TRIBAL TIMBER LEADER CODY DESAUTEL TO TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS ON TRIBAL SELF-DETERMINATION

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cody Desautel, President of the Intertribal Timber Council (ITC) and Executive Director of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, will testify before two Congressional subcommittees next week, advocating for increased federal funding for tribal forestry and fair compensation for tribal wildland firefighters.

On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, Desautel will address the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs during the hearing "Federal Indian Trust Asset Management: Progress Made but Improvement Needed." His testimony will emphasize the need for Congress to strengthen the Indian Trust Asset Reform Act (ITARA) to remove bureaucratic roadblocks that limit tribal self-governance over forest resources.

On Thursday, February 27, 2025, Desautel will testify before the House Appropriations Subcommittee for the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies regarding FY 2026 appropriations for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and DOI Wildland Fire Management. His testimony will highlight the severe funding inequities that leave tribal forestry programs and wildland firefighting services under-resourced compared to federal agencies.

Key Issues Addressed in Testimony:

• Chronic Underfunding of Tribal Forestry – Despite managing 80% of the timber harvested from Interior Department lands, tribal forestry programs receive four times less funding per acre than the U.S. Forest Service and 14 times less than BLM forests.
• $400 Million in Lost Revenue – Due to federal neglect, tribal timber operations lost $400 million in potential revenue between 2010 and 2019, affecting jobs, tribal economies, and essential government services.
• Pay Inequities for Tribal Wildland Firefighters – Tribal firefighters are paid less than their federal counterparts despite battling the same wildfires, creating a crisis in recruitment and retention. Desautel will call on Congress to correct this disparity.
• Expanding ITARA to Empower Tribal Land Management – ITARA was designed to give tribes greater control over their trust lands, but implementation has stalled. Desautel will push for permanent extension and full implementation of ITARA.

"Our forests and lands are critical to our economies, cultural traditions, and environmental health, yet tribal forestry remains severely underfunded," said Desautel. "Congress must act now to ensure equitable funding, expand tribal self-governance, and address the long-standing disparities that are holding back our communities."

SOURCE Intertribal Timber Council (ITC)