“The Museum of the Plains Indian in Browning, Montana, the Sioux Indian Museum in Rapid City, South Dakota, and the Southern Plains Indian Museum in Anadarko, Oklahoma, are threatened with closure in fiscal year 2007 if these museums are not properly funded. I strongly support these museums and will vigorously oppose any attempts to undermine their important mission,” warned Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

       The role of the three museums is to properly house the Native American artifacts and to enforce the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, which helps Indian artists and craftsmen protect the authenticity of their art from counterfeit replicas. Rehberg said a group of his colleagues stand ready to support his efforts to fight the cuts.

       “Forcing these museums to close and ship their collections to a national museum thousands of miles away would deal a severe blow to the communities and cultures the museums serve,” Rehberg said. “The federal government cannot simply walk away from its responsibility to preserve valuable historical artifacts.  American Indians, and indeed all Americans, have a right to expect even a small government investment in the protection of these treasures.”

Letter Below:

January 4, 2006

The Honorable Josh Bolton

Director

Office of Management and Budget

Washington, DC  20503

Dear Director Bolton,

I am writing to express my concern with the federal funding of the three Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB) museums of the Department of the Interior. Although I understand that the Budget Office has no intention of closing the museums in 2006, The Museum of the Plains Indian in Browning, Montana, The Sioux Indian Museum in Rapid City, South Dakota, and The Southern Plains Indian Museum in Anadarko, Oklahoma, are threatened with closure in fiscal year 2007 if these museums are not properly funded. I strongly support these museums and will vigorously oppose any attempts to undermine their important mission.

The museums house and preserve valuable Native American historical artifacts that are centuries old. The museums’ additional responsibility is to enforce the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, which was created to protect Indian arts, crafts and culture from an increase in sales of counterfeit Indian arts and crafts.  The IACB acquired the three museums less than 50 years ago when the Bureau of Indian Affairs was experiencing budget cuts. Currently, the IACB does not receive proper funding to fulfill its obligation to the museums’ legacy and to continue to enforce the Act to restrain counterfeit Indian artistry and craftsmanship.

The Indian art and collections at each of the three museums are very unique and rare. An array of historical artifacts, tools, jewelry, and clothing are visual reminders of the region’s cultural history. The region-specific exhibits attract tourists interested in the artifacts of the particular tribes and their traditions. In Montana alone, The Museum of the Plains Indian attracts 15,000 visitors each year.  If the museums are forced to close in 2007, the rare and unique treasures they house would likely be relocated to the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C..  Forcing these museums to close and ship their collections to a national museum thousands of miles away would deal a severe blow to the communities and cultures the museums serve.

The federal government cannot simply walk away from its responsibility to preserve valuable historical artifacts.  American Indians, and indeed all Americans, have a right to expect even a small government investment in the protection of these treasures.  I look forward to working with you during the budget process to ensure the continued operation of these important historical and cultural museums.  Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.

Sincerely,

Denny Rehberg

Member of Congress

Cc:  Gale Norton, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior