They came to Washington in their headdresses. They came and pitched tepees in front of the Capitol. At any other time, representatives of the country's 555 Native American tribes might have been arriving in the nation's capital for a celebration or to teach visitors about their history and way of life. But this time they were there because they were mad. And scared.
What scares them is a plan by many members of Congress to take away hundreds of millions of dollars that the government usually spends to help Native Americans. "The Indians are taking it in the neck," said John McCain, a Senator from Arizona who opposes the plan. The Indians who arrived in Washington last week from 23 states were there to protest the plan.
Why Congress Is Cutting Money
Why is Congress so interested in reducing the funds of Indians, many of whom are terribly poor? It is part of a tremendous cost-cutting movement sweeping through the government. For years the U.S. government has spent more money than it takes in from taxes. Now Congress says it is time to stop overspending. In order to do that, all sorts of Americans will have to give up some of the things they are used to getting from the government. This may include money that goes for health care, the environment and the poor.
Indians too must make sacrifices, says Slade Gorton, a powerful Senator from Washington State. Gorton wants to cut the amount of money they get from $1.7 billion a year to $1.5 billion. He says if the money isn't taken away from the Indians, it would be taken away from things that we all enjoy, like national parks. if some pages were missing from life's history book.
The Poorest Americans
The Indians are upset because the government money helps pay for important things like police, medical care, education and even food on the reservations where they live. Native Americans are some of the neediest people in the country. One out of every 2 Indian children who are younger than 6 lives in poverty. One out of 5 Indian homes has no telephone or indoor bathroom. Most homes also lack electricity. And that is true even before the money is cut.
A visit to the Pine Ridge Oglala Sioux reservation in South Dakota makes it easy to see why the Indians are so worried. Families there are packed into tiny, tumbledown shacks. Nine people cram together in Michael Little Boy's leaky hut. In the winter, the frigid wind cuts through the house like a knife. Little Boy and many others on the reservation would like to make a better life for their families. But there are few jobs or other ways to make money. Pine Ridge has no factories, no malls and almost no place to work. Many people lose hope and become addicted to alcohol.
Young Native Americans, such as Leon Brave Heart, 22, would like to go to college and train for a career. But they do not have the money to pay for it. If the Senate plan goes through, there will be even less money for education.
A Promise To The Tribes
Native Americans have another argument against the plan to cut their funds. They say their tribes have a special deal with the government. Each of the tribes was once considered an independent nation that was at war with the U.S. When they lost those wars, they were forced to give up their lands. But in return, the U.S. government promised it would look after the health, education and welfare of the tribes' members. To Native Americans, the Senate's plan to cut funding looks a lot like a broken promise.
Senator Gorton disagrees. "I do not believe there is a permanent duty, lasting not only a century and a half but forever," to support the tribes financially. Many people--even Indians--agree with Gorton that it is time for Native Americans to become less dependent on the government. The question is how to do this without causing great suffering.Canada: "That's where all the action is."