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Mr. Sampson. I come from Pendleton, OR. My Indian name is 

 Pukt Ahowalaugh, and I come from Wallula, which is where the 

 Columbia and Snake come together. It is an honor for me to be 

 here to present testimony on behalf of the Umatilla, Warm Springs, 

 Yakama, and Nez Perce Nations. 



In the spring of 1855, these four tribes negotiated treaties with 

 the United States, in which each tribe reserved and the United 

 States guaranteed the tribe's right to take salmon. 



I heard people say earlier that they are facing the biggest crisis 

 of Bonneville Power in 54 years. Our tribes face the greatest chal- 

 lenge "and crisis in the thousand upon thousand upon thousand 

 years of our history in this country. 



Our leaders who signed the treaties only 140 years ago believed 

 that they signed a sacred, solemn contract between nations. This 

 is the first and foremost contract with America. It is the supreme 

 law of the land. 



Through this contract the tribe reserved the lands and the re- 

 sources upon which our economies were based and are based. No- 

 body here has talked about the devastation to our economy over 

 the past 200 years. 



Our ancestors believed in the United States' good faith pledge, 

 and trusted that the terms of the treaties were secured to the In- 

 dian people for all time. 



It is ironic that I am here today to testify about the uncertain 

 financial well-being of the Bonneville Power Administration, which 

 has generated billions of dollars of power revenues from the Colum- 

 bia River, while the salmon runs dwindle to their lowest in history. 



This year, for the first time in my peoples' history, there may be 

 no salmon for our spring salmon ceremonies. 



Senators, an emergency exists that penetrates to the core of trib- 

 al culture and religion. Our salmon are headed for extinction, un- 

 less serious measures are taken. 



Shortly after our treaties were signed, over 1.5 million salmon re- 

 turned to the Snake River. Last year, 800 returned. In about 2 

 weeks, juvenile salmon will begin their seaward migration. Ap- 

 proximately 7.5 million juvenile spring chinook will migrate in 

 1995. In 1996, it is projected only 1.5 million will migrate, and 

 1997 will be worse. 



It is paramount to the salmon survival and to the Indian people 

 that we protect the juvenile salmon to the fullest extent possible. 



Senator Hatfield, because of the severity of the crisis this spring, 

 our tribe sent a letter to President Clinton seeking a declaration 

 of emergency. The tribes have restoration plans for the Snake 

 River tributaries, but our efforts will be for naught if the salmon 

 perish in the Federal hydroelectric system. 



Our tribal governments have heard the many messages that we 

 cannot fix the problems and save the salmon. I disagree with these 

 messages. Senator Hatfield, you know the track record of the 

 Umatilla Tribe on salmon recovery. 



With your leadership and support, we successfully put water and 

 salmon back into the Umatilla River. This is a river where the 

 salmon have been gone for 70 years, where stream flows dry up for 

 6 months every year, and where the conflict was as contentious as 

 any in the Northwest. 



