Title: Douglas Indian Association right to Mayflower Island

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, Mayflower Island, located near the community of Douglas, Alaska will soon be declared "excess" to the needs of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and Douglas Indian Association is and eligible governmental body under the "excess" property guidelines; and,

WHEREAS, under the authority of the Indian Self-Determination Act (P.L. 93-638), as amended, the Bureau of Indian Affairs may acquire real property on behalf of a Tribe, provided those properties are needed in the performance of P.L. 93-638 Contract; and

WHEREAS, the Tribe presently has an Indian Self-Determination Contract with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, but lacks sufficient space for additional needed staff in performance of the P.L. 93-638 Contract; and

WHEREAS, the governing body of the Douglas Indian Association is a nine member council empowered to act for and on behalf of its Tribal members in adopting resolutions and adopted DIA Resolution 95-8-2 to obtain title to Mayflower Island; and

WHEREAS, the Douglas Indian Association remains in operation as a Federally recognized tribe; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby support and affirm Douglas Indian Association’s right to obtain Mayflower Island under the GSA excess property guidelines through the Bureau of Indian Affairs from the Bureau of Land Management; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby acknowledge their support of Douglas Indian Association’s right to Mayflower Island with letters of support and copies of this resolution to the Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby support Douglas Indian Association’s right to Self-Determination through this action as defined in P.L. 93-638.

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.