Blog – Capitol Hill Policy Group

Capitol Hill Policy Group Announces Hiring of Alyssa LaTray as a Public Policy Advisor

Jason Russo — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:21:04 +0000

Washington, D.C. – February 6, 2026 – The Capitol Hill Policy Group, a Washington-based consulting firm specializing in federal policy and government relations, today announced the appointment of Alyssa LaTray as a Public Policy Advisor, focusing on Indigenous relations and federal Indian policy.

Ms. LaTray brings extensive experience in tribal affairs and federal policy to the firm. She previously served as a Legislative Assistant handling tribal issues in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, working for both Senator John Tester and more recently Rep. Emily Randall. Her background also includes work with a Native-run nonprofit organization, providing her with both governmental and community-based perspectives.

“We are thrilled to welcome Alyssa to our team,” said Robert Odawi Porter, Managing Principal of Capitol Hill Policy Group, and a former President of the Seneca Nation. “Her combination of Congressional experience and direct work with Native nations makes her uniquely qualified to help our clients navigate the complex landscape of federal Indian relations. Alyssa’s dedication and her proven track record on Capitol Hill will be invaluable assets to our firm and the Native people that we serve.”

In her role, Ms. LaTray will advise and lobby on behalf of the firm’s Tribal government clients on federal legislative and regulatory matters, help develop policy strategies, and strengthen relationships between Native leaders and federal decision-makers.

“I am honored to join the Capitol Hill Policy Group and have the opportunity to work more directly alongside Tribal governments to advance their priorities at the federal level,” said Ms. LaTray. “Having worked in both the House and Senate, I believe durable progress in federal Indian policy requires strong relationships, thoughtful engagement, and a bipartisan approach. I look forward to supporting Tribal leaders as they navigate both Congress and the Administration.”

Ms. LaTray is a graduate of Stanford University and a citizen of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana. She can be reached at alyssa@capitolhillpolicygroup.com and (202) 308-6132.

The Capitol Hill Policy Group is located at 820 First Street, N.E., Suite 710, Washington, D.C. 20002. For more information, visit www.capitolhillpolicygroup.com.

Contact: Robert Odawi Porter at rob@capitolhillpolicygroup.com or (202) 308-3522.

Commentary: A chance for a new relationship with New York’s Native peoples

chadmin — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 16:01:55 +0000

Article originally featured in the Times Union

It was recently reported that several hundred Tonawanda Seneca Nation citizens were not counted during the U.S. census of the New York population last year. The undercount of Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) citizens statewide was surely even higher.

Generally, we do not consider ourselves citizens of the United States and refuse to participate in the American political process through voting or other means in order to protect our status as treaty-recognized Indigenous people.

Despite this, the census is intended to count all persons in the United States, whether they are Americans or not, whether here legally or illegally. The 2020 census revealed that New York lost a seat in the House of Representatives by only 89 people. Had the state a better relationship with the Haudenosaunee, perhaps more would have allowed themselves to be counted and New York’s representation in Congress would not be shrinking next year.

Which is another reason why having a good relationship with the Haudenosaunee and the Indian nations of Long Island is critical to the state’s future. Few New Yorkers seem to know this, but over 400 years, first as a colony and then a state, New York has waged war against Native peoples to take our lands, our wealth, and our cultural identity. We fight tenaciously to preserve our sovereignty against endless state attacks for good reason. If we didn’t, we would surely be penniless and absorbed into the state population.

The state’s hostility towards the Haudenosaunee reached a new low during Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s tenure. He rarely met with our leadership and only begrudgingly addressed long-festering problems such as the state’s illegal occupation of our treaty-protected lands. Occasionally, problems were resolved, like the settlement of the $500 million gaming compact dispute between the state and the Seneca Nation ten years ago. But mostly, with Cuomo it was conflict, denial, and neglect.

The state’s failed “foreign policy” towards the Haudenosaunee is apparently an occupational hazard for state officials. Even Attorney General Letitia James got into the act within just a few months after taking office. The Shinnecock Nation has been constructing electronic billboards on its lands near a state highway in Southampton to generate much-needed revenue. The state Department of Transportation has fought aggressively against this important exercise of sovereignty and self-determination. The attorney general was personally briefed on this dispute. But rather than respecting tribal sovereignty and solving the problem, she simply picked up the war club of the litigation effort no differently than her predecessors.

