"For South Dakotans familiar with the problems facing Native American reservations here, watching the federal government pour money into foreign aid can be bittersweet.

Those programs often are worthy efforts to improve some of the world's worst situations, but so much of that money could be put to use inside America's borders.

An amendment written by Sen. John Thune and passed by the Senate this week diverts $2 billion toward reservation law enforcement, health care and water projects from a $50 billion bill to continue overseas AIDS relief and prevention efforts.

Money is no panacea, and for tribes fighting growing gang and drug problems across broad geography that almost is impossible to police, maintaining the gains of surges will be hard work.

But this is strong and needed action for which Thune deserves credit. We can only hope Congress is waking up to one of this region's most troubling problems."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Money for tribal police a welcome first step (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 7/18)

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