Some truly devastating, cited research has just surfaced showing that Congresswoman Kristi Noem has skipped 17 of 22 Indian Affairs committee hearings on top of skipping 16 of 20 Agriculture Committee hearings…
Makes you wonder how Congresswoman Noem can stand up for South Dakota if she won’t even show up for South Dakota in Congress?
Here’s the text of the press release from Matt Varilek’s campaign with citations for every meeting missed:
New Research: Noem Skipped 17 of 22 Indian Affairs Meetings
Completely absent for year-long stretch
(SIOUX FALLS, SD)—During yesterday’s Argus Leader Editorial Board forum between Rep. Kristi Noem and Matt Varilek, Noem was asked a question related to Native American issues. New research by the Varilek campaign shows Rep. Noem has skipped 77% of House Indian and Alaska Native Affairs subcommittee meetings.
Of the 22 meetings that have taken place since Rep. Noem took office in January of 2011, she only attended five. During one year-long stretch, Noem didn’t attend a single meeting (5/24/11-6/26/12).
Even on the rare occasions when she does show up, she fails to advocate for South Dakota’s interests. One notable moment occurred on July 24, 2011. Rep. Noem attended a subcommittee meeting but was scolded by fellow Republican, Subcommittee Chairman Don Young (R-AK), for typing on her phone during her opportunity to speak up for South Dakota at the meeting. Noem looked up from her phone and waved off the opportunity to speak. Watch the video here.
“Once again, the facts clearly demonstrate Congresswoman Noem’s unwillingness to show up and work hard on behalf of South Dakota when she’s in Washington,” said Varilek campaign manager David Benson. “It’s no wonder nothing is getting done — whether it’s not advocating for our Native American communities, the farm bill or the production tax credit for wind energy, Congresswoman Noem has failed to deliver for South Dakota. It’s time to elect someone who will show up and make sure South Dakota’s one voice in the House is heard once again.”
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BACKGROUND
Argus Leader Editorial Board Forum: “We have record levels of suicides on our reservations. We have inadequate job opportunities, we have underfunded Indian health services. We have continuing issues with BIA law enforcement on the reservations. What specific plans do you have that are geared toward resolving the problems on South Dakota’s reservations going forward?…And I want to be specific. Not necessarily money, but what efforts are you going to make if you’re elected over the next two years to deal with the issues that we have on South Dakota’s reservations?” (Question from Editorial Board, 9/24/12)
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Oversight Hearing on “The effectiveness of federal spending on Native American programs, and on the President’s FY 2012 budget request for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians” [3/8/11. Absent]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Oversight Hearing on “Tribal development of energy resources and the creation of energy jobs on Indian lands.” [4/1/11. Absent]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Legislative Hearing on H.R. 887. [4/5/11. Present]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Oversight Hearing on “Protecting Long-Term Tribal Energy Jobs and Keeping Arizona Water and Power Costs Affordable: The Current and Future Role of the Navajo Generating Station” [5/24/11. Absent]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Legislative Hearing on H.R. 1408. [5/26/11. Absent]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Legislative Hearing on H.R. 1158 and H.R. 1560. [6/22/11. Absent]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Legislative Hearing on H.R. 1291, H.R. 1234 and H.R. 1421 [7/12/11. Absent]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Legislative Hearings on H.R. 443, H.R. 444, H.R. 1461, H.R. 1556 and H.R. 2444. [9/22/11. Absent ]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Legislative Hearing on H.R. 2938 [10/4/11. Absent]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Legislative Hearing on H.R. 205 and H.R. 2362. [11/3/11. Absent]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Legislative Hearing on H.R. 2467 and S. 292. [1/25/12. Absent]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Legislative Hearing on H.R. 3532. [2/7/12. Absent]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Legislative Hearing on H.R. 3973 [2/15/12. Absent]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Legislative Hearing on H.R. 1272. [3/1/12. Absent]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Oversight Hearing on “Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Request of the Indian Health Service and of the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians” [3/6/12. Absent]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs Legislative Hearing on H.R. 4027 and H.R. 4194 [3/20/12. Absent]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Oversight Hearing on “Bureau of Land Management’s Hydraulic Fracturing Rule’s Impacts on Indian Tribal Energy Development” [4/19/12. Absent]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Oversight Hearing on “Federal Communications Commission’s rule on the Universal Service Fund and its impact on American Indians and Alaska Natives” [6/8/12. Absent]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Oversight Hearing on “Authorization, standards, and procedures for whether, how, and when Indian tribes should be newly recognized by the federal government” [6/27/12. Present]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Legislative Hearing on H.R. 726, H.R. 3319 and H.R. 6141. [7/24/12. Present]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Oversight Hearing on “Indian lands: exploring resolutions to disputes concerning Indian tribes, state and local governments, and private landowners over land use and development” [8/2/12. Present]
US House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Oversight Hearing on “Per Capita Act and Federal Treatment of Trust Per Capita Distributions.” [9/14/12. Present]