The National Congress of American Indians said tribal leaders will miss Larry Echo Hawk, who is resigning from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Echo Hawk, a member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, joined the Obama administration in May 2009. He took control of the BIA after a long period of instability -- during the Bush administration, the agency saw three different leaders, none of whom stayed longer than 18 months.

"Larry Echo Hawk’s leadership at the Bureau of Indian Affairs has set a new standard for generations to come," NCAI President Jefferson Keel said today. "While he will be greatly missed in this position, his legacy -- the manner in which he carefully listened to tribal leaders and tribal citizens, acted to remove historic barriers for tribes, and framed a new vision for the BIA’s relationship with sovereign tribal governments -- is a legacy that will continue to ripple through the federal government."

“Larry’s service was not only exemplary as a federal official, but also as an American Indian leader who served the United States and tribal nations with dignity and respect. He elevated our nation-to-nation relationship to its rightful place, and for that we are grateful," added Keel, who also serves as the Lt. Governor of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma.

Just last month, NCAI awarded Echo Hawk the prestigious Governmental Leadership Award as part of the organization’s annual Indian Country Leadership Awards. The honor was presented at the organization’s winter session meeting in Washington, D.C., where Echo Hawk discussed his attempts to improve the land-into-trust process, settle water rights disputes and keep the BIA's budget as stable as possible.

“There is no doubt that in the last three year a new era for tribal relations with the United States has emerged and Larry Echo Hawk played no small part in it," said Jacqueline Pata, the executive director of NCAI. "He will always be remembered for the way he acted as the top official of the BIA. He listened with great conviction, setting a tone for consultation that we must always ensure is reflected in the federal government’s approach to nation-to-nation meetings."

“Larry, much like his brother John Echohawk, leads with a quiet strength. He would stay through long meetings, contentious discussions, and resolve to find clear paths for moving forward. His even keeled approach to engaging with his federal counter parts allowed so much work to get done and we wish him the best in his future endeavors," Pata added.

Echo Hawk is leaving the Obama administration to serve as an official with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His departure date has not been announced but Interior Secretary Ken Salazar promised a "smooth transition."

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Statement of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on Larry Echo Hawk (3/30)
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