SRPMIC Council member Michael Dallas Sr. traveled to Washington, D.C. to attend the 60th U.S. presidential inauguration and second overall inauguration of President Donald Trump on January 20, but Mother Nature had other plans.

Like most other people with a ticket to the inauguration, Dallas withstood sub-freezing temperatures outside the U.S. Capitol for some time to watch the inauguration on outdoor screens. When he arrived at the site, he said security were not letting people into the inauguration.

“I ended up getting coffee at a Starbucks in a nearby Marriott to warm up,” Dallas told O’odham Action News.

Just days before the inauguration was set to be held outside on the West Front of the Capitol, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) announced it would honor Trump’s request to move the ceremonies inside the U.S. Capitol to the Rotunda, due to the lowest Inauguration Day temperatures (in the low 20s) since Ronald Regan’s inauguration in 1985. The Rotunda holds about 600 people.

According to the JCCIC, over 220,000 color-coded tickets were printed for the event by the Government Publishing Office, which were distributed to the constituents of members of Congress. Every person who would have attended the inauguration was required to have a ticket.

At the Marriott, Dallas said, was a bar near the lobby where many people were watching the private swearing-in on television. He was moved by the experience watching country music singer Carrie Underwood sing “America the Beautiful” as a part of the ceremonies.

“What was interesting is, all the people and the kids and the people from all over were there, and they started singing [along with Underwood] a cappella,” Dallas recalled.

“And so, everybody in the lobby just started singing it. Everybody knew the words and had their hands on their hearts just singing it,” he said.

Dallas met with other tribal leaders while in town, including Morongo Band of Mission Indians Tribal Chairman Charles Martin and Council member Ryan Martin, Oneida Nation Council member Jonas Hill, Colorado River Indian Tribes Deputy Attorney General Travis Nez and Pechanga Band of Indians Council members Michael Vasquez and Marc Luker.

“The reason why I wanted to go, the way I’m looking at it is that, to me, it’s not about the [political] party,” said Dallas, noting his responsibility from the oath that he took as a tribal leader.

“…there are going to be people who are appointed to these positions…and the tribe here at Salt River, we get federal funding,” he continued.

Dallas gave an example of former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum’s support from tribal leaders across Indian Country, who at the time of the inauguration was awaiting approval of his nomination for his current role as secretary of the Interior Department.

During Burgum’s confirmation hearing, Montana Sen. Steve Daines, Republican, presented to the committee a letter the Coalition of Large Tribes (COLT) in support of Burgum, due to his working relationship with some tribes.

“It’s very important as a tribal leader to be at the table to address some of your issues and concerns,” said Dallas.

Dallas said that a former SRPMIC president once told him, “If you’re not at the table, then you’re on the menu.”

He said that the Community relies on federal funding for certain programs related to education and diabetes, among others.

“It’s important to raise our concern that we don’t need the cuts in those areas, that we need that money here.”