Audio: House panel hearing on Indian housing bill
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Filed Under:
Politics
The
House Natural
Resources Committee held a hearing on Wednesday on an Indian housing bill.
H.R.2523,
the Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership (HEARTH) Act,
was introduced on May 20. It allows tribes to approve trust land leases for home
sites, cutting the
Bureau of
Indian Affairs out of what can be a long process.
Tribal leaders said it can take up to two years for the BIA to approve leases, leading to a shortage in housing and forcing their members to move off the reservation.
Arvin Trujillo, the executive director of the
Navajo Nation Division of Natural Resources described the process as "black hole."
The hearing lasted about 95 minutes. You can download audio clips below:
• Opening Statements
Panel 1 - Testimony |
Q&A
Mr. Jerry Gidner
Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs
Panel 2 - Testimony |
Q&A
Governor Everett Chavez
Governor, Santo
Domingo Pueblo
The Honorable Harvey Moses, Jr.
Vice President, Affiliated Tribes of Northwest
Indians
Mr. Arvin Trujillo
Executive Director, Division of
Natural Resources, Navajo
Nation
Ms. Cheryl A. Parish
Executive Director, Bay Mills Housing
Authority
Committee Hearing:
Full
Committee Legislative Hearing On H.R. 2523 (October 21, 2009)
Related Stories:
Witness list for House hearing on Indian housing
(10/20)
House Resources
hearing on Indian housing bill (10/14)
Rep. Heinrich introduces Indian homeownership
bill (5/21)
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