It is unclear what approach Gov. Kathy Hochul will take during her time in office. As a Western New Yorker, she has seen firsthand that respecting tribal sovereignty is a win-win solution for all. In 2002, Gov. George Pataki joined with the Seneca Nation to sign a casino gaming deal that led to a $1 billion investment and the creation of 4,000 jobs. She also no doubt saw the burning tires on the Thruway in 1997 after Pataki tried to tax our commerce in violation of our treaties.

Governor Hochul would do well to try a new approach and turn the state’s swords into ploughshares for the good of all.

Robert Odawi Porter is a former president of the Seneca Nation and a visiting professor at Cornell Law School.

Contemporary Significance of the Canandaigua Treaty

chadmin — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 16:05:20 +0000

Robert Odawi Porter (Seneca)

Monday, November 9th, 2020

4:30-6:00pm EST

RSVP for the event here

The Treaty of November 11, 1794, entered into between the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and the United States of America at Canandaigua, is perhaps the most significant U.S treaty with Indigenous nations. In addition to defining important territorial boundaries, the Treaty established peaceful relations with the Haudenosaunee and secured a potent military alliance for the recently liberated United States. The Treaty also recognized Haudenosaunee sovereignty and the “free use and enjoyment” of aboriginal lands as a matter of American law.

On the 226th anniversary of the Canandaigua Treaty, it is important to examine whether and how the Treaty retains significance for its signatory governments and their citizens. While the Treaty remains in effect, recent developments in the U.S. Courts and Congress question whether America’s commitment to Indian treaty rights remains meaningful. Robert Odawi Porter, a former President of the Seneca Nation and experienced advocate for Indigenous nations will discuss the modern-day significance of the Canandaigua Treaty.

Robert Odawi Porter is a former President of the Seneca Nation of Indians who has devoted his 30-year career to advancing the rights of sovereign American Indian nations in the United States. President Porter was raised in the Nation’s Allegany Territory and earned his education from Syracuse University and Harvard Law School. He served two terms as the Attorney General of the Seneca Nation and in 2010 was elected for a term as the Seneca Nation’s 67th President. For 15 years, President Porter was also a tenured law professor at the University of Kansas, the University of Iowa, and Syracuse University, and has written numerous academic articles and books relating to the law and policy governing Indigenous nations and peoples.

A proven advocate, he has helped resolve major conflicts against the U.S. Federal and state governments to protect tribal sovereignty and treaty rights, including efforts to stop New York State from taxing Seneca commerce, protection of Seneca gaming and land rights, and lobbying for the Tribal General Welfare Exclusion Act of 2014, which ended the practice of IRS auditing of Indians for benefits received from their tribal governments. Currently, he provides legal and lobbying services to Indigenous tribal governments, Native-owned businesses, and companies doing business in Indian Country through his law firm, Odawi Law PLLC, and his Federal government relations firm, the Capitol Hill Policy Group LLC.

Cornell University Website: https://aiisp.cornell.edu/news-and-events/featured-events/

One Kansas Democrat, one Republican: We need to come together on COVID-19

Jason Russo — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 14:46:58 +0000

Here is a terrific essay from our colleague Lynn Jenkins focusing on the need for bipartisan solutions to addressing the pandemic:

The following article was originally featured in The Wichita Eagle, July 7, 2020

By Lynn Jenkins and Dan Glickman Special to The Eagle

Dan Glickman, a Democrat, served as U.S. Agriculture Secretary from 1995-2001 and represented Kansas’ 4th District from 1977-1995. Lynn Jenkins, a Republican, represented Kansas’ 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2009-2019. They are co-chairs of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s Kansas Advisory Committee.

With coronavirus cases spiking in Wichita and across the country, it’s hard to believe only six months ago this virus was spreading around eastern China, of little concern to most Americans. But coronavirus is no longer a distant problem, it is our problem — one that is disrupting our healthcare system, economic prosperity and ways of life.

