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JANUARY 8, 2001

With the Senate equally split between Democrats and Republicans for the first time in more than a century, the two parties on Friday agreed to share power with one another in hopes of preventing legislative deadlock under President-elect George W. Bush.

A power-sharing agreement brokered by Tom Daschle (D-S.Dakota) and Trent Lott (R-Miss), splits membership, staffing, budgets, and office among the Senate's various committees between the parties. Lott himself will take the title of Senate Majority Leader from Daschle once Bush is inaugurated.

But for the committee key to Indian Country, the most significant change already occurred with the official defeat of Republican Slade Gorton last month. A former member of Committee on Indian Affairs, the group is now devoid of the man many viewed as the main foe to tribal sovereignty.

Gorton's departure also affects the Subcommittee on Department of Interior Appropriations, which he formerly chaired. Under Gorton, the Bureau of Indian Affairs saw its largest funding increase ever in the budget bill Gorton brought to the Senate floor.

Otherwise, little has changed for the Indian Affairs committee, comprised of seven Republicans and six Democrats, mostly from Western states. Its most prominent member and only Native American in Congress, Republican Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado, has announced he will run for re-election in 2004. It would be his third term.

Elsewhere in Congress, the House of Representatives also made its own changes in leadership last week. Joe Skeen (R-N.Mex) was named Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations on Thursday.

"This committee focuses on funding for several critical issues and programs such as our national parks, national wildlife refuges, . . . services for Native Americans, . . . and overall management of our public lands," said Skeen. And like Bush's nominee for Secretary of Interior, Gale Norton, Skeen is promising to bring a balanced view to lands management.

James V. Hansen (R-Utah) now chairs the House Resources Committee, which has jurisdiction over Indian legislation. He recently wrote a letter to Bush, seeking his support in overturning several regulations and decisions made by President Bill Clinton on the environment.

Hansen's recommendations include rescinding a rule proposed by the Federal Aviation Administration which limits commercial air tours over the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

The Hualapai and Havasupai Tribes both support limiting the flights. The Havasupai, who make their home at the bottom of the Canyon, would like to end flights altogether and the Hualapai are currently involved in litigation over the rules.

The FAA itself announced a delay in the rule's effective date on Thursday pending safety issues raised by several air tour companies during the course of the litigation.

Relevant Links:
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs - www.senate.gov/~scia
The Senate Committee on Appropriations - www.senate.gov/~appropriations
The House Committee on Appropriations - www.house.gov/appropriations
The House Committee on Resources - resourcescommitee.house.gov