Native Legislators seek to “Hold Their Ground” in Montana

In the upcoming Montana Legislative session, beginning January 4^th, veteran tribal legislators say that the Indian Caucus will be fortunate to hold on to gains in previous legislatures for Montana Tribes.

“We are operating under a super majority and have to spend our small political capital wisely” said Senator Jason Small (R) serving his second term in the district which contains both the Crow and Cheyenne reservations. Small, the sole Native republican chaired the Tribal Caucus for the past two years.

The Montana Legislature is now roughly 70% Republican.

“Our challenge will be getting heard during this climate of less government and taxes” explained Representative Sharon Stewart-Peregory, Crow. Peregoy in her third term has previously served in both the Senate and House of Representatives.  A member of the State Rules Committee, she is already battling to ensure that bills receive a hearing and due legislative process.

While Montana’s Indian population is 6.7% of the state, only eleven Natives have been elected to the Montana State Legislature.  In addition to Small, the lone Republican and Peregoy that includes Senator Shane Morigeau (Flathead); Senator Susan Webber (Blackfeet); Senator Mike Fox (Fort Peck); Representative Marvin Weatherwax (Blackfeet); Representative Tyson Running Wolf (Blackfeet); Representative Jonothan Windy Boy (Rocky Boy); Representative Rynaela Whiteman Pena (Northern Cheyenne); Representative Frank Smith (Fort Peck) and Representative Donovan Hawk, Butte.  Morigeau, Webber, Weatherwax and Windy Boy are seasoned legislatures while the others are new-comers to State politics.

“It takes a little while to learn the ropes in the State Legislature.  Give and take and working across the aisle is often necessary to achieve you goals” Small noted, “but in the past and hopefully now the Indian caucus has stuck together regardless of Tribal or party affiliation.”

Key to their efforts will be saving the State Tribal Economic Development Program Small (STEDC) and Peregoy both agreed.  Under that State funded grants (ICED) are provided to individual Indian entrepreneurs to stimulate private sector economic development on the Montana reservations, a loan program and the STED Commission which meets regularly to advise on State-Tribal relations and to propose legislation helpful and necessary to the Tribes.  “Otherwise, anything with a price tag may be hard to come by in this Republican dominated climate,” Small predicted.

 

(Clara Caufield can be reached at acheyennevoice@gmail.com)

 

 

 

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