Statement of Unity

USET proclaims the following objectives and declare our purpose to be:

We, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana, Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, Passamaquoddy Tribe – Pleasant Point, Passamaquoddy Tribe – Indian Township, Penobscot Indian Nation, Seminole Tribe of Florida, Seneca Nation of Indians, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, Narragansett Indian Tribe, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, Oneida Indian Nation, Mi'kmaq Nation, Catawba Indian Nation, Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, Cayuga Nation, Mohegan Tribe, Shinnecock Indian Nation, Pamunkey Indian Tribe, Rappahannock Tribe, Chickahominy Indian Tribe, Chickahominy Indian Tribe – Eastern Division, Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe, Nansemond Indian Nation, and Monacan Indian Nation, being numbered among the Nations People of the South and Eastern United States, desiring to establish an organization to represent our united interest and promote our common welfare and benefit, do of our own free will in Council assembly, affirm our membership in the organization to be known as United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc., and proclaim the following objectives and declare our purpose to be:

a. To promote Indian leadership in order to move forward in the ultimate, desirable goal of complete Indian involvement and responsibility at all levels in Indian affairs;

b. To lift the bitter yoke of poverty from our people through cooperative effort;

c. To promote better understanding of the issues involving Indian Tribes and other people;

d. To advocate for more effective use of existing local, state, federal, and international resources;

e. To promote a forum for exchange of ideas;

f. To combine our voices so we can be heard clearly by local, state, federal, and international governments;

g. To dedicate ourselves to improvement of the quality of life for American Indians through increased health, education, social services and housing opportunities;

h. To reaffirm the commitments of our Tribes to the treaties and agreements heretofore entered into with the Federal Government in a government-to-government relationship and to promote the reciprocity of this relationship and those agreements and treaties; and

i. To provide protection of Tribal natural resources.