Johnson Discusses Economic Development With South Dakota Tribal Leaders, Native Business Owners

Johnson Discusses Economic Development With South Dakota Tribal Leaders, Native Business Owners

U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) met today with tribal leaders and Native business owners to discuss economic development issues and budget concerns in Indian Country. Earlier this week, Johnson announced his new economic development agenda, the Hometown Prosperity Plan.

"In this era of shrinking budgets and the President's woefully inadequate budget proposal for programs serving Indian Country, tribes must continue to strive to build and develop economic opportunity in reservation communities," Johnson said. "Working to develop economies in Indian Country requires a careful balancing act of protecting tribal sovereignty, reliable dispute resolution, fair government policies, and promotion of culturally appropriate practices, all of which are things we can work toward together.

Johnson's Hometown Prosperity Plan represents priorities for advancing South Dakota's economy from the federal level in consultation with tribal leaders in the spirit of the government-to-government cooperation between tribal nations and the United States. Johnson will continue to pursue federal legislation promoting economic development, fully funding access to capital grant programs, while maintaining substantial consultation and communication with tribal leaders. For further details on the full plan, please visit Johnson's website at http://johnson.senate.gov.

Senator Johnson has worked with tribes to improve the economy in Indian Country. He introduced The Native American Small Business Development Act, which would establish an Office of Native American Affairs within the Small Business Administration (SBA) to implement SBA programs for Native-owned businesses. The bill currently has nine cosponsors and is pending before the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.

Johnson has also worked to promote Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) which bring traditionally underserved markets into the financial mainstream. Representatives from several of the financial institutions that serve Indian Country in South Dakota and have received assistance from the CDFI fund joined in Senator Johnson's listening session today. According to the US Treasury, every dollar invested in a CDFI leverages $21 in private investment.

Additionally, Johnson discussed President Bush's 2007 budget proposal, which contains enormous shortfalls and omissions that will severely hurt programs serving Indian Country. If it were to be enacted as the President proposed, Bush's budget would cut funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) by $65 million.

In Johnson's role as a member of the Appropriations, Budget, and Indian Affairs Committees, he continues to work with colleagues to ensure funding for many of these programs that are essential to the needs of Indian country.

"It is always important to come home and meet with my friends in Indian Country. I'm thankful to all the tribal leaders and tribally owned business representatives who took part in today's listening session. Their comments will be very helpful on my return to Washington as I continue to promote the development of tribal economies," said Johnson.

http://johnson.senate.gov/~johnson/releases/200604/2006424654.html