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'dxd( $ Figure  1   VZY I&mage <=8C HKKKK !  _,   8ޟXXdd8j\6&"`z1% `E,,%y%y,,%j (#(#        (#(#  ReleaseNo. 0059.00     X1XXXPpXX1Remarks#nPp@##XޟXn_#XN XXXޟ 0  AsPreparedforDelivery#XޟX XXN# \ (#(# J  by tH  SecretaryofAgricultureDanGlickmanNationalCongressofAmericanIndians2000ExecutiveCouncilWinterSession2Was232n234hington,DC_46446448778778!87_74___49449February_Ԁ24,20005!Washington,DC5  4 q   Thankyouandgoodafternoon.Itsagreathonortobeherewithyoutodayandtomeet  withtheoldestandoneofthemosteffectiveAmericanIndianadvocacygroups.Thatsatributetoyou,butitsalittledisturbingtome,becauseIamasexactlyasoldasNCAI.IonlyhopethatImstilleffective.  IknowthatImjustoneofaboutsixmembersoftheCabinettobeherewithyouthisweek.ThatkindofturnoutsayssomethingaboutthedepthofcommitmentthisAdministrationhastotheNativeAmericancommunity.Andmakenomistakeaboutititcomesdirectlyfromthetop.PresidentClintonhasmadeitaprioritytomovethegovernmenttogovernmentrelationshiptooneof  true partnership. X   Asweallknow,thenationaleconomyisgrowing_atarate_ԀnearlyunprecedentedinAmericanhistory.Butanyonewhothinksthatourworkisdone,whothinksthatwecanrestonourlaurelsortakeavictorylap,oughttopayavisittoIndiancountry.Theretheywillfindmassiveunemployment;limitedeconomicinfrastructure;overcrowded,unsafehousing;intractablesocialproblems;andsoon.Yearsofneglecthaslefttoomanyreservationsinanunspeakablestateofdistress.  ButwerefusetowriteoffanyAmericancommunity.Weknowthattheseareplacesthathaveeconomicpotential,thatareachingcontributetothenationsprosperity.Thatswhy,attheDepartmentofAgriculture,wearedoingourparttoempowerNativeAmericans.Asthefederalagencythatdealsmostcloselywithprivateland,itonlymakessensethatweshouldworkcloselywiththepeoplethathavethelongestanddeepesttiestoAmericanland.  Tooofteninthepast,however,alackofcommunicationkeptusfrombuildingastrongpartnership.Often,NativeAmericancommunitieshavebeeneligibleforUSDAprograms,buthaventtakenadvantageofthembecausetheydontknowaboutthem.ThatswhywereworkingwithanumberofAmericanIndiancommunitybasedorganizationstobroadenouroutreachandprovidemoreinformationaboutUSDAresourcesandservices.  ӄmore $1/1 Є2+, ,  Andwereseeingtheresults.Justsince1995,USDAloansandloanguaranteestoNativeAmericanfarmershaveincreasedfromonly$2millionto$28.7million.WevealsocontractedwithNativeAmericancompaniestoprovidethetransportationforavarietyofourfoodaidprograms.  Since1995,wehavespentalmost4timesmoreonhousingprogramsintribalcommunitiesthanwedidduringtheprevious4years.Overthesameperiod,weuppedourinvestmentinNativeAmericanbusinessdevelopmentmorethansixfold.Andofthe25Round_TwoEmpowerment_ԀZonesandEnterpriseCommunitiesannouncedlastyear,10have tribesas  `  leadentitiesorpartners.  Lastfall,wecelebratedthe50thanniversaryofUSDAstelecommunicationsprogram. \ 0  Andattheceremony,arepresentativefromtheSanCarlosApachespokemovinglyaboutwhataUSDAloanhasmeantonhisreservation.Itusedtobetheyhadonly14phonelines.Inonecommunity,theyhadapayphoneasinglepayphonetoserve2000people.Peoplewouldstandinlinealldaywaitingtouseit.Buttoday,notonlydotheyhaveInternetaccess,theyhaveenoughphonelinessimplytoreachthepolicewhentheresanemergencyorcontactthehospitalwhenachildissick.  JustabouteverypartofUSDA_hasinitiatives_ԀgearedspecificallytoNativeAmericans.Wehaveagreementswithseveraltribestohelpwithwildlifedamagepreventionefforts.AndwerealsofinalizinganewagreementwiththeNativeAmericanFishandWildlifeSocietytoprovidetrainingonthecontrolofagriculturalpestsandanimaldiseaseprevention.  OurResearch,EducationandEconomicsarmisveryactiveinIndiancountry,trainingandrecruitingyoungNativeAmericansforcareersinagriculturalscienceandresearch.Andoverthelastdecade,theForestServicehascontributed$100,000ayearto15differenttribalcolleges.  Forover20years,wevehadaFoodDistributionProgramonIndianReservations,tohelpfeedlowincomeNativeAmericans.Butwehaverecentlymadevastimprovementsintheprogram,toprovideafoodpackagethatisbothhealthierandtailoredtoNativeAmericantastesandpreferences.  SometimesUSDAemployeesgetinvolvedinassistanceeffortsthatgoaboveandbeyondtheirprogramresponsibilities.Afewmonthsago,afterhearingaboutconditionsinPineRidge,somefolkswhoworkforourChiefFinancialOfficerbegan_a_ԀUSDAwideefforttodonateexcesscomputerstotribalcollegesanduniversities.Already,wehavegathered300PentiumPCs,whichwillbefullytestedbeforedelivery.  AtUSDA,wehavebeensteadfastinourrespectandsupportforthesubsistencetraditionthatissomuchapartoftheNativeAlaskanwayoflife.SincetheAlaskalegislaturefailedtomeetitsdeadlinetocomplywithfederallawandupholdtheruralsubsistencepriority,SecretaryBabbittandIhavehadnochoicebuttobeginimplementingregulationsforfederalmanagementofAlaskanfisheries.Werenotinthehabitofcominginandadministeringstateaffairs,butwehadnootherchoice.WearedoingitbecauseitsthelawandbecauseitstherightthingtodoforAlaskaNatives.----/  /.more 0/3 Є3.--//  Ifthe2001budgetrequestwerecentlysubmittedtoCongressisfullyfunded,IbelievetherewillbemanymoresuccessstoriesliketheonesIvementioned.ThePresident_hasaskedfor_ԀaboutonethirdmoredollarsforUSDAsNativeAmericanprogramsthanwewillspendthisyear.ThegreatestincreaseswouldbeinRuralDevelopment,wherewewanttomorethandoubleourspendingonprogramsdesignatedforNativeAmericancommunitiesandourExtensionService,whereweproposea57percentlargerinvestmentnextyear.  LetmejustclosebysayingthatoneofmymostimportantprioritiesasSecretaryofAgriculture!_somethingthatIhope_Ԁwillbeapartofmylegacy!isavigorouscommitmentto  `  civilrights,tofairness,inclusionandrespectinthedeliveryofallourprogramsandthetreatmentofallouremployees.ThathasntalwaysbeentheattitudeatUSDA,butwearedeterminedtomakeitso.  InsigningthelegislationtocreatetheAgricultureDepartment,AbrahamLincolncalledusthe PeoplesDepartment.ItismyhopeandmybeliefthatwecanliveuptothatnametothefullestbymakinggoodonourcommitmenttoalloftheAmericanpeople.0  0Thankyouverymuch.11  (##(#