Richard McCloud, the chairman of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, addressed the North Dakota Legislature on Thursday.

The state has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation -- less than 3 percent. But reservations need job training, more investment and improvements in the education system or they will keep falling behind, McCloud said.

“Imagine, Indian Country with an unemployment rate that matches the state, a prospering economy that not only has enough jobs for tribal members but jobs for its non-tribal neighbors,” McCloud told lawmakers, the Associated Press reported. “As a return on its investment, the state will see the prosperity it shared decrease the dependence on welfare and other dependent social programs.”

The state has benefited from a boom in energy production and McCloud said some of the money could be shared with Indian Country.

Get the Story:
Tribal chairman asks state to share oil wealth (AP 1/10)
Native American Address (KFYR-TV 1/10)