LOTS of news today so I guess we better get busy----- FIRST up, A Copper Mine has been approved by the Federal Government for SACRED land on the Apache Reservation Congress passes bill with mine on sacred Apache land in Arizona The Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act on Friday despite outcry from Indian Country over a controversial provision that authorizes a mine on sacred Apache lands in Arizona. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma), a former member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee who is leaving Congress this year, tried to remove the land swap and other non-military provisions from the 1,648-page package. But only 18 lawmakers -- all Republicans -- supported his effort. Speaking on the floor before the vote, Coburn said the bill represents the worst of Washington because what we have added to a must-pass bill are measures that are very low priority in terms of the long-term priorities of the country and fiscal soundness of the country, but are really high priorities for the politicians in this body. With Coburns motion out of the way, the bill easily cleared by the chamber by a 89 to 11. Having passed the House last week, it now heads to President Barack Obama for his signature. The controversial land swap is found in Section 3003 of the bill. It authorizes the federal government to transfer 2,400 acres in the Tonto National Forest to Resolution Copper, a company controlled by two multi-billion dollar foreign corporations. The company will use the land for a mine that affects sacred Apache food, medicinal and ceremonial sites. Although the bill requires consultation of affected tribes, it allows the swap to go through no matter how strong the objections. We will not give up our fight! Chairman Terry Rambler of the San Carlos Apache Tribe said on Facebook yesterday. huffingtonpost/2014/12/12/defense-bill-passes-rio-tinto_n_6317946.html
Posted on: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 10:33:34 +0000
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