January 24, 2009

House Natural Resources Committee

1324 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-1931 fax

Re: Request for Committee and field hearings on civil rights violations in Indian Country

Dear Chairman Rahall and Honorable Committee Members:

I respectfully submit this letter as a request to your Committee to hold hearings on the growing
number of civil rights abuses occurring in Indian Country.

The number of civil rights violations in Indian Country has reached epidemic proportions.
Thousands upon thousands have been stripped or denied the basic due process and equal
protection rights provided for in the United States Constitution, the Indian Civil Rights Act of
1968 (“ICRA”), and tribal laws.

Most recently, a report by the Government Accountability Office (“GAO”) referenced the fact
that internal tribal disputes “seem to be occurring more and more frequently”. In response to the
growing number of these types of disputes, the GAO felt it was necessary and appropriate that
nominees to the Secretary of Interior be asked how they would address such issues.

The responsibility to address this issue does not lie with the Secretary alone. The number of civil
rights violations in Indian Country will continue to grow unless Congress once again takes
action, just as it did in enacting the ICRA, to further protect individuals from the “arbitrary and
capricious” actions of tribal governments. Considering the current situation and an environment
which rewards the villain and punishes the victim, I ask you, “How do you plan to address this
problem?”

I believe that hearings on the current civil rights situation in Indian Country are not only
warranted, they are long over due. Therefore, I respectfully request that your Committee hold
hearings on the civil rights problem in Indian Country as an initial step to further action that will
uphold and enforce the rights of those who, to date, have been stripped of or denied the basic
rights many take for granted.

I trust you will thoughtfully consider my request, and I will eagerly await your response.

Respectfully submitted,

Name:
Address:
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