Editing Crow people (section)

==21st Century==

===Geography===

The [[Crow Indian Reservation]] in south-central Montana is a large reservation covering approximately {{convert|2300000|acre|sqmi km2}} of land area, the fifth-largest [[Indian reservation]] in the United States. The reservation is primarily in [[Big Horn County, Montana|Big Horn]] and [[Yellowstone County, Montana|Yellowstone]] counties with ceded lands in [[Rosebud County, Montana|Rosebud]], [[Carbon County, Montana|Carbon]], and [[Treasure County, Montana|Treasure]] counties. The Crow Indian Reservation's eastern border is the [[107th meridian west|107th meridian]] line, except along the border line of the [[Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation]].

The southern border is from the 107th meridian line west to the east bank of the [[Big Horn River]]. The line travels downstream to [[Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area]] and west to the [[Pryor Mountains]] and north-easterly to Billings. The northern border travels east and through [[Hardin, Montana]], to the 107th meridian line. The [[United States Census, 2000|2000 census]] reported a total population of 6,894 on reservation lands. Its largest community is Crow Agency.

===Government===
[[File:Crow Nation flag.jpg|thumb|Crow flag seen from Interstate 90 at the [[Crow Indian Reservation]], Big Horn County, Montana]]

Prior to the 2001 Constitution, the Crow Tribe of Montana was governed by its 1948 constitution. The former constitution organized the tribe as a general council ([[tribal council]]). The general council held the executive, legislative, and judicial powers of the government and included all enrolled, adult members of the Crow Tribe, provided that women were 18 years or older and men were 21 or older. The general council was a [[direct democracy]], comparable to that the [[Haudenosaunee Confederacy]].

The Crow Tribe of Montana established a three-branch government at a 2001 council meeting with its 2001 constitution. The general council remains the governing body of the tribe; however, the powers were distributed to three separate branches within the government. In theory, the general council is still the governing body of the Crow Tribe, yet in reality the general council has not convened since the establishment of the 2001 constitution.

The executive branch has four officials. These officials are known as the chairperson, Vice-chairperson, [[Secretary]], and Vice-Secretary. The Executive Branch officials are also the officials within the Crow Tribal General Council, which has not met since 15 July 2001.

The current administration of the Crow Tribe Executive Branch is as follows:

* Chairman: Frank White Clay
* Vice-chairman: Lawrence DeCrane
* Secretary: Levi Black Eagle
* Vice-Secretary: Channis Whiteman<ref>{{cite web |title=Crow Tribe Executive Branch |url=http://www.crow-nsn.gov/ |website=Crow Tribe of Indians |access-date=14 October 2019}}</ref>

The Legislative Branch consists of three members from each district on the Crow Indian Reservation. The Crow Indian Reservation is divided into six districts known as The Valley of the Chiefs, Reno, Black Lodge, Mighty Few, Big Horn, and Pryor Districts. The Valley of the Chiefs District is the largest district by population.

The Judicial Branch consists of all courts established by the Crow Law and Order Code and in accordance with the 2001 Constitution. The Judicial Branch has jurisdiction over all matters defined in the Crow Law and Order Code. The Judicial Branch attempts to be a separate and distinct branch of government from the Legislative and Executive Branches of Crow Tribal Government. The Judicial Branch consists of an elected Chief Judge and two Associate Judges. The Crow Court of Appeals, similar to State Court of Appeals, receives all appeals from the lower courts. The Chief Judge of the Crow Tribe is Julie Yarlott.

====Constitution controversy====
According to the 1948 [[Constitution]], Resolution 63-01 (Please note: in a letter of communication from Phileo Nash, then Commissioner of Indian Affairs, to the B.I.A. Area Director, as stated in the letter and confirmed that 63-01 is an Ordinance in said letter) all constitutional amendments must be voted on by secret ballot or referendum vote. In 2001, major actions were taken by the former Chairperson Birdinground without complying with those requirements. The quarterly council meeting on 15 July 2001 passed all resolutions by voice vote, including the measure to repeal the current constitution and approve a new constitution.

