Cole Statement on Echo Hawk Announcement

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement after the announcement that Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk is stepping down from his role in the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to accept a position with the Mormon Church:

"Larry Echo Hawk is a great friend to Indian Country. During his tenure at the BIA, Secretary Echo Hawk has worked tirelessly to resolve important issues of tribal land and sovereignty and to bring greater economic development, education and security to tribal lands. He has been a stabilizing presence at the BIA, and his efforts will benefit tribes in Oklahoma and across the nation for years to come.

"On a personal note, I wish to note how much I will miss Larry Echo Hawk as a friend and a dedicated public servant. As I learned traveling across parts of Indian country in Larry's company, he is a man of deep understanding, profound compassion, enormous energy and genuine bipartisanship. He has served the first Americans and all Americans with distinction and integrity."