Washington Tribes Form State Pac

Sat., Aug. 24, 1996

From Staff And Wire Reports

The state’s 27 Indian tribes have formed a political action committee to lobby state legislators.

The committee hopes to raise $50,000 in tribal contributions in the next month, said PAC Chairman Henry Cagey of the Lummi Nation. The small fund will enable tribes to present their concerns to the Legislature, he said Thursday.

Tribes contend that by treaty and as sovereigns their appropriate relationship is with the federal government, but they still interact with states on such matters as fishing and hunting, Cagey said.

“The Native Americans in Washington are a strong and vital people, and it is time for us to exercise our power as voters and citizens by identifying and supporting the issues that we are concerned about,” he said.

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