Morgan Taylor/Reporter
OKMULGEE, Oklahoma – The Muscogee (Creek) Nation National Council passed a resolution establishing tribal membership in the National Congress of American Indians.
TR 21-128 was addressed during the September Regular Session. The legislation was sponsored by Okmulgee District Representative William Lowe and passed with a 15-0 vote.
The legislation states, pursuant to Article III – Members, Section B of the Constitution and Bylaws of the NCAI, the MCN meets all requirements for Tribal Membership.
The Nation will be required to pay $30,000 in membership dues as stated in Article III – Members, Section C 2 of the Constitution. This amount is based on the Nation’s citizenship.
Based on enrollment numbers of 92,116 citizens, the MCN will have 180 votes in accordance with membership bylaws.
The resolution legislated a single delegate along with alternate delegates to fulfill responsibilities of the organization on behalf of the MCN.
Principal Chief David Hill is the primary delegate and alternate delegates include: Second Chief Del Beaver, Speaker Randall Hicks, Second Speaker Darrell Proctor, Rep. William Lowe, Rep. Lucian Tiger III, and Rep. Mark Randolph.
‘NCAI members establish the organization’s positions on issues that affect tribal nations and Native people through a resolutions process. NCAI resolutions are one of the policy mechanisms used to express the organizational positions on tribal, federal, state, and/or local legislation, litigation, and policy matters that affect tribal governments or communities,’ stated on NCAI website.
MCN Ambassador Jonodev Chaudhuri claimed this organization provides a voice for tribes while helping bridge the gap between Federal and Tribal governments.
“Being engaged with NCAI is important for the Muscogee Nation,” Chaudhuri said. “They are quite often the first group that the federal administration will look to when they want to know what Indian County’s position is on a given matter.”
According to the NCAI website, the establishment of the NCAI in 1944 was ultimately a response to the policies forced by the U.S. attempting to assimilate and terminate tribes, contradict treaty rights, and undermine the sovereignty of Tribal Nations.
NCAI claims to be the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization.
