{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://zinke.house.gov/media/press-releases/montana-tribes-testify-house-appropriations-subcommittee", "Montana Tribes Testify Before House Appropriations Subcommittee", "2023-03-08", "2023", "2023-03", "Republican", "House", "MT", "Ryan K. Zinke", "Z000018", "zinke.house.gov", "zinke", "https://zinke.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Today, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke served as interim Chairman of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies subcommittee hearing for American Indian and Alaska Native Public Witness Day. During that session, the Committee heard testimony from representatives from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT), the Blackfeet Nation, Fort Belknap Indian Community, and the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation.\n\n\u201cOver the years, I have had the privilege to work alongside Montana\u2019s great tribal nations as a state senator, congressman, secretary of the interior, and now again as a congressman. Keeping an open and productive dialogue and government to government relationship between the tribes and Congress is key to our joint success,\u201d Zinke said. \u201cI fight for our nations every day in Congress, but today\u2019s hearing is important because it gives tribes a platform to inform other members of Congress about their priorities. Hearing directly from the front line is always the most impactful message, and I look forward to continuing our great partnership.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is first time since the pandemic that the Appropriations Committee has heard direct testimony from Tribal leaders. We appreciate Congressman Zinke\u2019s and the Committee\u2019s leadership in taking the time to listen to our needs once again,\u201d \u2013 Hon. Carole Lankford, Tribal Council, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.\n\n\u201cThe Tribes appreciate very much that the House Appropriations Committee takes two days to listen to Tribal leaders to learn about our needs, including public safety, health care, and social services. These are all areas of critical importance to Tribes. We look forward to working with Congress to address these needs and appreciate Congressman Zinke\u2019s leadership on these important issues,\u201d \u2013 Chairman Floyd G. Azure, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T23:30:02Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://zinke.house.gov/media/press-releases/montana-tribes-testify-house-appropriations-subcommittee"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5803729183971882, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}