Representative Responds To Tribal Outreach

Air Date:01/11/2011

By Kealey Bultena

Part of Governor Dennis Daugaard’s speech to lawmakers included an initiative to forge more common ground with American Indian tribes. A Representative says the Governor’s moves could improve relationships with tribes.

Democrat Kevin Killer represents Pine Ridge. He says mentioning South Dakota’s nine tribal nations in the State of the State recognizes important community members.  

Killer says, "Essentially, they’re citizens of a tribal nation, they’re citizens of the United States, and they’re citizens of South Dakota. So that makes them really unique in the fact that they have all those different interests, and how do we meet those interests, especially at a state level? It’s encouraging to hear the governor talk about that, but moving forward we’ll see what king of legislation comes out of committee and see how much input tribal nations have on that."

Killer says the new cabinet-level Secretary of Tribal Relations Daugaard created is another step in the right direction for Native American interests.

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