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Thank you very much Chairman Dorgan.
I was in the chair from one to three and I asked my cousin Mark who was behind me to
come 15 minutes early so I could make it to your committee so thank you
very much.
Before I talk about why Larry Echo Hawk is so qualified for this position, I want to
say a few quick words about how committed he is to this job.
Larry is a law professor.
And as many of you know that is a pretty nice job.
More importantly, as a former BYU quarterback, Larry was named to be the faculty member who
oversees the BYU Athletics Department.
So what I’m saying is—rather than spending his days being worshipped by law students,
publishing groundbreaking articles and watching college football games
from the 50 yard line, Larry has chosen to serve his country in the
Interior Department.
If that’s not commitment, I don’t know what is.
We are very lucky that Larry is so committed to this position, because I can think of nobody
who is better suited for it.
Larry’s resume speaks for itself, but Larry is more than a very accomplished lawyer and
public servant. He is a deep and innovative thinker.
Larry grew up in Farmington, New Mexico, but I first got to know him when we were both
elected state attorneys general in 1990.
And at the time, Larry was the first Native American to be elected to a statewide constitutional
office anywhere in the United States.
And Larry’s path breaking did not stop there.
Shortly after his election, he began to spread what, at the time, was a very new idea—conflicts
with tribes should not be settled in court.
Back then, state AGs were in court with tribes all the time.
Nobody won those cases, because the bad blood on both sides turned any outcome into a defeat.
Larry was the first to say, “We can do better.”
And he was right.
And I followed Larry’s advice, and as a result New Mexico’s relationship with our
tribes was more productive for everybody involved.
At BIA, we need somebody who can work with tribal governments and tribal members with
an attitude of respect.
And we need somebody who combines a deep knowledge of Indian issues with the compassion that
comes from common experience and common culture.
We need a great mind connected to a great heart.
In short, we need Larry Echo Hawk.
And I hope the members of this committee will join me in supporting his nomination of this
important post.
Good to see you here Larry today and happy to stay here for the questioning.
Thank you for your courtesies Chairman Dorgan.