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While the Canyon de Chelly is our spiritual mother, Navajo peo- 

 ple do not share completely in the benefit of this monument. There 

 is a very lucrative concession at the monument called the Nabert 

 Lodge. It is operated by White Dove, Incorporated, which is owned 

 by nonlndian interests and has a 20-year contract that expires in 

 2004. 



White Dove, Incorporated, pays a franchise fee of only 4.5 per- 

 cent. According to 1993 figures, that concessioner grossed over $5.1 

 million, yet return only $203,104 to the Federal Government. This 

 total includes a $3,700 building use fee. None of this franchise fee 

 money goes to the Navajo Nation, nor does it benefit Canyon de 

 Chelly directly since the fund goes to the Federal Treasury. 



Because of the 1965 Concession Act, Navajo people have been 

 systematically prevented from owning and operating this business 

 on their own land. Really, we have been barred from even trying 

 to operate it. Because of the preferential right to renew contracts 

 guaranteed by the 1965 Act, existing concessioners have a complete 

 unfair advantage. 



All the others who wish to bid on this contract, including my peo- 

 ple, are at a completely unfair competitive disadvantage. While 

 Navajos are employed by White Dove, Incorporated, we also would 

 like the chance to operate the business. We are capable of doing 

 this. The Navajo Nation and individual Navajo people are success- 

 fully operating other similar businesses. 



The U.S. Government war against our people marched us to Fort 

 Sumter and told us that we can come back to our homeland, only 

 to obey the white man's law and behave like U.S. citizens. The 

 Navajo people are patriotic and love America. We fought for Amer- 

 ica in every war this century. It is the Cotuckers who enabled U.S. 

 force to baffle the Japanese in the Pacific during World War II. 



We were told and taught that the American way is supposed to 

 mean equal rights, equal opportunity, and free enterprise. Instead, 

 this concession law violates many principles of America that the 

 Native people respect and have fought for. 



I believe that passing H.R. 773 is what should be done instead 

 of passing H.R. 2028. Only H.R. 773 would put in place a truly 

 competitive system that will open the doors for opportunity to my 

 people; whereas, H.R. 773 eliminates the right of preference and in- 

 stitutes full, open competition. H.R. 2028 does not. If the existing 

 law is not changed and even if H.R. 2028 is enacted, the gate- 

 keepers of Canyon de Chelly will once again be shut out of our own 

 land. 



The 20-year concessions contract at Canyon de Chelly comes up 

 for renewal in 2004 so the Navajo people have to wait nine years 

 for a chance to bid on the contract. If H.R. 2028 were to pass, we 

 will have to wait for another 10 years. And after these 19 years of 

 waiting for a competition, if the concessioner does not do anything 

 wrong, they will get a 5 percent advantage over us and 20 percent 

 if they do well. 



That will be enough to give them the contract for 10 more years. 

 If all this waiting is the result of a system which has had no com- 

 petition, the White Dove's current contract begins back in 1984. 

 How long do my people have to wait for a fair chance to compete 

 for this business? This does not seem like much to ask. I cannot 



