state bar association thinks for being with us. >> i am incredibly honored to be here today with the platform in every committee member this afternoon. the most urgent thing and would strongly recommend is the urgency to redefine the relationship in the united states and far too long the relationship is incredibly short of our ancestors in dishes with tribal nations countries around the world have embrace those fundamental principles that

we should have with the united states would hundred 44 countries with the un general assembly can in the new zealand in the united states and president obama announced the declaration and. we gave to natalie raise the declaration and without political equality and i have witnessed firsthand unilateral action president

clinton with president obama both endorse a consultation a policy through executive order but from our perspective consultation is to go through indian country to find instances even over the political and policy objections when we consult only to find out there is unilateral action affecting our resources them people we need a quality for the relationship to be redefined second is to negotiate disputes for crowfoot has a dispute with canada they don't perceive the determined course of action but there is the element of diplomacy where people bargaining position is

recognized going to dispute resolution to resolve disputes. we don't have that luxury the only option is lawsuits. said the case was 3.$9 billion lawsuit of tribal nations of largest class-action lawsuit in history to keep up the responsibility. so there is no mechanism to read paul - - resolve disputes. and the territories are exclusive we have witnessed agencies such as the ira's read our national treasuries for the welfare benefits.

we need to safeguard our jurisdiction and related to their relationship. so from that perspective there isn't for tribal nations there is still the perception somehow no political equality on the table that is on the united states side i would encourage every member that was called the quiet crisis july of 2003 it is a raging crisis not humanitarian to talk about the failure to live up to that responsibility right now

one-third of the american homes are crowded 6% are considered inadequate 16 percent lacked telephone service despite disparities is spend less per capita than on any other group in italy spending 50 percent less on beneficiaries from the average american in citizens with education high levels of dropout per capita it doesn't matter which indices you're looking at we're incredibly short with

limited ability to raise taxes that many of those symptoms to use the are of much deeper problem that there is no political equality. >> 84 being here today i am hoping we get some copies for the platform committee what is the most urgent issue is how can we address that of the platform committee? spirit is the federal government by formalizing a the relationship with the exclusive jurisdiction and

now we're trying to reach profits as governing bodies on the other hand, funding is limited. >> thank you so much for your testimony there is a need to reform the narrative often times that slavery was the original sin and that is untrue and how do we insure that its possession of indigenous people to disease as well as attack?

of course, those every evil and barbaric but had to reshape that narrative that they're not rendered invisible and that is the question what types of stories that we tell to each other. >> that was the most encouraging thing when obama was first elected that shattered the us shackles of slavery opening a new chapter of hope and if you go back it is mixed where it understands that extent the tribal nations suffer if you go into indian country it is not a lack of trying gore

choice but the fundamental issues we operated nation and they can take unilateral action over the objections at the same time to reach your own tax dollars and to update this report am hoping in this report to get to the question you're asking what can we do but very few are implemented. >> 84 reminding yes about this toxic relationship if you could provide the committee with some good examples of places around the world if they're doing a

better job to get this relationship right kasai wac thinking creatively for a long time. >> i appreciate that with the conference of parties and had a chance to sit down with the ambassadors from other countries that have another policy for those are excellent examples the we're looking and innovation that i would stress there is a lot of traditional indigenous knowledgef the global crisis facing a regeneration and of the non-american emerging technologies but the past because it is proven through the