As two former U.S. representatives — one a Republican and one a Democrat — we’ve spent years working to protect our fellow Kansans and better our communities, which is why in this global health crisis, we must speak up. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that what happens around the world can have deep, profound impacts on our lives, even here in south-central Kansas. We cannot stop this virus in the United States if it’s still out in the world. It’s like two sides of the same coin: To defeat COVID-19 here, we must defeat it everywhere.

The United States has long been a leader in the fight against infectious diseases, using the expertise of the CDC, USAID, and State Department to help stamp out diseases like polio, Ebola, and HIV. Right now, their leadership is again needed to engage with our allies and international partners and coordinate a response to COVID-19.

While there’s still more we must do at home, we must step up American leadership on the world stage, especially as the pandemic takes hold in developing countries. Lives are at stake, not just from the virus, but from secondary impacts that are devastating economies and escalating humanitarian challenges like hunger, poverty, and food insecurity.

Such setbacks will reverse decades of gains in developing countries and hinder their ability to participate in the global economy. Before March, more than 50 percent of U.S. exports went to the developing world — markets that are essential to sustain American businesses. In Kansas, our exports not only bolster companies in manufacturing and agriculture, they also account for nearly 10% of our GDP and support 60,000 jobs statewide.

With global trade now in flux, fewer Kansas exports are going overseas, hurting our economy, as well as those of many developing countries, and causing millions to go hungry. Our economic future is directly tied to the recovery of these countries, many of whom will require U.S. assistance to prevent further economic collapse and humanitarian crises.

The pandemic is also giving way to new national security threats. One billion people in the world’s most fragile states are at risk of contracting COVID-19, threatening further destabilization and the resurgence of extremist groups like ISIS and Boko Haram. Before COVID-19, our country’s, diplomats, global health experts and development personnel were helping stabilize these environments and prevent future conflicts. Now, their involvement is even more critical to calm rising tensions and ensure they don’t become larger issues that could require us to put U.S. military service members in harm’s way.

Without action, we know what’s at stake for our economy, national security, and the global community. But our inaction also diminishes America’s global influence and erodes the respect people have for our country, which is necessary currency for international alliances, economic benefits, and mutual security.

Stepping back will only make room for others to step in —and we may not like who takes our place. Take China, for example. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, China was eagerly expanding its global influence through its $1 billion Belt and Road Initiative, partnering with countries to fund large-scale infrastructure projects like airports and railways. But with the economic fallout from the pandemic, many countries — particularly developing ones — cannot pay back their debts, leaving them at the mercy of China’s debt-trap diplomacy, which could mean the seizure of their assets in exchange for debt relief.

While our leaders in Congress have provided some emergency funding to USAID and the State Department to support our country’s international response, much more needs to be committed to stop the spread of coronavirus worldwide and reduce the possibility of the virus coming back to our shores.

We may come from opposite sides of the aisle, but we both agree this is the moment for America to stand up in the global fight against COVID-19. The future of our state and our country depend on it.

Lynn Jenkins, a Republican, represented Kansas’ 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2009-2019. Dan Glickman, a Democrat, served as U.S. Agriculture Secretary from 1995-2001 and represented Kansas’ 4th District from 1977-1995. They are co-chairs of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s Kansas Advisory Committee.

See Wichita Eagle Article: https://www.kansas.com/opinion/guest-commentary/article244025332.html

Time To Implement Economic Regulatory Reform For Tribes by Robert Porter and Paul Moorehead

Jason Russo — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 14:50:12 +0000

Article Originally Featured in Law 360

In our work with American Indian tribal nations and Alaska Natives, we have identified and advocated for the elimination of legal and regulatory barriers to land use, entrepreneurship, infrastructure construction, outside investment and capital formation, and other building blocks of strong tribal economies.

The last comprehensive effort by the federal government to identify these kinds of barriers came in 1983 when President Ronald Reagan established, by executive order, the Presidential Commission on Indian Reservation Economies. The commission held more than 15 meetings across the United States, with hundreds of tribal leaders and others testifying to the commission. Those leaders included such luminaries as Philip Martin, Eddie Tullis, Billy Mills, Ronnie Lupe, Earl Old Person, Apesanahkwat, Alan Parker, LaDonna Harris and many others.

