Tex Hall, president of the National Congress of American Indians, stressed in a recent visit to Montana that the time is now for American Indians to help elect a president who can ensure federal policies are fair to America's "invisible race."

NCAI is the nation's oldest and largest American Indian lobbying organization.

Tex Hall was invited to the Fort Belknap Agency in January to speak with the tribal leaders from each of Montana's eight tribal governments.

He focused on issues facing Montana's American Indians in the 2004 election, court cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and Bush Administration Indian policies.

"My priority is to mobilize one million Indians to vote," said Hall. "If they don't think we aren't engaging, they won't stop."

Throughout his speech, Hall said he thought Gen. Wesley Clark or Sen. John Kerry would be the best suited to address needs in Indian country because he said they have already demonstrated that they understand Indian issues.

During President Bush's State of the Union address, Hall was critical of the lack of attention that Bush gave tribal government issues. While sitting only several feet from Bush during his speech to the country, Hall said only three American Indians were in the audience.

In conversations with Kerry, Hall said he was impressed that Kerry was interested in appointing an American Indian in a top level cabinet position in the White House. Hall said Kerry's offer resonates throughout Indian country.

"When you have presidential candidates calling our cell phones — that's never happened before — let's see where it goes," said Hall.

Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, and Tony Plummer, director of Cherish Our Indian Children, were also asked to provide the tribal leaders an overview of the impacts of the 2003 Montana State Legislature to the nearly 60,000 Indian people throughout Montana.

However, only representatives from Rocky Boy's tribal government were able to attend because of freezing temperatures, road closures and icy roads.

"Tribes of the Great Plains lobbied to get Tex Hall re-elected for a second term to the NACI," said Ben Speakthunder, chairman of the Fort Belknap tribe during his introduction of Hall.

Hall has served as chairman of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara nations since 1998. He was superintendent and principal at Mandaree School for 11 years and was named North Dakota's Indian Educator of the Year in 1995. In addition, he has served on numerous national committees and boards.

First elected in 2001, Hall's administration has been credited for its leadership in the fight against the Bush's administration's efforts to reorganize the BIA without the approval of the tribes.

The administration also took the lead in ensuring NCAI members' voices were heard in the Cobell vs. Norton — a lawsuit concerning decades of Bureau of Indian affairs accounting practices — and addressing what they see as the lack of funding and inclusion of tribes in the Homeland Security funding.

In addition, Hall has focused his efforts in the areas of transportation, Indian gaming, appropriations, sacred lands protection, state raids of tribal smoke shops and international issues.

Hall gave the first State of the Indian Nations Address at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. in January 2003. He was there again this year to continue getting his message out.

As he starts his second term, Hall has been instrumental in mobilizing NACI member tribes to take a more active role in America's political process.

"This nation's commitments to tribal nations are just as important as rebuilding Iraq or revisiting the moon," he said. "Our nation must square its shoulders and make a commitment to the First Americans a priority in the budget process."

Reporter Shawn White Wolf can be reached at 447-4028 or shawn.whitewolf@helenair.

com.