The past few years have seen some of the most historic achievements ever for Indian Country. From his seat on the Indian Affairs Committee, Jon has been a voice for the needs of Montana’s First Nations, and has successfully led the effort to build stronger and healthier Indian communities.

Jon strongly supported and helped pass the permanent reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, which had expired in 2000. The law modernizes delivery of health services in Indian Country and improves access to quality care for all American Indian communities.

Jon was also instrumental in getting the historic Cobell v. Salazar class-action lawsuit settlement passed into law. The measure settles a decades-old lawsuit over mismanagement of Indian trust lands.

Jon introduced legislation settling the water rights of the Crow Tribe in a measure which he passed into law in 2010. Jon is working to pass similar legislation to settle the water rights of the Blackfeet Tribe, and has won needed investments in critical Montana water systems like Fort Peck/Dry Prairie, Rocky Boy’s/North Central, and St. Mary’s.

Because stopping violent crime is a particular challenge on Indian reservations, Jon introduced and passed the Tribal Law and Order Act into law in 2010, which is already working to boost law enforcement on Indian reservations.

After listening to folks on the ground, Jon introduced THE PATH (Through Higher Education, Promoting the Advancement of Tribal Health) Act, which cleared the Indian Affairs Committee in 2009. Jon’s legislation would promote jobs in Indian health, by encouraging tribal colleges to advance health-related education and provide health workforce training. The measure would also:

• create nursing and other health care education programs at tribal colleges
• help staff Indian clinics and community wellness centers
• allow tribal colleges to start community outreach programs to manage key concerns like diabetes, at-risk youth and substance abuse in Indian Country

2009 saw Dr. Joe Medicine Crow, a Crow war chief, receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom after Jon teamed up with former Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson to nominate Medicine Crow for the honor.

Recognizing the economic opportunities at stake for recognized tribes, the first bill Jon introduced in the U.S. Senate was to grant federal recognition to the Little Shell tribe, which has been recognized by the State of Montana and which has been pursuing federal recognition for more than 100 years.

Jon has also made it a priority to have the nation’s leaders hear directly from Montana’s Indian communities, which is why he hosted field hearings of the Indian Affairs Committee at Crow Agency and Polson on health care and on transportation issues facing Indian Country. Jon has also visited, and hosted members of the Administration at reservations and tribal colleges across the state.

Early in his term, Jon raised concerns over the aging infrastructure in Indian Country. When he helped pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which is making critical investments in that infrastructure, Jon made sure the bill was designed to be guided by local folks on the ground according to what shovel-ready projects would create the most jobs.

Click HERE to see more about where Jon stands on issues affecting Indian Country.