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many tribes. In addition, tribal management and development funds have enabled the Band 

 and many other tribes to improve their fish and game management, promote tourism, and 

 otherwise enhance the conservation and development of tribal natural resources. 



Elimination of a stable funding source for these important programs with no 

 guarantee that ongoing projects will be continued -- as the Bush budget proposed -- would 

 deal a severe blow to the stable development of tribal natural resource programs, putting 

 at risk the years of progress which these programs have made. 



The timing of this proposal is particularly bad because the tribes are now working to 

 develop a legislative proposal to secure a share of DJPR funds for tribes. The Bush 

 proposal would short circuit this work and pre-empt congressional efforts to address it as 

 well. We urge the Committee to oppose any such proposal. 



2. Proposal to disregard Congressional directive concerning appropriations 



increases . The second Bush Administration FY94 BIA budget proposal would also affect 

 fish hatchery operations and tribal management and development funds as well as funding 

 for the rights protection programs. (As the Committee is aware, the rights protection 

 program encompasses a broad range of activities that enables tribes to implement their 

 treaty hunting and fishing rights.) Over the last several years. Congress has added significant 

 funds to all three of these accounts. The Bush Administration has consistently sought to 

 eliminate these increases. While Congress has continued to restore them, the BIA does not 

 distribute the restored funds until at least four months into the next fiscal year. This greatly 

 disrupts the programs and makes long range planning impossible. 



During the FY 1993 appropriations process, Congress instructed the BIA to place 

 increases in these programs into the base budget and to include them in its proposed budget 

 for FY 1994. The Bush budget proposed to disregard this directive and to eliminate all add- 

 ons for BIA natural resource programs. 



This manipulation of budget figures has real and disastrous consequences for the 

 targeted programs, putting in serious jeopardy the ability of the affected tribes to protect 

 reservation natural resources. We urge the Committee to oppose any such proposal. 



In conclusion, let me restate that the Reservation's natural resources are one of the 

 biggest assets the Band has to provide cultural, subsistence, economic, and social 

 opportunities for the tribal membership. By drafting comprehensive fish and wildlife 

 legislation, Congress can fulfill the trust responsibility to tribes and assist tribal governments 

 in fulfilling their responsibility to protect, conserve and enhance tribal resources for present 

 and future generations. 



Thank you for the opportunity to testify. I would be happy to answer any questions 

 you may have about our concerns. 



