formulas which have created
disparity in Indian Country. Chairman Frazier
believes that the formulas need to be re-examined
and they must be based on need.
“The BIA and IHS have us traveling all over the country chasing the pot
of money at the end of the rainbow. We all know there is no end to a rainbow,” Chairman
Frazier declared. “I come here today asking you to honor our treaties.
Our ancestors, when they signed the treaty, they smoked the cannupa and they
swore to uphold these treaties,” he continued as he asking the committee
to honor the treaties and stand behind their ancestors signatures as our people
stand behind our ancestor’s words. “In our treaties,” he continued, “there
were agreements made, where the U.S. government agreed to provide us with education,
health, agricultural resources, welfare, and help us to build our economy. Yet
today, these entitlements are being separated and manipulated into discretionary
services which can be exterminated at the stroke of a pen.”
His testimony also emphasized the slow deterioration
of our land as it is overrun by prairie dogs
and rodents. Chairman Frazier stated, “There
are no resources and authorities at the local
agency level to better manage our lands. There
is no relief form the BIA or DOI, who are the
caretakers of our trust lands. There are limits
on their responsibilities to that of financial
management of income from trust lands.” His
comments also brought attention to the development
of the Office of Special Trust, “to continue
with the development of the Office of Special
Trust will cause harm to both Indian landowners
and Tribal governments because we are the ones
who are being sacrificed to fund a new and
unnecessary bureaucratic department,” he
testified.
His testimony continued, “We receive
4.1 million for direct care for our hospital
and clinics, when pro rated to each of the
7,092 patients that utilize the hospital; it
averages $588.00 per patient per year.” His
comments turned to the issue of diabetes. “Millions
of dollars are being appropriated but it is
not put at the level where the diabetics are,
over twenty-six million is held back at the
central and regional levels. The funds come
in forms of grants and are for research and
we have been researched to death. It is time
that these findings from the research are funded
to cure the disease of diabetes.” Chairman
Frazier asked, “Where do the diabetics
go when the grants run out of funding?” His
testimony brought attention to the need for
recurring funds to provide basic health care
services. In addition, his comments discussed
that appropriations have not kept pace with
the needs of CRST growing population and the
program budgets are salaries and fringe only.
He stressed the fact that there is no money
for essential services, training and equipment.
Lastly, Chairman Frazier commented on the
two percent budget cut for the entire BIA budget
that has been mandated by top BIA official
for fiscal year 2006. “Our tribe cannot
absorb these cuts; they are not cuts but amputations
of basic services. History shows that the local
agency level budgets shrink and the central
office and regional office budgets grow. The
increases need to go out into Indian Country
where the majority of Indians live in poverty,” Chairman
Frazier testified.
In closing, Chairman Frazier advised the
committee that, “Many of our people don’t
have much, but they do have a prayer. We as
a Tribe pray that that the United States Government
will honor our treaties.”