A year later, the commission issued its report outlining the policy and legal changes it saw as necessary to improve business and investment conditions on Native American lands. Some of those recommendations have come to pass to expand economic opportunity.

Since 1983, tribal leaders and congressional allies have continued the effort to reform federal Native American law to break down the barriers to economic growth in Indian Country. A notable win was the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act in 2012 that authorized tribes to develop and manage their own surface leasing activity.

The fact that, until the HEARTH Act, simple surface leases of Native American land required the approval of the secretary of the interior, points out to us the broader need to consistently reexamine the legal and policy underpinnings of the federal legal regime that in most instances was based upon a colonization-based need for federal government control of tribal governments and economies.

Sometimes these changes come in more modest forms, like last year when Congress repealed an obscure part of Title 25 of the U.S. Code at the request of a Native American tribe seeking clarity and certainty regarding the legality of operating a large-scale distillery on its tribal lands.

The new statute repeals the 1834 Act to Regulate Trade and Intercourse with Indian Tribes and to Preserve Peace on the Frontier signed into law by President Andrew Jackson that prohibited the establishment and operation of alcohol distilleries in Indian Country. Subsequent enactments did little to clarify the law governing tribal economic activity, prompting Congress to act.

There are many other similar provisions in the five-volume Code, many simply anachronistic and paternalistic. For example, the code still carries a provision authorizing the secretary of the interior to withhold annuities from any tribe holding members of another tribe hostage.

Rather than pursuing this piecemeal approach, there is a better way to go about reforming the code to support tribal economic self-governance. In 2000, a Republican Congress and a Democratic president joined in establishing the Regulatory Reform and Business Development on Indian Lands Authority.[1]

The 21-member authority, comprised of both tribal leaders and private citizens, was to be appointed by the secretary of commerce to “conduct a review of laws (including regulations) relating to investment, business, and economic development that affect investment and business decisions concerning activities conducted on Indian lands.”

Given the still relevant need to reform the business and investment climate on Native American reservations, it is surprising that in the last two decades no administration — neither Democratic nor Republican — has seen fit to implement this law.

The Trump administration has made regulatory reform a major component of its agenda, with the president and the major cabinet members embarking on bold — and at times controversial — changes to the regulatory and administrative regimes governing large swaths of public and private activity, such as the use of federal lands for energy development.

In the same way, the U.S. Department of Commerce — loaded with business and investment expertise — should work with tribal leaders to launch the authority, identify outdated and antiquated laws and help build the kind of tribal economies that are robust and provide good jobs and household incomes for tribal members and for communities that surround many tribal communities.

Much has changed for Indian Country and tribal economies since 1983, most notably the explosive growth of a $32 billion gaming industry. But too much of Indian Country and Alaska Native territory remains undeveloped and economically undiversified.

The hard work of this important effort is already done — Congress has already acted. The time is now for the Trump administration to take this issue up and help mold a favorable business climate in Indian Country.

Robert Porter is a former president of the Seneca Nation of Indians and a managing principal of Capitol Hill Policy Group.
Paul Moorehead is a principal at Powers Pyles Sutter and Verville PC.

[1] Pub.L. 106-447, now at 25 U.S.C. §§ 4301 et seq.

See Law 360 Article: https://www.law360.com/articles/1216610/print?section=nativeamerican

Former House Member Lynn Jenkins and Chief of Staff Pat Leopold to Join Capitol Hill Policy Group

Jason Russo — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 14:49:33 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Media contact:

Todd Bertoson

todd@capitolhillpolicygroup.com

(202) 221-7822

FORMER HOUSE MEMBER LYNN JENKINS AND

CHIEF OF STAFF PAT LEOPOLD TO

JOIN CAPITOL HILL POLICY GROUP

Former Ways & Means Committee Member to focus on tax, trade, and healthcare issues

Washington, D.C., MARCH 27, 2020—the Capitol Hill Policy Group LLC, a bipartisan federal government relations firm, announced today that Lynn Jenkins, a former Member of the House of Representatives, and her former chief of staff Pat Leopold, have joined the Firm.

