Tribes have hope for Obama

The Daily Herald of Everett:

The new president has been in office for less than 24 hours, but the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission is wasting no time in making their requests for the next four years.

In fact, the commission, which represents 20 tribes in the Pacific Northwest, including the Tulalip, Stillaguamish and Sauk Suiattle tribes in Snohomish County, submitted a 16-page document with recommendations to President Barack Obama early this month. Among the requests are a bid for an extra $12 million per year for the commission, and the adoption of a formal policy supporting tribes in their management of natural resources.

For the commission and many tribal leaders in the region, Obama’s presidency signals a new era that could mean more respect for tribal treaty rights.