The Crow Tribal Chairman spoke in front of a Senate committee in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.
Frank White Clay endorsed the Crow Revenue Act, which leaders say will yield $100 million for the tribe over the next ten years and return thousands of acres of mineral rights to the tribe.
“This would provide a crucial revenue stream for the Crow tribe as we seek to revitalize our economy,” White Clay said at a United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing.
Some say the way it's written, they're wondering how much money that will actually mean for each Crow tribal member.
If approved, the bill would transfer 4,530 acres of federal mineral rights in Musselshell County to the Hope Family Trust.
In exchange, the Hope Family which currently owns 4,660 acres on private in holdings and mineral rights on the Crow reservation would transfer its mineral rights to the Crow tribe.
However, not all tribe members are happy with his appearance, saying the bill is misleading and was pushed through without the vote of the Crow people.
“It's a big mystery,” said Michael Hill, Apsaalooke Allottees Alliance (AAA) president. “We're not sure what we're going to benefit because it states in here that we're not getting anything.”
Hill says the bill as written, does not state a mineral rights agreement for the Bull Mountain tracks.
“Nothing is said about money coming into the tribe,” said Alee Bird Hat, AAA vice-president.
That concern was addressed at the hearing.
“I'm hearing concerns that the bill as written, doesn't have strong enough guarantees that the tribe will benefit financially,” said Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont.
“I have a lot of folks that are working on this bill to tighten it up and getting amendments between the three different parties,” White Clay said.
Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., sponsored the bill and says it has been fixed to show the tribe would enter an agreement for sharing revenue from the Bull Mountain tracts.
“Talk about falling off a cliff from a revenue viewpoint,” Daines said. “I've been battling with the Crows and for the Crow tribe for many, many years making sure you all can develop your resources.”
Tribal members say support for this bill and the tribal chair’s visit to Washington need to have approval from the General Council made up of voting age Crow tribal members.
“Without notifying her or myself or anybody else that is a member of the Crow tribe, not even going through legislative first,” said Francine Not Afraid, Crow Tribal member.
Q2 has not yet heard back from the chairman for a response about this issue and the bill.
