As first order of legislative business, the newly seated Ninth Osage Nation Congress elected their officers and voted Pam Shaw to serve as Speaker and Otto Hamilton as Second Speaker.
On July 15, the 12-member Congress convened for the first special session two days following Inauguration Day for the six members reelected in the June 3 General Election to each serve a four-year term. Also that day, the Congress held a caucus to form its select and standing committees, which will meet as needed when publicly noticed through next spring.
Shaw and Hamilton will serve in the officer posts also through the 2025 Hun-Kah Session, which ends its 24-day duration each April. This is the first time Shaw will hold the Speaker post and the first time Hamilton will serve as Second Speaker during his current second Congressional term.
That morning, Congressional Clerk Brooklyn Kemble called the special session to order and presided over the Speaker election by first asking for nominees.
Congresswoman Jodie Revard nominated Shaw for the Speaker post with a second made by Congressman Scott BigHorse. Afterward, no other Speaker nominations were made by the Congress members.
“Seeing none, without objection, Congresswoman Shaw will be Speaker by acclamation,” Kemble announced. “Speaker Shaw, I relinquish the chair to you.”
According to the Congressional rules, “the Speaker shall have the authority to conduct business on behalf of the Congress as set forth in Osage law and these Rules of Procedures.” Other listed duties include: The Speaker shall represent the Congress and conduct business at intertribal and intra-governmental functions; communicate with the Congressional staff and/or any committee chair as often as necessary to ensure efficient flow of legislation; and may delegate to the Second Speaker the authorities and duties of the Speaker as set forth by law and rules.
Shaw said “Thank you so much, Congress, I will do my best to carry out the duties” as she took over presiding the rest of the one-day special session. Next, Shaw asked for nominees for the Second Speaker post.
Congressman Eli Potts nominated Hamilton to serve as Second Speaker with a second to the motion by BigHorse. Like before, no other nominations were made for the post.
“Nominations are closed, by acclamation, Congressman Otto Hamilton will serve as Second Speaker,” Shaw announced.
Shaw won reelection in June for a second consecutive term and previously served two years as Second Speaker during her first term. Shaw served as chair for the Congressional Commerce, Gaming and Land Committee as well during her first term.
Hamilton is serving a second term after winning reelection in June 2022. Before, Hamilton served an initial four-year in Congress (2014-2018) where he served as Second Speaker for two years and as chair for Congressional committees including Culture, Education and Congressional Affairs.
As Second Speaker, Hamilton will serve as Chief Administrative Officer of the Congressional Office to manage day-to-day operations and Legislative Branch staff and he will serve as Chair of the Congressional Affairs Committee, per Congressional Rules.
Afterward, the Congress members formed its Congressional committees. The select and standing committees are responsible for hearing government budgets, legislative bills/ resolutions and other issues pertaining to the programs, departments, businesses, entities and branches of the Nation. Each committee holds its own meetings and reports back to the whole of Congress.
Select committees
Appropriations: Jodie Revard (Chair), Shaw, BigHorse, Maria Whitehorn, Hamilton, Whitney Red Corn
Membership: John Maker (Chair), Joe Tillman, Potts
Congressional Affairs: Hamilton (Chair), Whitehorn, Maker, Potts, Red Corn
Rules, Ethics and Engrossment: Alice Goodfox (Chair), BigHorse, Billy Keene
Standing committees
Commerce, Gaming and Land: BigHorse (Chair and Appropriations Committee representative), Revard (Vice Chair), Keene, Whitehorn, Tillman, Goodfox
Education: Red Corn (Chair and AP rep), Potts (Vice Chair), Brandy Lemon, Goodfox, Tillman, Whitehorn
Culture: Keene (Chair), Maker (Vice Chair), Hamilton (AP rep), BigHorse, Revard
Government Operations: Goodfox (Chair), Hamilton (Vice Chair), Shaw (AP rep), Red Corn, Lemon
Health and Social Services: Lemon (Chair), Goodfox (Vice Chair), Whitehorn (AP rep), Red Corn, Maker, Hamilton For more information on sessions, committees and filed legislation, visit the Congress/ Legislative Branch website at: www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/legislative-branch
