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Martin and Moorehead: McCain ‘clear-eyed’ on Indian development

By Aurene Martin and Paul Moorehead

Story Published: Oct 22, 2008

Story Updated: Oct 22, 2008

We all know that Indian gaming has not been the panacea for all that ails tribal economies. In 2008, Indian communities still have large pockets of poverty, joblessness and economic stagnation, and these problems are preventing Native people from achieving their full potential.

We think that the candidate with a clear-eyed blueprint for economic development in Indian country is John McCain. We believe this because of his long record on these important issues.

John McCain understands that tribal governments know the real needs of the membership and routinely outperform the federal agencies when it comes to program management and delivery of housing, health, roads and other services. That’s why McCain has been the strongest supporter of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act and the Tribal Self-Governance Act.

You already know that Sen. McCain co-authored the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and has continually sought to strengthen the regulatory aspect of Indian gaming to preserve it as a viable option for those tribes that choose to conduct gaming on their own lands.

But you may not know that John McCain has a long record of supporting tribal economies and has historically pushed for legislation which increases the participation of tribes in the American economy. Here are several examples.
 John McCain understands that tribal governments know the real needs of the membership and routinely outperform the federal agencies when it comes to program management and delivery of housing, health, roads, and other services.


Sen. McCain knows that some tribes will probably not be able to succeed in gaming simply because they are geographically disadvantaged and not located near a population center to patronize gaming operations. That is why McCain supports tribes that want to develop their energy resources, whether those resources are oil, gas and coal or whether they are solar, wind and hydro. The fact is, Indian tribes own vast reserves of energy resources and, if developed, would generate hundreds of billions of dollars for the tribes and their members.

Strong, capable, transparent governments based on the rule of law provide the kind of legal and regulatory environments in which businesses flourish. McCain knows this and the Indian Tribal Courts Act bears his unmistakable imprint.

McCain knows that attracting capital investment is crucial for tribal economies to build the physical infrastructure so crucial for businesses to use. It was McCain who succeeded in getting the Indian economic development tax incentives enacted into law in 1993. Thanks to him, investors and employers can use the Indian Wage and Health Credit and an accelerated depreciation allowance to hire Indian people and locate investment equipment and physical infrastructure on Indian lands.

Americans, Indian and non-Indian, generate and hold most of their wealth in the form of their homes. Homeownership and the equity it brings can provide capital for Indian people to start businesses, to finance college for their kids and to invest to generate returns. In 1996, McCain shepherded the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act through Congress and to President Clinton who signed it into law. This law, NAHASDA, has drastically increased the volume of housing built and rehabilitated on Indian lands and has lead to increased ownership among Indian people.

John McCain has committed to having an Indian policy expert advise him in the White House. Sen. McCain made this commitment because he cares about Indian people and he knows that real economic problems demand real solutions, and that improving the lives of America’s indigenous people requires hard work, a bipartisan approach and a partnership with Indian country based on the priorities that count.

Aurene Martin and Paul Moorehead served as senior counsel and chief counsel/staff director, respectively, to the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs under the chairmanship of Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell. They are now in private practice.

Monday, Nov 17 at 10:57 AM Wanbli wrote ...

McCain was then and is still a white racist fagget and trickster, who hate's Indigenous Nation's and they're divine human rights to be autonomous and free soveriegn's and so is all the George Bushes on this planet. Now, we have a new Black President that is indigenous but it might only go skin deep. But, to be indigenous goes way beyond the core of a human being and the outer limits of the universe. They're is only one reality on this land, First Nation's the other is the illusion, America.

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Sunday, Nov 2 at 1:20 PM keith j.sumner wrote ...

I live in Northern Az. on the Navajo Rez. What as John McCain done for Indian country lately. He has not come to the Navajo Rez, even though in he has a house in Sedona Az. We needed IHS legislation passed, that did not happen. He rarely talks about Indian issues!! Are indian boarding schools need more funding so are children have the same opportunities as other American children ( math, health sciences, engenering). Mr.Dorgan of North Dakota has done more for indian country lately than McCain.

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Thursday, Oct 30 at 2:56 PM Grame wrote ...

Sen. McCain has a proven record on helping American Indians. Obama has done nothing, and yet a great majority of Indian County is turning their backs on Sen. McCain. This is shameful!

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Tuesday, Oct 28 at 11:32 PM Okwachawe wrote ...

McCain teamed up with Governor Rell of CT to fight the Federal Recognition of the Schaghticoke by offering her and Attorney Gen Blumenthal advice on how to combat the tribe. There are Navajo and others tribal people in McCains state of Arizona with no running water or electricity, under his watch as senator. Why not? So much for his doing so much for Indian Country!

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Sunday, Oct 26 at 10:00 PM Dr. Robert Nighthawk Vann wrote ...

Senator McCain has done far more for our people than Obama yet we see many who are voting for obama purly because they do not care for Bush. It should be obvious by now that Bush is not running. McCain is and with the partner he selected for a running mate and what she has done for Alaska as a Mayor, and Governor and knowing the Christian values she brings back into the forefront of our government this has got to be the team to bring us through. Having an American Indian family is also good.

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