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McCollum Joins Cole As Co-Chair of Congressional Native American Caucus

January 30, 2013

For Immediate Release: January 30, 2013
Contact: Maria Reppas (McCollum), (202) 225-6631

Washington, DC – This week, Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) was elected as the Democratic Co-Chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus. She will join Republican Co-Chair Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) in ensuring that the Native American community has a direct voice in Congress.

“The Native American Caucus works to strengthen the relationships between Capitol Hill and Indian Country by providing a forum for the discussion of policy priorities important to tribal nations,” said Congresswoman McCollum. “I look forward to working with my fellow co-chair Representative Tom Cole as we continue working closely with tribal leaders and organizations across the country for the benefit of Indian Country.”

"The Native American Caucus has many great opportunities ahead this year to build on the progress achieved in the last Congress to ensure that sovereignty and trust issues are resolved fairly so that Native Americans can grow their communities and increase tribal economic development,” said Congressman Cole. "I’m happy to welcome Betty McCollum as my new co-chair. She has been a leader on issues important to Indian Country throughout her entire career in Congress. Her passion and enthusiasm will help the caucus advance legislation to help the first Americans who are all too often the last Americans."

The Congressional Native American Caucus is a bipartisan coalition of legislators working to improve nation-to-nation relationships between the federal government and the 566 sovereign tribal nations. For 15 years, the Caucus has worked to protect tribal sovereignty, meet federal trust obligations, and improve the lives of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.

Congresswoman Betty McCollum serves on the House Appropriations Committee.

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