Lynn Jenkins brings more than 20 years of federal and state tax and economic policy experience to the Capitol Hill Policy Group. She was elected to the House in 2008 from the 2nd District of Kansas and served for 10 years before retiring from elected office. Prior to her time in Congress, she was elected as the State Treasurer of Kansas and to terms in the Kansas Senate and House.

Ms. Jenkins is a CPA by professional training and brought that expertise to her work on the House Ways & Means Committee, where she focused on tax, trade, and healthcare issues. As Chairman of the Ways & Means Oversight Subcommittee, she was active in enacting the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act of 2017 and provided important leadership on a host of tax, trade and healthcare issues before the Committee. She will continue her work in those areas at the Capitol Hill Policy Group as a Senior Policy Advisor and will register to lobby as client needs require.

Pat Leopold is a former Chief of Staff to U.S. Representative Lynn Jenkins. For over 10 years, Pat worked on both policy and political issues for Ms. Jenkins, with House leadership, and for the National Republican Congressional Committee. During his time as Congressional staff, he focused primarily on tax, trade, and healthcare issue and brings a unique combination of policy and political experience as a Principal of the Capitol Hill Policy Group.

Regarding her appointment, Ms. Jenkins said: “Throughout my time in public office, I was always laser focused on customer service and how my office could positively affect public policy. I am pleased to be joining a team that has a similar focus and provides the highest quality representation to our clients.”

Regarding his appointment, Pat Leopold said: “Regardless of the political and economic climate, people and businesses turn to the federal government to address their concerns. Navigating unique challenges and a changing landscape to deliver for clients has always been a source of pride. I look forward to working with a team of Capitol Hill professionals that has a proven ability to get results.”

Todd Bertoson, a Managing Principal of the Firm, stated: “With Lynn and Pat on our team, we will add tremendous new depth of experience on tax, trade, and healthcare issues. We expect that this will be an attractive opportunity for new clients during these challenging times, and we look forward to expanding our premium service to our existing clients.”

* * *

About the Capitol Hill Policy Group

The Capitol Hill Policy Group is a bipartisan federal government relations firm that provides advice and advocacy on a wide range of issues before Congress, the White House and Executive branch agencies. Our principals and advisors have broad public affairs expertise with emphasis on American Indian and Alaska Native Affairs, Aviation, Commerce and Economic Development, Healthcare, Natural Resources, Tax Policy, Telecommunications, Trade, and Transportation and Infrastructure. We work collaboratively with our clients to develop winning strategies and aggressively engage with federal officials to pursue desired outcomes.

Robert Odawi Porter, Managing Principal, is a former president of the Seneca Nation of Indians in Western New York. He has devoted his 30-year professional career to advancing the rights of sovereign American Indian nations and tribes in the United States. A citizen of the Seneca Nation, Porter was raised in the Nation’s Allegany Territory and earned his undergraduate degree from Syracuse University and his J.D. from Harvard Law School. He served two terms as Seneca chief legal counsel, as founding chairman of Seneca Holdings LLC, before being elected in 2010 as the Seneca Nation’s 67th President. He has also served as a tenured law professor at the University of Kansas, University of Iowa, and Syracuse University.

* * *

For more information:

Capitol Hill Policy Group LLC

www.capitolhillpolicygroup.com

800 North Capitol Street, N.W.

Suite 800

Washington, D.C. 20002

(202) 221-7807

Todd Bertoson, Managing Principal

todd@capitolhillpolicygroup.com

(202) 221-7822

Robert Odawi Porter, Managing Principal

rob@capitolhillpolicygroup.com

(202) 221-7821

Lynn Jenkins, Senior Policy Advisor

lynn@capitolhillpolicygroup.com

(202) 221-7834

Pat Leopold, Principal

pat@capitolhillpolicygroup.com

(202) 221-7840

Politico Influence announces addition of James Reid as a Principal

Jason Russo — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 14:54:24 +0000

Politico Influence By Theodoric Meyer and Marianne Levine | with David Beavers and Garrett Ross | 7/19/2018

