Kilmer Reacts to President Biden’s State of the Union Address
Kilmer Attends President’s Speech with Puyallup Tribe Chairman as Guest
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) reacted to President Biden’s State of the Union address:
“Tonight, President Biden outlined how to continue growing our economy, creating more jobs in our communities, and strengthening America’s middle class,” said Rep. Kilmer. “We’ve made real progress in the past couple of years with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to fix our infrastructure, the CHIPS and Science Act to boost American manufacturing, and the Inflation Reduction Act to lower costs for working families. At the same time, there’s more work to do to finish the job for folks living in our neck of the woods.”
Rep. Kilmer continued, “Congress needs to continue standing up for workers and ensure America’s working families have access to affordable childcare and an affordable home. Tonight, the president also reminded people across the country that America is a story of progress and resilience, that strong democracy makes this work possible, and that Congress and the president together can deliver for the American people – building on the progress of the last two years.”
Rep. Kilmer attended the State of the Union address with Puyallup Tribe of Indians Chairman Bill Sterud as his guest. Chairman Sterud joined the Puyallup Tribal Council in 1978 and has served as chairman and vice chairman several times since his first election.
“For thousands of years, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians has called the shores of Puget Sound home. After congressional redistricting in January, the Tribe’s lands fall within the region I represent in Congress – its members are among my newest constituents,” said Rep. Kilmer. “This year, I’ll continue working to support the Tribe’s efforts to diversify and grow its economic opportunities, help create jobs across our region, and ensure the federal government fulfills its trust and treaty obligations.”
Last year, Rep. Kilmer sponsored the Puyallup Tribe of Indians Land into Trust Act. Land is taken into trust when land is transferred to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to be held in trust for the benefit of the Tribe. The legislation would have taken over 17 acres of land currently owned by the Puyallup Tribe into trust, restoring part of the Tribe’s ancestral homeland and allowing the Tribe to pursue economic development and job creation opportunities at the Port of Tacoma and on the Tacoma waterfront.
As the representative for 12 federally recognized Native American Tribes, Rep. Kilmer has been vocal in advocating for the federal government to fulfill its treaty and trust responsibilities and fully respect its unique government-to-government relationship with every sovereign tribal nation.
In 2022, Rep. Kilmer introduced the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act – legislation he authored to advance his longstanding efforts to ensure the federal government lives up to its trust and treaty obligations. The legislation is designed to implement the recommendations made in the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights’ Broken Promises Report - with a focus on economic development, housing, education, health care, and public safety – to ensure the federal government better meets its responsibilities to Native American communities.
Rep. Kilmer has also worked to address the new challenges facing tribal communities posed by climate change. He has fought for federal reforms to support tribal sovereignty and to provide resources to tribal governments to protect their communities and sacred sites from the impacts of climate change. Rep. Kilmer authored the Tribal Coastal Resiliency Act – which provides dedicated resources to Native American tribes living in coastal areas to support their efforts to mitigate threats caused by climate change and sea level rise.
In 2020, Rep. Kilmer received the Congressional Leadership Award from the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the interests of tribal governments and communities. Rep. Kilmer was recognized for his work in creating economic opportunity in tribal communities and advocating for reforms to ensure the federal government is more responsive to tribal needs.
About Puyallup Tribe of Indians Chairman Bill Sterud:
Chairman Bill Sterud joined the Puyallup Tribal Council in 1978 and has served as chairman and vice chairman several times since his first election. He represented the Tribe in the landmark negotiations that led to the Puyallup Land Claims Settlement in the 1980s, which set the foundation for the Tribe’s prosperity today.
He has fought to protect our natural resources, especially the Tribe’s sacred salmon. He has had a hand in every aspect of the Tribe’s economic development that began in the 1980s, including its casinos and marina. Today, He continues to work diligently on developing the only tribal-run deepwater port in the country.
He is a proud father and grandfather. An avid University of Washington (UW) Husky, he frequently gives welcomes to incoming students at the UW Tacoma and graduates at commencement.
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