Critics contend the new constitution is contrary to the spirit of the Crow Tribe, as it provides authority for the US [[Bureau of Indian Affairs]] (BIA) to approve Crow legislation and decisions. The Crow people have guarded their sovereignty and Treaty Rights. The alleged New Constitution was not voted on to add it to the agenda of the Tribal Council. The former constitution mandated that constitutional changes be conducted by referendum vote, using the secret ballot election method and criteria. In addition, a constitutional change can only be conducted in a specially called election, which was never approved by council action for the 2001 Constitution. The agenda was not voted on or accepted at the council.

The only vote taken at the council was whether to conduct the voting by voice vote or walking through the line. Critics say the chairman ignored and suppressed attempts to discuss the Constitution. This council and constitutional change was never ratified by any subsequent council action. The Tribal Secretary, who was removed from office by the Birdinground Administration, was the leader of the opposition. All activity occurred without his signature.

When the opposition challenged, citing the violation of the Constitutional Process and the Right to Vote, the Birdinground Administration sought the approval of the [[United States Department of the Interior]] (USDOI), [[Bureau of Indian Affairs]] (BIA). The latter stated it could not interfere in an internal tribal affair The federal court also ruled that the constitutional change was an internal tribal matter.{{Citation needed|reason=Jan 2010|date=January 2010}}

===Leadership===
{{Further|Crow Tribal Administration}}
[[File:CarlVenneANDBarackObama-May19-2008.JPG|thumb|upright|left|Crow Tribal Chairperson Carl Venne and Barack Obama on the Crow Indian Reservation in [[Montana]] on 19 May 2008. Obama was the first presidential candidate to visit the Crow Tribe.]]

The seat of government and capital of the [[Crow Indian Reservation]] is Crow Agency, [[Montana]].

The Crow Tribe historically elected a chairperson of tribal council biennially; however, in 2001, the term of office was extended to four years. The previous chairperson was [[Carl Venne]]. The chairperson serves as chief executive officer, speaker of the council, and majority leader of the Crow Tribal Council. The constitutional changes of 2001 created a three-branch government. The chairperson serves as the head of the executive branch, which includes the offices of vice-chairperson, secretary, vice-secretary, and the tribal offices and departments of the Crow Tribal Administration. Notable chairs include [[Clara Nomee]], [[Edison Real Bird Administration|Edison Real Bird]], and [[Robert Yellowtail|Robert "Robie" Yellowtail]].

On 19 May 2008, Hartford and Mary Black Eagle of the Crow Tribe adopted U.S. Senator (later President) [[Barack Obama]] into the tribe on the date of the first visit of a U.S. presidential candidate to the nation.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/05/19/obama_adopted_into_crow_nation.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | title=Obama Adopted into Crow Nation |url-status = dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704194411/http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/05/19/obama_adopted_into_crow_nation.html | archive-date=4 July 2008 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> Crow representatives also took part in President Obama's inaugural parade. In 2009, Dr. [[Joe Medicine Crow|Joseph Medicine Crow]] was one of 16 people awarded the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]].

During the [[United States federal government shutdown of 2013]], the Crow Tribe furloughed 316 employees and suspended programs providing health care, bus services and improvements to irrigation.<ref name=indian>{{cite news|last=Brown|first=Matthew|title=Shutdown hits vulnerable Indian tribes as basics such as foster care, nutrition threatened|url=http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/226131551.html?page=1&c=y|access-date=3 October 2013|newspaper=Minnesota Star-Tribune|date=2 October 2013|agency=AP|url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004221051/http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/226131551.html?page=1&c=y|archive-date=4 October 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In 2020, the Tribal Chairman AJ Not Afraid Jr. endorsed [[List of Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign political endorsements|President Donald Trump's reelection]], along with endorsing Republicans [[Steve Daines]] [[2020 United States Senate election in Montana|for the Senate]], [[Greg Gianforte]] [[2020 Montana gubernatorial election|for Governor]] and [[Matt Rosendale]] [[2020 United States House of Representatives election in Montana|for the U.S. House]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Crow Tribal Chairman endorses Trump campaign |url=https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/crow-tribal-chairman-endorses-trump-campaign-0XWBbrkBP0KzVwQnkjQo3A |website=Indian Country Today |date=15 September 2020 |access-date=September 29, 2020}}</ref>
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