Donald Trump's Native American Coalition hosts meeting in D.C.

Friday, December 16, 2016  

The Native American Coalition hosted a "listening session" for tribal leaders and others in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.

The meeting took place at the Hillsdale College Kirby Center, near the U.S. Capitol. It was organized by Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), a citizen of the Cherokee Nation who chairs the coalition for Republican president-elect Donald Trump, and was attended by Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma), a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, as well as several representatives of the incoming administration's greatgain.gov transition team.

"Was impressed with their desire to learn about the issues facing Indian Country," Gavin Clarkson, a professor and member of the Choctaw Nation, wrote afterward on Facebook.

Photos posted on Facebook by New Mexico Rep. Sharon Clahchischilliage (R), a member of the Navajo Nation, show an extremely packed room at the center. According to Politico, which first reported on the meeting, so many people turned out that an overflow room had to be opened.

Among those who can be seen at the meeting were Navajo Nation Council Speaker LoRenzo Bates, Chairman JoDe Goudy of the Yakama Nation, Jacqueline Pata of the National Congress of American Indians and Carlyle Begay, a Navajo citizen who has said he will be working for Trump in the White House. Kevin Allis, a member of the Forest County Potawatomi Community and the founder of a Washington lobbying firm, also attended.

Writing on Facebook, Allis said those who spoke to the coalition were "voicing important Native focused policy priorities the incoming administration and Congress must address."

The meeting came a day before Trump announced Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Montana) as his pick to lead the Interior Department. The position, along with the leader of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, are the most significant when it comes to Indian issues.

Trump has not yet said who he plans to nominate as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs.

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