Arizona Congressman David Schweikert (R—Dist. 1) visited the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community on September 4 to reintroduce himself to Community members at the SRPMIC Council meeting.

Schweikert is running for reelection and will be on the ballot for the general election on November 5. The SRPMIC Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs invited Schweikert as part of its effort to invite all the candidates who are running for office to visit the Community.

The SRPMIC falls within the boundaries of District 1, so Schweikert is the Community’s representative in Congress, and he has been since 2011. He also represents the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and approximately 789,000 people who live within the district, according to SRPMIC Special Assistant for Legislative Affairs Gary Bohnee.

“There are many issues and many candidates that will be on your November ballot that you’ll need to consider and make decisions on,” Bohnee told the Community members.

Schweikert said, “Each member of Congress is elected by the individuals and residents in their respective district, and this is why it’s important for voters in these particular districts to make the choice of who will represent their interests in the best way possible. Tribal communities have unique issues.”

He continued, “So often we’re working on geeky stuff in the tax codes and nobody’s advocating for Indian Country. I was one of your negotiators in the early 1990s on the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).”

Schweikert said that Congress has moved “light years” in becoming more educated on tribal issues, saying many members of Congress have almost no relationship with tribal populations.

“I believe if you look at the issues that you as a Council needed to have addressed by the federal government, I have been your sponsor, I believe, on everything,” Schweikert told Council.

“It’s my job. Even though this Community is 1% of my population, you’re important to me. You’re my neighbor.” When his time was up, Schweikert took a photo with Council members in the chambers before heading out to the lobby for photos with Community members.