The National Congress of American Indians is holding its annual winter session in Washington, D.C., this week. Here's a rundown of what happened on Tuesday.

Judicial Brouhaha
Recently retired Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colorado) made his first appearance at NCAI since returning to private life. He was warmly received as he touched on a wide range of subjects, from energy to the budget to trust reform. "Everybody knows" that Indian beneficiaries are owed money, he said. "It just seems to me it's time to start cutting some checks."

He also chimed in on tribal opposition to judicial nominee Bill Myers. Campbell, who voted last year to end the Democratic filibuster against Myers, did not say he opposed the former Interior Department solicitor for a spot on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

"Frankly, I don't know Myers at all and I don't want to malign him," he told NCAI. But he supported NCAI's efforts to voice tribal complaints about the lawyer who rolled back protections for sacred sites and sought to limit the trust responsibility. "That letter should just be the first step" in the campaign, he said of an NCAI letter to the White House.

Remembering a Great Leader
In memory of the late Mark Jacobs Jr., a revered Alaska Native leader who passed away on January 13 at the age of 81, the Tlingit-Haida Tribal Council donated $5,000 to the NCAI Embassy of Tribal Nations in Washington, D.C. "NCAI ran through his blood," said Ed Thomas, council president. "He really believed NCAI was important for all of us."

Jacobs was active in the Alaska Native Brotherhood, the Alaska Federation of Natives and was the vice president emeritus of the Tlingit-Haida Tribes. He was a World War II veteran who served in the U.S. Navy.

NCAI treasurer Ron Allen will give up an update on efforts to raise $12 million for the embassy this morning.

Social Security
President Bush has called for major reform of Social Security and NCAI is joining the debate by seeking to analyze and inform on the potential impacts on American Indians and Alaska Natives. The centerpiece of the proposal is a partial privatization of the system through investment accounts for workers.

Sarah Hicks, an NCAI staffer, gave an update on the latest discussions, which have slowed down as some Republicans voice concerns. She said Native Americans, due to low income levels and underemployment, could be hurt depending on how the proposal is fleshed out. "There are a lot of hidden dangers here," she told NCAI.

Leslie Lohse, the treasurer of the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians of California, said Indian Country should take advantage of the situation. "It is not a done deal," she said. "There is time for input."

Fred Matt, the chairman of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of Montana, encouraged tribes to look at the debate in light of high unemployment rates on reservations. "There's a bigger picture we need to convey," he said. "Our people would just like to have the jobs to pay into Social Security."

Protecting Sovereignty
Rep. Dale Kildee (D-Michigan), a vice co-chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus, brought along his trusty copies of the U.S. Constitution and the Marshall U.S. Supreme Court decision as he urged tribes to do all they can to protect their rights. "Your sovereignty is your greatest possession," he said.

Kildee said he is working with Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-Rhode Island) to ensure tribes are not negatively affected by the National Labor Relations Board's decision to assert jurisdiction over on-reservation tribal enterprises. "We should not let them come and slice and slice and slice your sovereignty," he said. Tribes should be treated the same as states with the regard to the labor law, he said.

Indian Affairs Agenda
Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) laid out his priorities as the new chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. He promised to push the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, seek a solution to the Cobell v. Norton lawsuit and trust reform, address off-reservation gaming, improve the federal budget and continue his investigation of two disgraced lobbyists. A separate story on his remarks will be published later.

Looking Ahead
Today is officially the final day of the winter session although meetings on tribal issues continue tomorrow. Phil Hogen, the chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission, and Ernie Stevens Jr., the chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association, will give an update. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-West Virginia), ranking member of the House Resources Committee, and Rep. John Conyers (D-Michigan) are on the agenda. Outside of NCAI, an open house at the new Residence Inn by Marriott, a venture involving four tribes, is being held.

Relevant Links:
National Congress of American Indians - http://www.ncai.org