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Rep. Betty McCollum Commends Leech Lake District III Rep. Eugene "Ribs" Whitebird for His National Leadership at NCAI

March 8, 2012

For Immediate Release: March 8, 2012
Contact: Maria Reppas, (202) 225-6631 / (202) 527-0149 maria.reppas@mail.house.gov

Washington, DC – During remarks delivered at the National Congress of American Indian's (NCAI) Tribal Nations Legislative Summit yesterday, Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-St. Paul) thanks tribal leaders from across the U.S. for their efforts to lobby on behalf of tribal communities and families.

In attendance in his role as NCAI Midwest Vice-President Alternate was the Hon. Eugene "Ribs" Whitebird, District III Representative on the Leech Lake Reservation Business Committee. During her remarks to the national audience of tribal leaders, Rep. McCollum called Representative Whitebird a "distinguished leader, a dear friend, and a trusted mentor whose opinion I take to heart."

Congresswoman McCollum, a member of the Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee which funds the Bureau of Indian Affairs, later thanked Representative Whitebird for his willingness to travel to Washington, DC to testify before the Interior Subcommittee later this month on March 27th and 28th when two days of public testimony from tribal leaders will take place.

"Ribs has testified in Congress before and he is a powerful voice for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and all of Indian Country. He is always fighting for better education, more jobs and increased investment in the Leech Lake community," McCollum said.

In her remarks to the NCAI conference McCollum stated, "Congress must not cut the deficit by cutting programs vital to the future of Indian children or elders or families. This Congress needs to fully fund the programs that meet your needs – the needs of Indian Country for today and for tomorrow."

Congresswoman Betty McCollum serves on the House Appropriations and Budget Committees.

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