Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) made history on Tuesday as the first woman to lead the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.

Cantwell has been a member of the committee since she joined the Senate in 2001. Known for defeating tribal sovereignty foe Slade Gorton, she quickly became an advocate for tribes in her state and for others across the nation, a role that she vowed to continue in her new post.

"I look forward to making this a very productive committee and session for all of those that we work to represent," Cantwell said at the committee's first business meeting of the 113th Congress.

Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) will continue as vice chair. He noted the historic nature of Cantwell being the first woman to serve as chair.

"This is an important first step that been a long time in coming and I think really a good one for Indian Country," Barrasso said.

The committee is unique in other ways this session. There are four new members -- Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) and Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-North Dakota), Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Sen. Debra Fischer (R-Nebraska), all freshmen.

Though the committee has yet to hold a hearing, Cantwell has been making her mark on Indian issues this session. Earlier this month, she helped defeat amendments to S.47, a bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, that would have weakened protections for American Indian and Alaska Native women.

Cantwell didn't talk about specific issues during yesterday's meeting, when the rules of the committee and a spending resolution were adopted. But her new staff director, Mary Pavel, a member of the Skokomish Tribe of Washington, held a listening session directly afterwards and took input from attendees of the National indian Education Association who were in town for their legislative summit and other interested parties.

Committee Notice:
BUSINESS MEETING (February 26, 2013)

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