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BUILDING ECONOMIC SELF-DETERMINATION
The Iroquois teach us that every decision we make, every action we take, must be judged not only on the impact it makes today but on the impact it makes on the next seven generations. It is, therefore, fitting on the eve of a new century and a new millennium, that we come together today to determine what we must do to build a stronger future for our children, for our grandchildren, for future generations of Native Americans, and indeed for all Americans.
For too many Americans, our understanding of Native Americans is frozen in time -- in sepiatoned photography of legendary chieftains; in the ancient names of rivers, lakes, and mountain ranges; in the chapters of old history books. But as we have all seen at this White House Conference on "Building Economic Self-Determination in Indian Communities," the more than 2 million members of tribal nations in the United States are a vital part of today's America and must be an even more vital part of tomorrow's America.
We are living in a time of great opportunity and hope, with our economy the strongest in a generation.
It is a time of unprecedented prosperity for some of our tribes as well. Gaming and a variety of innovative enterprises have enabled tribes to free their people from lives of poverty and dependence. The new wealth is sparking a cultural renaissance in parts of Indian country, as tribes build new community centers, museums, language schools, elder-care centers.
But we also know the hard truth --...