James Steele Jr., the chairman of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of Montana, delivered the annual State of the Tribal Nations Address on Tuesday.

Steele said tribes share the same interests as the state. "I believe that Indian reservations are good for Montana and can, in fact, significantly aid Montana in the area of economic development," he said, the Associated Press.

Indian lawmakers said they are working to ensure better relations with the state. "Through the establishment and development of a lot of friends on both sides of the aisle, we've been able to get some major things through," said House Majority Leader Margarett Campbell (D), a member of the Fort Peck Tribes.

"We've been able to get some major water compacts through. We've been able to get Indian Country Economic Development money put back in and restored at its full level. We've done quite well," Campbell said.

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State of Tribal Nations Address emphasizes mutual respect (AP 3/11)