CAPITOL HILL POLICY GROUP ADDS REID: James Reid has joined the Capitol Hill Policy Group, a new lobbying shop started earlier this year by two Dentons veterans, Todd Bertoson and Robert Odawi Porter. Reid was previously senior vice president of the Telecommunications Industry Association and before that served as chief of staff to former Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.). He’ll be lobbying on transportation and communications issues, including the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that’s currently moving through Congress. “Over time, the goal is to build a larger practice in these policy areas, among others,” Reid wrote in an email to PI. “During our time on the [Senate] Commerce Committee, Todd and I worked together in a bipartisan manner to pass a lot of significant legislation and we believe that we can make an effective team for our clients.”

James Reid Joins Capitol Hill Policy Group

Jason Russo — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 14:53:02 +0000

Former Senate Commerce Committee Deputy Staff Director and Chief of Staff to Senator Jay Rockefeller to focus on transportation and telecommunications advocacy

Washington, D.C., July 17, 2018—the Capitol Hill Policy Group LLC, a bipartisan federal government relations firm, announced today that it has hired James Reid as a Principal.

James Reid brings more than 20 years of political, policy, and communications experience to Capitol Hill Policy Group. He has advised Senators, Members of Congress, and CEOs and has been at the intersection of key policy debates on Capitol Hill and in the private sector.

James served as Chief of Staff to former U.S. Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-WV), where he oversaw every facet of the legislative, communications, political, and administrative operations in the Senator’s office. He also counseled Senator Rockefeller on all matters related to his Chairmanship of the Senate Commerce Committee and active memberships on the Senate Finance, Intelligence, and Veterans Affairs Committees.

As Deputy Staff Director of the Senate Commerce Committee, James oversaw the Senate’s work on cybersecurity, transportation, telecommunications, consumer protection, aviation, maritime, and science. He led successful efforts on the first long-term reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration in seven years, the creation of the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a national public safety communications network in FirstNet, and doubled funding for the Federal Communications Commission’s E-Rate program to provide affordable communications services at rural and low-income schools and libraries.

James previously served as Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at the Telecommunications Industry Association. On behalf of a broad cross section of the global information and communications technology industry, he worked closely with key Members of Congress and the Executive Branch to achieve the industry’s strategic, legislative, and regulatory priorities.

James earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Colorado at Denver. James resides in Washington, DC with his family.

Regarding his appointment, James said: “I’m known and worked with the leadership of the Capitol Hill Policy Group for many years and appreciate what thoughtful, dedicated, and talented people and advocates they are. I am deeply honored and excited about joining the team and working with them as they advance their clients’ policy goals and expand the practice into new areas.”

Todd Bertoson, a Managing Principal of the Firm, stated: “With James on our team, we plan to move forward with expanding our existing practice with and increased focus on transportation, telecommunications and tecnology, while continuing to provide premium service to our existing clients.”

* * *

About the Capitol Hill Policy Group

The Capitol Hill Policy Group is a bipartisan federal government relations firm that provides advice and advocacy on a wide range of issues before Congress, the White House and Executive branch agencies. Our principals and advisors have broad public affairs expertise with emphasis on Commerce and Economic Development, Indian Gaming, Natural Resources, Tax Policy, Telecommunications, Transportation and Infrastructure, and American Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. We work collaboratively with our clients to develop winning strategies and aggressively engage with federal officials to pursue desired outcomes.

Todd Bertoson, Managing Principal, is a former staff director of the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation senior staff member for former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska. A native of Seattle, Bertoson earned his bachelors and law degrees from the University of Washington and worked for nearly 10 years in Congress on issues under the broad authority of the Senate Commerce Committee. Since 2012, he was affiliated with Dentons US LLP in Washington, D.C. where he developed a government relations practice focused on natural resource development, as well as all telecommunications and all modes of transportation, including emerging technologies such as Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

Robert Odawi Porter, Managing Principal, is a former president of the Seneca Nation of Indians in Western New York. He has devoted his 25-year professional career to advancing the rights of sovereign American Indian nations and tribes in the United States. A citizen of the Seneca Nation, Porter was raised in the Nation’s Allegany Territory and earned his undergraduate degree from Syracuse University and his J.D. from Harvard Law School. He served two terms as Seneca chief legal counsel, as founding chairman of Seneca Holdings LLC, before being elected in 2010 as the Seneca Nation’s 67th President. He has also served as a tenured law professor at the University of Kansas, University of Iowa, and Syracuse University. Since 2013, he was affiliated with Dentons US LLP in Washington, D.C. where he developed a government relations practice representing American Indian tribal governments and Alaska Native corporations.

