Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise to speak on S. 3234, the Indian Community Economic Enhancement Act of 2016.

For years, Indian communities have experienced serious socio-economic challenges. Unacceptably high rates of unemployment, remote locations, and a lack of infrastructure are just a few of the problems affecting either the quality of life for Indian people or the ability to build strong sustainable economies.

The Federal programs available to facilitate or create economic opportunities are not structured to effectively target these communities. The Federal bureaucracy underlying various programs also inhibits economic growth as well.

The Committee on Indian Affairs, which I chair, has conducted several hearings, listening sessions, and a roundtable on economic development. The primary concerns from Indian tribes, business owners, and tribal organizations have largely focused on access to capital. The Federal mechanisms for increasing available capital that have been used by Indian tribes or businesses to some degree include loan guarantees, tax credits, tax-exempt bond financing, community development financial institutions, CDFIs, and procurement programs.

This bill is intended to address several of these mechanisms by amending four key Federal laws affecting Indian communities: Native American Business Development, Trade Promotion, and Tourism Act of 2000; Native American Programs Act; Indian Trader Act; and the Buy Indian Act.

By amending these laws, the bill would benefit Indian communities by increasing access to capital for Indian tribes and businesses, increasing opportunities for Indian business promotion, and creating mechanisms and tools to attract business to Indian communities.

This bill will amend the Native American Business Development, Trade Promotion, and Tourism Act of 2000 in four ways. First, it would require interagency coordination between the Secretaries of Commerce, Interior, and Treasury to develop initiatives encouraging investment in Indian communities. It would elevate the Director for the Indian programs in the Department of Commerce. The bill would make permanent the waiver of the requirement for Native CDFIs to provide a matching cost share for assistance received by the Treasury CDFI. In addition, the bill would establish the Indian Economic Development Fund to support the Bureau of Indian Affairs Indian loan guarantee and CDFI bond guarantee program for Indian communities.

The bill would also amend the Native American Programs Act to reauthorize the economic development programs For economic development programs governed by this act, the bill would prioritize applications and technical assistance for building tribal court systems and code development for economic development, supporting CDFIs, and developing master plans for community and economic development.

This legislation would also amend the Indian Trader Act. The bill maintains current law and actions taken thereunder, but simply adds authority for the Secretary of the Interior to waive the licensing requirement for traders under this statute where an Indian tribe has a tribal law governing trade or commerce in its Indian lands.

The bill would amend the Buy Indian Act to facilitate the use of and more accountability for the Buy Indian Act in procurement decisions by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service.

Through this bill, more jobs at the local level would be created and small businesses are assisted. Indian tribes could engage in more cohesive community development and infrastructure building. In addition, Federal bureaucracy is diminished, thereby reducing the costs of economic development.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance this important and beneficial piece of legislation for Indian communities. ______

By Mr. LEAHY (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Franken, and Ms. Hirono):

S. 3241. A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to reaffirm the United States' historic commitment to protecting refugees who are fleeing persecution or torture; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

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