March 24, 2017

Senator Charles
C Grasslley, Chairman
n Senaator Dianne FFeinstein, Rannking Member
Committeee on the Judiiciary Com
mmittee on thee Judiciary
United States Senate Unitted States Sennate
Washington, DC 20510 0 Wasshington, DC 20510

Re: Support for Confirmation

C n of Judge Neeil Gorsuch

Dear Chaiirman Grassleey and Rankin

ng Member Feinstein:
F

We write on behalf of the

t National Congress
C of American
A Native American Rights F
Inddians and the N Fund to offer
our suppoort for the con
nfirmation of Judge
J Neil Gorsuch
G to beccome Associaate Justice on the Supreme Court of the
United States. Judge Gorsuch
G hails from the Weest, with the TTenth Circuit encompassingg the territoryy of 76
federally-recognized Inndian tribes. Our organizaations, and thee Indian triball governmentts we represennt, have long
sought thee nomination of Justices with
w knowledg ge of federal IIndian law, annd more geneerally with expperience on
western isssues such as federal landss and natural resources.
r

As noted repeatedly du uring the hearring, Judge Go orsuch has siggnificant experience with ccases involvinng the interessts
of Indian tribes and Inddian people. His opinions recognize Trribes as sovereeign governm ments, and adddress issues of
o
nce to Tribes, including staate police incu
significan ursion onto triibal lands, sovereign immuunity, religiouus freedom,
accountinng for trust fun
nds, exhaustio on of tribal reemedies, and IIndian countrry criminal juurisdiction. Juudge Gorsuch
appears too be both attenntive to the details and respectful to thee fundamentall principles off tribal sovereeignty and thee
federal tru
ust responsibiility.

Judge Gorrsuch was one of the Tenth h Circuit Judg

ges who acceppted NCAIs invitation to our 2007 Annnual Meeting g
in Denverr, CO, and eng gaged in an in
nsightful dialogue with tribbal leaders reegarding the sstatus of federral Indian law
w
urts. Tribal leeaders greatly appreciate th
in the cou he outreach annd communiccation with judges, like Juddge Gorsuch,
who are willing
w to takee time out of their
t busy sch
hedules to lear
arn more abouut Indian counntry.

Based on this experiennce and his reccord, we havee confidence tthat Judge Goorsuch will bee open-mindeed to all
perspectiv
ves. It is our hope that his confirmation
n will help to ppreserve bi-ppartisan coopeeration on thee judicial
selection process.
p Please contact NCCAI General Counsel
C Johnn Dossett, jdossett@ncai.orrg, or NARF Staff Attorneey
Richard Guest,
G richard
dg@narf.org, ifi we can provvide any addiitional informmation.

Sincerely,,

Brian Claadoosby, NCA

AI President John Echhohawk, NAR
RF Executive Director