1988-03-23 Char-Koosta News

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A nexos publication of the Satish and %potenai Tribes
of the fiatfiead Indian (Rpervaticm
Chief Charlo of the Salish VOLUME 16, NUMBER 44
THE MONTH OF THE GEESE
Chief Koostatah of the Kootenai MARCH  23,  1988
Almost two dozen volunteer to register Indian voters on the Flathead
Voter registration efforts across Montana hope to add 17,000 Indian names to the state's roster of eligible voters this year.
Some 21 people here on the Flathead are actively involved in the work, being spearheaded by long-time registrar Lucille Otter, who submitted the following:
"Hats off to Joe Eneas, who upon receiving his U.S. citizenship status af-
ter serving in World War I, has made his voice politically heard by exercising his right to vote for 70 years.
"As we all know, Native Americans were not made U.S. citizens until 1924, and therefore, could not vote. Joe Eneas and others who served in World War I were exceptions as they were given citizenship upon their military discharge prior to the 1924 law.
"Let's follow the lead of Joe Eneas and others and join together in a strong Native American political voice — REGISTER AND VOTE!"
Here's a list of people able to sign you up:
SANDERS COUNTY:
HOT SPRINGS: Thelma Gray, 741-
2937
DDCON: Eileen Decker, 246-3238; Beverly Morigeau, 246-3255
MISSOULA COUNTY:
ARLEE: Henry Baylor, Vivian Baylor, 726-3487
LAKE COUNTY:
ARLEE: Aggie Betts, 726-3231 (Aggie is at the senior citizen center on Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon); Kelly Burland, 726-3129 (Housing #9-1)
ST. IGNATIUS: Mary Lou Sorrell, 745-4129; Culture Committee, 745-4572
RONAN: Emily "Pete" Phillips, 676-5033 (Pache Housing); Ramona Eben-steiner, 676-2770 (Tribal Health); Lu-(Concludes on page two)
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New IHS health rules delayed
BILLINGS —New Indian Health Service rules on eligibility did not go into effect on March 16 as planned. Congress has delayed the effective date of the new regulations to Sept. 16.
Under the new regulations, people must be members of federally recognized Indian tribes and live within a delivery area to be eligible for care. Children under 18 also will be eligible if at least one of their natural parents is enrolled in a tribe.
The current regulations allow anyone of Indian ancestry living on a reservation to receive care at IHS facilities. But people who live off the reservation aren't eligible for IHS-paid care unless they belong to the tribe on the reservation where services are sought.
Garfield Little Light of the Billings Area Office says the delay will give Tribal leaders more time to prepare people for the changes.