What I Believe

Tribal sovereignty is not symbolic.
It is settled law and a constitutional obligation.

Treaties between the United States and Tribal Nations are the supreme law of the land under the U.S. Constitution and must be honored and enforced across every federal agency.

These obligations are not optional, and they are not bargaining chips in political negotiations.

I oppose any attempt to weaken treaty rights through legislative riders, administrative delay, or back-door policy changes.

Contrast:
Cliff Bentz has repeatedly aligned with policies that delay, dilute, or undermine treaty enforcement, particularly around water, land management, and tribal consultation, often framing treaty obligations as obstacles rather than legal commitments.

Meaningful Consultation & Co-Governance

Federal consultation with tribes must be early, meaningful, and binding.

Too often, “consultation” happens after decisions have already been made.

That is not consultation. It is notification.

Tribal governments must be co-decision makers when policies affect ancestral lands, natural resources, and cultural sites.

I support strengthening consultation standards across federal agencies including:

• Interior

• Agriculture

• EPA

• Department of Energy

My approach is simple:

If tribal governments have not been meaningfully consulted, the process is not complete.

Water Rights & Natural Resources

Tribal water rights are senior rights grounded in treaty law and essential to the cultural and economic survival of tribal nations.

I support tribal-led water management, particularly in basins like the Klamath, where tribes have demonstrated long-term stewardship of fisheries, ecosystems, and water systems.

The false narrative that tribes and farmers must be in conflict helps no one.

The real problem is decades of failed federal water policy and corporate pressure that destabilizes the entire system.

Contrast:
Cliff Bentz has repeatedly supported positions that place short-term political pressure ahead of treaty-secured water rights, increasing instability for tribes, farmers, and communities across the basin.

Land, Public Lands & Cultural Protection

Public lands must not be handed over to corporations, hedge funds, or extractive interests at the expense of tribal nations.

Sacred sites, burial grounds, and cultural landscapes must receive permanent protection.

Tribes must have real authority in land stewardship, not simply advisory roles after decisions have already been made.

Economic Development on Tribal Terms

Tribal economic development must be tribal-directed and sovereignty-strengthening.

I support federal investment that helps tribes build sustainable economies, including:

• Infrastructure

• Broadband access

• Healthcare facilities

• Housing

• Clean energy development

Federal programs should remove bureaucratic barriers, not slow tribal projects through endless paperwork and delay.

Economic success should strengthen sovereignty—not force tribes into dependency or exploitative partnerships.

Healthcare, Education & Child Welfare

The federal government has legal trust obligations to tribal nations.

Those obligations must be honored.

I support:

• Full funding for the Indian Health Service

• Expanded tribal health compacts

• Tribal control of education systems

• Culturally grounded curriculum and language preservation

I strongly support the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and will oppose any attempt to weaken or undermine it.

Contrast:
Some elected officials treat ICWA as controversial or optional.

I treat it as settled law and moral necessity.

Climate, Environment & Traditional Knowledge

Tribal ecological knowledge is essential to addressing the climate challenges facing the West.

Tribes have led the way in:

• wildfire resilience

• fisheries restoration

• drought planning

• ecosystem management

Federal climate policy must recognize tribes as lead partners, not afterthoughts.

Climate policy should protect cultural continuity and ecosystems, not just carbon accounting.

Data Centers & Emerging Threats

Large-scale industrial developments—including energy-intensive data centers—pose new risks to tribal water rights, energy systems, and cultural landscapes.

Corporations should not receive federal incentives to extract massive amounts of water and power without tribal consent and oversight.

If projects threaten treaty-protected resources, tribal governments must have real decision-making authority.

This is a defining difference:

I will not sacrifice long-term water security and sovereignty for short-term corporate profit.

Bottom Line

Honoring tribal nations is not charity.

It is law, justice, and responsible governance.

In Congress I will:

• Enforce treaties

• Defend tribal sovereignty

• Center tribal leadership in federal decision-making

• Reject corporate capture of land and water

• Govern through partnership, accountability, and respect

Oregon—and this country—can only move forward by telling the truth about our obligations and keeping them.