For more information:

Capitol Hill Policy Group LLC www.capitolhillpolicygroup.com

Robert Odawi Porter rob@capitolhillpolicygroup.com
(202) 308-3522

Todd Bertoson todd@capitolhillpolicygroup.com
(202) 262-9076

Lummi Nation meets with Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke

Jason Russo — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 14:52:36 +0000

Leaders discuss tribe’s priorities, opioid epidemic

Bellingham, Wash.—Leaders of the Lummi Nation today met with Ryan Zinke, Secretary of the Interior, to discuss tribal priorities and ways to address the opioid epidemic.

“We’re glad to have the chance to discuss Lummi’s priorities with Secretary Zinke and we thank the Secretary for the visit,” said Jay Julius, Chairman of the Lummi Nation. “It is an opportunity for us to remember the past, but also focus on the future.”

In December 2017, Lummi Nation declared a Public Health Crisis to end illegal drug use on the Lummi reservation. Lummi leaders discussed both the history of the Lummi Nation and the tribe’s ongoing fight to address opioids.

“Our people are dying and families are being torn apart,” said Julius. “This epidemic is devastating to both tribal and non-tribal communities and the only way we win this battle is to work together. We’ve had enough death. What we need is collaboration and sufficient resources to address the problem.”

In addition, Lummi leaders discussed the importance of protecting their homeland and waters, and ensuring that there is fish for future generations. The health of natural resources, says the tribe, are connected to the opioid crisis.

“Where we are as a people today is directly linked to the decline of our salmon and our natural resources,” said Julius. “Since our leaders signed the treaty in 1855, we have less fish, our waters are polluted and our whole ecosystem is unbalanced. You only have to look at the current opioid epidemic our tribe and others are facing to see that this is a very painful and personal loss felt by our people.”

The Lummi Nation took the opportunity to meet with the Secretary to discuss the efforts that the tribe has made to combat this epidemic, and also discuss the many unmet needs to deal with the public health crisis.

“Rather than looking for ways to jail our people, we are focused on a restorative approach to healing our people from this disease,” said Julius. “We discussed missing components from the structure, including prevention, a medical detox facility and transitional housing to strengthen the foundation following inpatient treatment.”

Tribal leaders also urged Secretary Zinke to engage in a partnership with tribes to ensure treaty obligations are met.

“The Lummi ancestors entered into a bi-lateral partnership with the United States government in 1855. There are obligations that haven’t always been met,” said Julius. “The treaty demands a nation-to-nation relationship and I hope this meeting is just the beginning of a longer conversation with the Secretary and the department. These lands, waters, animals and fish are a part of our schelangen, our way of life. When we lose them, we suffer the consequences.”

Politico Influence announces opening of Capitol Hill Policy Group

Jason Russo — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 14:51:12 +0000

CAPITOL HILL POLICY GROUP SIGNS EIGHT:

Capitol Hill Policy Group, a new lobbying shop started by two Dentons veterans, has signed eight new clients, including the American Chemistry Council. The firm, started by Todd Bertoson and Robert Odawi Porter, registered its first clients last month, bringing the total client list to nearly a dozen. All are former Dentons clients. “It’s a small lobbying shop really focusing on natural resources, transportation and tribal issues,” Bertoson told PI. Bertoson worked for the Senate Commerce Committee before joining Dentons, and Porter is a former president of the Seneca Nation of Indians. They’re looking to bring on one or two more staffers to build out the firm, Bertoson said.

By THEODORIC MEYER and MARIANNE LEVINE

03/19/2018 02:39 PM EDT

With David Beavers, Garrett Ross and Daniel Lippman

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2018/03/19/capitol-hill-policy-group-signs-eight-142939