Representative Don Young received the Congressional Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) this week.

Young was presented the award at this year’s RES 2012 Conference and American Indian Business Trade Fair. It was presented to Young in recognition of his commitment to the success of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development as well as his lifelong commitment to the American Indian community.

The RES conference is an American Indian economic and business development conference in the whose attendees include American Indian and Indigenous entrepreneurs, tribal economic and business development decision-makers, tribal leaders, government and corporate executives and buyers seeking Indian suppliers and contractors.

Representative Young had this to say of the presentation made to him, “Receiving this award is a great honor for me, because the economic success and prosperity of America’s First Peoples is so important to me.” He went on to say, “The fact of the matter is that our national Indian policy must be improved. The federal government, instead of empowering and promoting economic prosperity for America’s First Peoples, continues to use overregulation as a tool to limit economic growth and self-determination. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs, I look forward to working with organizations like NCAIED and others who truly understand the importance of economic self-determination for American Indians and Alaska Natives.”

This year’s Trade Fair began on February 27th and concludes today.