Shirley lobbies in Washington

Navajo Times
March 22, 2007

President Joe Shirley Jr. was in Washington, D.C., recently to lobby for programs and funding important to the tribe.

These include rehabilitation of the former Bennett Freeze area; assistance to obtain a $500 million interest-free federal loan; retention of Johnson-O'Malley education funding; and the opening of a new Navajo Nation Washington Office, according to a news release from the president's office.

Shirley met with Rep. Rick Renzi, R-Ariz., and Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., to request that they hold field hearings in the western Navajo Nation where the recently lifted Bennett Freeze prevented development for 40 years.

He said he would like the people affected by the freeze to tell Congress directly what they would like to see done to rehabilitate the 1.5 million-acre area.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has sponsored legislation to close the Office of Navajo-Hopi Relocation in Flagstaff. The Navajo Nation would rather see the office moved to Tuba City and revamped to oversee reconstruction of the Bennett Freeze area.

Shirley also asked the congressmen to support his request for a $500 million interest-free federal loan to the tribe that would be used to construct infrastructure and other improvements to raise the living standard, as the BIA and other federal service providers have historically been unable to do so.

"The Navajo Nation needs water lines, power lines, roads," Shirley said. "We continue to be 30 years behind the times. Never has the government talked about meeting our unmet needs. If you're not going to give it to us, lend it to us. We're good for it."

Shirley said there has never been enough federal funding to meet the needs of the Navajo people, whether through the BIA, Indian Health Service or other funding sources. A loan would give the nation the wherewithal to do it itself, he said.

Renzi said he would take the proposal to the White House himself.

Shirley also asked the congressmen to oppose cuts in the Johnson-O'Malley Program, which helps Native children success in school.

Shirley also met with Education Deputy Assistant Secretary Richard LaPointe and BIA transportation chief LeRoy Gishi about Navajo Nation education and road needs.