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Senate Committee on Indian Affairs elects leadership, adopts rules and funding resolution
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Summary
At an organizational business meeting, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs elected Senator Murkowski chair and Senator Schatz vice chair, adopted unchanged committee rules and approved a committee funding resolution by voice vote.
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs elected Senator Murkowski as chair and Senator Schatz as vice chair and approved the committee's rules and a committee funding resolution during a short organizational business meeting.
The actions were taken by voice votes after brief remarks. "I think part of the passion that I have for [the] Indian Affairs Committee is because it covers everything ... solving the problems and improving the lives of native people," Senator Murkowski said, framing the committee's wide jurisdiction. Senator Schatz praised the bipartisan partnership on the panel, saying, "We are all committed to self determination. We are all committed to the treaty and trust responsibilities that the United States federal government has with tribes and other native peoples."
The meeting convened with a quorum present and included three formal agenda items: election of the chair and vice chair, adoption of the committee rules, and reporting the committee funding resolution in accordance with the Standing Rules of the Senate. Committee staff had circulated the materials in advance when the business meeting was noticed.
On the first item, a motion was made to elect Senator Murkowski chair and Senator Schatz vice chair; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The committee then considered its rules ' which the chair said were the same rules used in recent congresses with no proposed changes ' and the rules were adopted by voice vote. Finally, the committee approved its funding resolution by voice vote after the chair noted the Rules Committee had requested the funding be reported promptly under the Senate's standing rules.
No roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript for any of the three votes; the meeting record reflects voice votes and the chair's ruling that "the ayes have it." The transcript includes a brief ceremonial exchange presenting a box to Senator Schatz in recognition of his service as outgoing chair.
The chair closed the meeting after asking whether any members wished to make statements and noting that members would learn she reads ahead to expedite pro forma business. The meeting was then adjourned.
