175 



For 1995, however, the matter is clear, Congress and the admin- 

 istration must do whatever is necessary to ensure the protection of 

 this year's juvenile salmon migration. 



Senator Hatfield. Could you please summarize now your re- 

 maining testimony 



Mr. Sampson. Yes. 



Senator Hatfield [continuing]. Please, Mr. Sampson. You have 

 gone over your time. 



Mr. Sampson. I am sorry. The next months are critical to the 

 salmon and my people. We must provide the water the salmon 

 need this spring. Structural solutions like drawdowns and new sur- 

 face bypass systems will not be available in 1995. 



Regardless of which set of structural measures is chosen, all four 

 tribes are deeply committed to the restoration of harvestable salm- 

 on runs to all of the tribes usual and accustomed fishing places. 



In conclusion, I would like to again underscore the commitments 

 of the United States in the 1855 treaties. As has often been essen- 

 tial in the past, the tribes will resort to litigation, if necessary, to 

 defend our treaty fisheries. Numerous decisions of the Federal 

 courts have confirmed our rights to take salmon and to have salm- 

 on to take. 



These rights have existed since time immemorial, but they are 

 now threatened, because there are so very few salmon. Please en- 

 sure that salmon are restored. 



PREPARED STATEMENT 



I thank you for the opportunity to present our tribe's views. 

 Senator Hatfield. Thank you, Mr. Sampson. 

 [The statement follows:] 



Prepared Statement of the Columbia River Treaty Tribes 



It is an honor for me to be here today to present testimony on behalf of the Con- 

 federated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the 

 Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the 

 Yakama Indian Nation, and the Nez Perce Tribe. 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 tribes' rights to take salmon. 



As a representative of the Indian people of the Columbia River, who since time 

 immemorial have drawn their sustenance from the River and its salmon, I must im- 

 press upon you the importance of our treaties. Our leaders who signed the treaties 

 only 140 years ago believed that they signed a sacred, solemn contract between na- 

 tions. Through this contract, the tribes reserved the lands and resources upon which 

 our economies were and are based. The treaties also preserved our sovereignty over 

 these lands and resources. Our ancestors believed in the United States' good faith 

 pledge and trusted that the terms of the treaties were secured to the Indian 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 Columbia River, while the salmon runs dwindled 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 and root feasts. The treaties promised 

 more to my people. 



Senators, an emergency exists that penetrates to the core of tribal culture and re- 

 ligion. Our salmon are headed for extinction, unless serious measures are taken. 

 Shortly after our treaties were signed, over 1.5 million salmon returned to the 

 Snake River. Last year, less than 2,000 spring chinook salmon returned to the en- 

 tire Snake River Basin. Worse still, the 1995 spring chinook run is expected to be 

 40 percent less than last year. The year that Bonneville Dam was completed, 72,000 



