LRB-4264/1
PJD:kmg:ch
2001 - 2002 LEGISLATURE
February 5, 2002 - Introduced by Joint Legislative Council. Referred to
Committee on Government Operations.
AJR91,1,2 1Relating to: state recognition of the sovereign status of federally recognized
2American Indian tribes and bands.
Joint legislative council prefatory note: This joint resolution was prepared for
the joint legislative council's special committee on state-tribal relations.
This joint resolution affirms state recognition of the sovereign status of federally
recognized American Indian tribes and bands as separate and independent political
communities within the United States. It also encourages all state agencies, when
engaging in activities or developing policies affecting American Indian tribal rights or
trust resources, to do so in a knowledgeable manner that is respectful of tribal
sovereignty. In addition, it encourages all state agencies to continue to reevaluate and
improve the implementation of laws that affect American Indian tribal rights.
AJR91,1,73 Whereas, article I, section 8, of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress the power
4"to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with
5the Indian Tribes," thus recognizing American Indian tribes and bands as separate
6and independent political communities within the territorial boundaries of the
7United States; and
AJR91,2,28 Whereas, the U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the U.S. Constitution as
9recognizing the sovereignty of American Indian tribes and bands by classifying
10treaties between the United States and American Indian tribes as part of the

1"supreme law of the land," and by establishing Indian affairs as a unique area of
2federal concern; and
AJR91,2,43 Whereas, Congress has enacted measures that promote tribal economic
4development and tribal self-government and self-determination; and
AJR91,2,195 Whereas, previous U.S. presidents have affirmed tribal sovereignty and, thus,
6the rights of American Indian tribes and bands in the following ways: President
7Lyndon B. Johnson recognized "the right of the first Americans ... to freedom of choice
8and self determination"; President Nixon strongly encouraged "self-determination"
9among American Indian people; President Reagan pledged "to pursue the policy of
10self-government" for American Indian tribes and reaffirmed "the
11government-to-government basis" for dealing with American Indian tribes;
12President George Bush stated that a government-to-government relationship
13between the American Indian tribes and the federal government was "the
14cornerstone of [his] Administration's policy of fostering tribal self-government and
15self-determination"; and President Clinton issued an executive order to strengthen
16the United States' government-to-government relationships with American Indian
17tribes and to establish regular and meaningful consultation and collaboration with
18tribal officials in the development of federal policies that have tribal implications;
19and
AJR91,2,2220 Whereas, the Wisconsin legislature is committed to strengthening and
21assisting tribal governments in their development and to promoting tribal
22self-governance; and
AJR91,3,223 Whereas, the Wisconsin legislature supports and is committed to the
24enforcement of the Indian Civil Rights of Act of 1968 (25 USC 1301 and following),

1which safeguards tribal sovereignty while simultaneously ensuring that the civil
2rights of American Indians are protected; and
AJR91,3,53 Whereas, the Wisconsin legislature wishes to promote positive
4government-to-government relations between the state of Wisconsin and each of the
5federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands in this state; and
AJR91,3,86 Whereas, the Wisconsin legislature recognizes and respects tribal customs and
7traditions and considers it important that state government work to preserve tribal
8cultures; and
AJR91,3,119 Whereas, tribal governments are now able to provide tribal members with
10better health care services, education, job training, employment opportunities, and
11other basic essentials; now, therefore, be it
AJR91,3,13 12Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the Wisconsin
13legislature:
AJR91,3,1614 (1) Affirms state recognition of the sovereign status of federally recognized
15American Indian tribes and bands as separate and independent political
16communities within the territorial boundaries of the United States;
AJR91,3,1917 (2) Encourages all state departments and agencies, when engaging in activities
18or developing policies affecting American Indian tribal rights or trust resources, to
19do so in a knowledgeable manner that is respectful of tribal sovereignty; and
AJR91,3,2220 (3) Encourages all state departments and agencies to continue to reevaluate
21and improve the implementation of laws that affect American Indian tribal rights;
22and, be it further
AJR91,4,2 23Resolved, That the assembly chief clerk shall provide copies of this joint
24resolution to all federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands in
25Wisconsin, the governor, the departments and agencies in the executive branch,

1members of Congress representing Wisconsin, and the President of the United
2States.
AJR91,4,33 (End)
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