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HomeGovernmentCongress passes bill to reduce War Memorial Fund by $350,000

Congress passes bill to reduce War Memorial Fund by $350,000

By

Benny Polacca

With eight working days left in the 2013 Tzi-Zho Session, the Third Osage Nation Congress is considering several cuts and delays on several appropriation items on the table so the 2014 fiscal year governmental budgets may pass before the Sept. 30 deadline.

Per the Osage Constitution, the Congress also has the option to extend the 24-day session up to three days, which would push the session’s end date to Oct. 3 with two-thirds Congressional approval.

On Sept. 19, Congress approved one of the first bills (ONCA 13-99) geared at saving money for this year’s proposed spending requests by reducing the $500,000 Osage War Memorial Fund by $350,000. The vote was 10-1 with a “no” vote from Congressman John Maker. Congressman John Jech was absent from the session.

The $500,000 fund was originally established in a 2011 law also sponsored by Standing Bear, but the money has not been used and no War Memorial Commission members have been appointed and confirmed to administer the memorial’s construction.

Coming from the budget brainstorming process held in the Congressional committee meetings, Standing Bear proposed the idea to use the funding and sponsored ONCA 13-99 to authorize the fund reduction. He also sponsored the War Memorial legislation in 2011 (ONCA 11-86).

In the ONCA 13-99 legislation, Standing Bear notes: “since the enactment of (ONCA 11-86) on September 29, 2011, no appointments to the Commission have been made by the Principal Chief, no actions have been taken to further the purposes of this law, and no funds have been obligated or expended from the Osage War Memorial Fund.”

According to ONCA 11-86, the bill’s intention is “to follow the Osage Nation tradition of honoring Osage Veterans” and “to provide a physical reminder to the present and future generations of the contributions and sacrifices of the Osage veterans and their families by building the Osage War Memorial at the Osage Agency Campus.”

Only Osage tribal members are eligible to serve on the five-member commission. Three of the positions must be filled by veterans. Members of the Grayhorse and Hominy War Mothers and women auxiliaries of veteran organizations are encouraged to apply. Compensation is available for those selected to serve.

The legislation does not terminate the War Memorial Commission nor prevent the Principal Chief from appointing members. The fund will have a $150,000 balance plus accrued interest since the fund was established in a revolving fund so the unused money does not rollback into the treasury at the end of each fiscal year.

Standing Bear said he would like to see the $350,000 go toward another project being considered in Congress geared at cultivating fish and locally-grown vegetables.

The Congress is considering ONCA 13-78 (sponsored by Congressman Daniel Boone), which is an act to provide $350,000 to the Nation’s Environmental and Natural Resources Department “for hydroponic cultivation of fish and vegetables.” The bill faces a committee action in the Commerce and Economic Development Committee before a floor vote can be taken.

ONCA 13-99 will be sent to Principal Chief John Red Eagle’s office for consideration of action. The Sept. 20 session of Congress is Day 16 of the Tzi-Zho Session. Further updates will be posted to www.osagenews.org when available.   


Original Publish Date: 2013-09-20 00:00:00

Author

  • Benny Polacca

    Title: Senior Reporter

    Email: bpolacca@osagenation-nsn.gov

    Instagram: @bpolacca

    Topic Expertise: Government, Tribal Government, Community

    Languages spoken: English, basic knowledge of Spanish and French

    Benny Polacca (Hopi/ Havasupai/ Pima/ Tohono O’odham) started working at the Osage News in 2009 as a reporter in Pawhuska, Okla., where he’s covered various stories and events that impact the Osage Nation and Osage people. Those newspaper contributions cover a broad spectrum of topics and issues from tribal government matters to features. As a result, Polacca has gained an immeasurable amount of experience in covering Native American affairs, government issues and features so the Osage readership can be better informed about the tribal current affairs the newspaper covers.

    Polacca is part of the Osage News team that was awarded the Native American Journalists Association's Elias Boudinet Free Press Award in 2014 and has won numerous NAJA media awards, as well as awards from the Oklahoma Press Association and SPJ Oklahoma Pro Chapter, for storytelling coverage and photography.

    Polacca earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and also participated in the former American Indian Journalism Institute at the University of South Dakota where he was introduced to the basics of journalism and worked with seasoned journalists there and later at The Forum daily newspaper covering the Fargo, N.D. area where he worked as the weeknight reporter.

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Benny Polacca
Benny Polaccahttps://osagenews.org

Title: Senior Reporter

Email: bpolacca@osagenation-nsn.gov

Instagram: @bpolacca

Topic Expertise: Government, Tribal Government, Community

Languages spoken: English, basic knowledge of Spanish and French

Benny Polacca (Hopi/ Havasupai/ Pima/ Tohono O’odham) started working at the Osage News in 2009 as a reporter in Pawhuska, Okla., where he’s covered various stories and events that impact the Osage Nation and Osage people. Those newspaper contributions cover a broad spectrum of topics and issues from tribal government matters to features. As a result, Polacca has gained an immeasurable amount of experience in covering Native American affairs, government issues and features so the Osage readership can be better informed about the tribal current affairs the newspaper covers.

Polacca is part of the Osage News team that was awarded the Native American Journalists Association's Elias Boudinet Free Press Award in 2014 and has won numerous NAJA media awards, as well as awards from the Oklahoma Press Association and SPJ Oklahoma Pro Chapter, for storytelling coverage and photography.

Polacca earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and also participated in the former American Indian Journalism Institute at the University of South Dakota where he was introduced to the basics of journalism and worked with seasoned journalists there and later at The Forum daily newspaper covering the Fargo, N.D. area where he worked as the weeknight reporter.

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