Dear CTUIR Members,
Since President Donald J. Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, we at the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) – along with our lobbyist teams in Oregon, Washington State and Washington, D.C. – have been keeping an eye on the executive orders emanating from the White House and their impacts.
Many executive orders are Trump’s attempts to consolidate power into the executive branch. Others have dealt with cutting spending, including the infamous Jan. 27 memo that temporarily suspended federal grants and loans and raised concerns about cuts to critical programs. Although this memo was later rescinded, it initially caused great confusion for tribal governments, nonprofit entities, state agencies and city governments.
It is important to remember that many of those tribal funds that were targeted are tied to federal obligations under the trust responsibilities of the federal government. Under the U.S. Constitution, treaties are considered the supreme law of the land, and the federal government has a fiduciary and trust responsibility to the CTUIR under the Treaty of 1855.
Please be assured the CTUIR Board of Trustees, Executive Management Team, Office of Legal Counsel and lobbyist teams are committed to protecting any funds obligated to the CTUIR under the Treaty of 1855 and other congressional acts. We will purse every legal and political avenue available to safeguard these funds.
Given the rapid and sometimes unpredictable nature of the executive orders coming from the Trump administration, we track and assess but cannot respond to every executive order or action. We remain confident that public scrutiny, federal courts, and the rule of law will address much of what is proposed.
Many of the president’s actions also do not allow for proper public notice and input such as seen in legislation and go against the spirit of the separation of powers in the Constitution. Because of this we encourage our congressional representatives and senators to assert Congress’s powers and ensure that presidential powers are not overreached.
The well-being and peace of mind of our CTUIR members are our top priority.
Thank you for your patience and trust as we navigate uncertain times. We truly appreciate your understanding and will keep informed of any important developments as they arise.
Respectfully,
J.D. Tovey, Executive Director
