PIERRE, S.D. (WNAX) – The Chairman of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe says South Dakota lawmakers need to improve communications with native American communities.

Lester Thompson gave the annual “State of the Tribes” speech to a joint session Thursday.

He says there are areas of cooperation.

Thompson says the tribes were shut out of some critical debates last year.

Thompson also asked lawmakers to back a resolution that would rescind treaty law from the 1860s.

Thompson also referred to the possible construction of the Keystone XL pipeline in western South Dakota as a possible flash point.

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