Title: In Support of the Efforts of The Klamath Tribes to Obtain Congressional Sanction for the Return of Their Ancestral Homelands.

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 welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and

WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is the oldest and largest national organization established in 1944 and comprised of representatives of and advocates for national, regional, and local Tribal concerns; and

WHEREAS, the health, safety, welfare, education, economic and employment opportunity, and preservation of cultural and natural resources are primary goals and objectives of NCAI; and,

WHEREAS, the Klamath and Modoc Tribes and Yahooskin Band of Snake Indians Signed the Treaty of 1864 establishing the Klamath Reservation; and,

WHEREAS, the General Council of the Klamath Membership is the Governing body of the Klamath Tribes, by the authority of the Constitution and By-Laws of the Klamath Tribes (Article VI & VII-Section IV E), as approved and/or adopted on November 21, 1998; and

WHEREAS, the Klamath Tribal Executive Committee is elected by the General Council to act on its behalf for the execution of the day-to-day Government and business of the Klamath Tribes; and,

WHEREAS, the Klamath Indian Tribe Restoration Act of August 27, 1986 (P.L. 99-398) restored Federal recognition of the Sovereign Government of the Klamath Tribes’ Constitution and By-Laws; and

WHEREAS, the Klamath Tribes have occupied their homeland since their origin, dated to be at least 14,000 years, and, in 1864, ceded over 17.5 million acres to the U.S. while reserving 2.5 million acres, which was reduced to 880,000 because of Government policies; and

WHEREAS, in 1954, the Federal government unilaterally adopted and implemented the termination policy, Public Law 587, the Klamath Termination Act, which removed, against Tribal wishes, the Klamath Tribes’ remaining homelands; and

WHEREAS, the Klamath Tribes still hold treaty rights (hunting, fishing, trapping, water, and gathering) as related to cultural heritage, on this land; and

WHEREAS, control of their land base is essential to assure continued opportunities to exercise their treaty rights and their cultural and traditional heritage to come; and

WHEREAS, the Klamath Tribes has sought, by Executive Committee Resolution 2000-39, NCAI support of their efforts to obtain Congressional sanction for the return of their ancestral homelands; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that one of the primary goals and objectives of the National Congress of American Indians is the preservation of cultural and natural resources of the nation’s tribes; and,

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby support the Klamath Tribes and their efforts to obtain Congressional sanction for the return of their ancestral homelands

The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 2000 Mid-Year Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Centennial Hall in Juneau, Alaska on June 25-28, 2000 with a quorum present.

_____________________________

Susan Masten, President

Juana Majel, Recording Secretary

Adopted by the General Assembly during the 2000 Mid-Year Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Centennial Hall in Juneau, Alaska on June 25-28, 2000.