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 http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20000225/pl/clinton_indians_1.html

 Friday February 25 3:09 PM ET
Clinton Plans Indian Program Boost
By MATT KELLEY Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Clinton brought American Indian
tribal leaders to the White House on Friday to publicize his
plan to pump $1.2 billion more into federal Indian programs.
"There is no better time than now," he said.

"While some of today's tribes have found success in our new
economy, far too many have been caught in the cycle of
poverty and unemployment," said Clinton, flanked by a dozen
tribal leaders. "Too many have suffered from government's
failure to invest proper resources in education,
infrastructure and health care."

Clinton's 2001 budget proposal would increase overall
spending on Indian programs by more than 12 percent to $9.4
billion. It would devote more money to building and
repairing reservation schools and roads, enhancing law
enforcement and improving health care for the country's 2.4
million American Indians.

Tribal leaders who met with Clinton said they support the
proposal as a good first step toward reversing declines in
safety and opportunity for members of the 558 tribes in the
United States.

"It's the first time in history that we've gotten such
(proposed) large increases in some areas," said Kelsey
Begaye, president of the Navajo Nation, the country's
largest tribe.

"It means a lot. Not just the math, but the meaning and the
policy behind it," said Brian Wallace, chairman of the
Washoe tribe of Nevada and California.

Clinton cited a host of statistics that outline the problems
Indians face: one-third live in poverty, they are twice as
likely as other Americans to be victims of violent crime,
reservation unemployment rates can reach as high as 70
percent.

"These facts are discouraging but clearly not irreversible," Clinton said.

The tribal leaders said they would lobby Congress to back
the Clinton budget proposal.

"It's going to take a lot of action from Indian Country to
make sure the pressure's on," said Susan Masten, chairwoman
of California's Yurok tribe and president of the National
Congress of American Indians.

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