Council Members Note Obama’s Strong Stance on Combating Meth
ROCKY BOY, MT – The Obama campaign announced today that the Rocky Boy Tribal Council has endorsed Barack Obama for President. The Council, which is the governing body of the Rocky Boy Reservation, passed a resolution endorsing Obama during a meeting this week.
“Sen. Obama understands the many challenges facing Native Americans on reservations in the West, and it is time for a president who is committed to making real change in the lives of the people on the Rocky Boy reservation,” said Council Chairman John “Chance” Houle. “John McCain has been in Washington for twenty-six years, and has had a chance to be an advocate for Native Americans. But he hasn’t been. It’s time for new leadership in Washington D.C.”
In addition to passing the resolution unanimously, the Council noted Sen. Obama’s strong work in fighting the spread of meth on reservations. In a 2006 survey, 74% of tribal law enforcement officials cited meth as the leading threat to their tribes’ livelihood. Sen. Obama has been a strong supporter of funding for the fight against meth, including assistance to children affected by meth abuse and restrictions on the sale of ingredients used to make the drug. He has also called for funding for tribal police programs and tribal courts, and for resolving jurisdiction issues that will enable tribal authorities to deal with the causes of the problem on Indian land.
“We are thrilled to have the support of the Rocky Boy Tribal Council,” said Nicole Willis, First Americans Deputy Vote Director. “American Indians and Alaska Natives are poised to have a decisive impact on the outcome of the presidential election. There are several battleground states, including Montana, Nevada, Alaska, North Dakota and New Mexico, with significant Native American populations that could push the state into the Democratic column.”
“The Obama campaign has made an unprecedented effort to reach out to Native Americans in Montana,” said Gyasi Ross, a member of the Blackfeet tribe and the Constituency Director for the Obama Campaign in Montana. “We look forward to working with Chairman Houle and the other leaders on Rocky Boy over the next few months in order to spread the word about Sen. Obama’s plans and get people on the reservation involved in this historic campaign.”
Obama’s Campaign for Change effort on Rocky Boy is led by Joshua Standing Horse, a Chippewa Cree Tribal member.
With its endorsement, the Rocky Boy Tribal Council joins the tribal councils of Fort Peck and Crow. The Chairman of Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, James Steele, has endorsed Obama in his personal capacity.
--MT Press Office
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