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HISPANIC NETWORK MAGAZINE www.hnmagazine.com
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE
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n a first of its kind for any Native American tribe, the Cherokee Nation has signed a his- toric self-governance agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation. In June, U.S. Deputy Transportation Secretary Polly Trottenberg, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Transportation, joined Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. of the Cherokee Nation to sign the first compact under the Department's Tribal Transportation Self-Governance Program (TTSGP). This approval grants the Cherokee Nation the freedom to plan its own road construction and transportation services without federal permission, but marks the first contract of its kind to occur between a Native American tribe and the federal government. We are honored to have U.S. Deputy Transportation Secretary Trottenberg visit the Cherokee Nation, which has led a sophisti- cated transportation program for several years helping our tribal communities, state and federal partners with safer, well-maintained roadways in the reservation, said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., Having oversight for the first time to plan, lead and oversee the finance of our own road projects will only mean more and better investments in terms of travel and infrastruc- ture in the Cherokee Nation to the benefit of thousands of citizens. Under this new agreement, the Cherokee Nation will now be able to plan and imple- ment their transportation related projects in a much faster, more efficient way, since the need for federal permission is no longer nec- essary. The Cherokee Nation plans to improve all areas of transportation including improv- ing roadway and expanding the use of electric vehicles for public transportation.
COURTESY OF ANADISGOI
Cherokee Nation Signs Historic Agreement with USDOT
This accordance is especially impactful as the Cherokee Nation may soon be the largest tribe in the United States. Currently, Cherokee Nation is the home to over 390,000 individu- als spread out across 7,000 square-miles. As Cherokee Nation has long served as the blue print for Native American tribes across the country, other tribes have expressed hope for similar permissions to be granted more frequently: Were proud to stand today with the Cherokee Nation to announce this first of its kind Self-Governance Compact, Deputy Secretary Trottenberg additionally com- mented, It gives the Tribe much-deserved, decision-making authority and flexibility over federal funds for transportation projects that can improve safety and create better connec- tions across Cherokee Nation. Chief Hoskin additionally stated how the consensus between the federal government and Cherokee Nation will not only benefit Cherokee Nation, but to non-Native commu- nities living outside of it. In a letter published by Anadisgoi, Chief Hoskin stated: Our new self-governance agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation is just the latest example of how Cherokee Nations sovereignty brings great benefits for every- one living within our reservation, including our non-Cherokee neighbors. We are building up northeast Oklahoma and investing in rural communities that have had few other sources of support. Cherokee Nations forward-think- ing policies, backed by our sovereign rights and strong relationship with federal partners, ensure that the future of Cherokee Nation and northeast Oklahoma is bright.
Sources: U.S. Department of Transportation, Anadisgoi, Cherokee.org
Cherokee Nation's forward- thinking policies, backed by our sovereign rights and strong relationship with federal partners, ensure that the future of Cherokee Nation and northeast Oklahoma is bright."
-Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr.
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