Campbell calls for more Capitol Hill presence

0 Comments | Indian Country Today (Lakota Times), February, 2006 | by Reynolds, Jerry

Reynolds, Jerry

Indian Country Today (Lakota Times)

02-08-2006

WASHINGTON -- Ben Nighthorse Campbell appeared at a Capitol Hill reception Feb. 1 and wasted no time in demonstrating why the Senate misses its former Indian member. Speaking from a breadth of political experience that spanned more than 20 years before his retirement from Congress in 2005, "I don't remember a time when it was more challenging for Indian people," Campbell said. The challenge is due to a federal budget deficit of $368 billion, he added. As President Bush and the Republican leadership in Congress have sought to shrink the deficit, they have proposed to freeze discretionary spending across federal departments. But discretionary spending represents a small part of overall federal...