SALT LAKE CITY — The top official for the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs is resigning to accept a full-time leadership position with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Larry Echo Hawk, assistant secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs, is being appointed to the Quorum of the Seventy, which is the Mormon Church’s third-highest governing body. The announcement from the church came Saturday during its semi-annual general conference in Salt Lake City.
The 63-year-old Echo Hawk has overseen the BIA since 2009.
He was elected Idaho attorney general in 1990, the first Native American to be elected to the position in any state. He ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat in 1994 for Idaho governor.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in a statement that he would work with Echo Hawk to ensure a smooth transition with his departure.
“Having known and worked with Larry for many years, I congratulate and support him as he embarks on this next leg of his journey within the Church of Latter-day Saints,” Salazar said. “I will work closely with Larry to ensure there is a smooth transition when he moves on to this new opportunity, so that we may carry forward the extraordinary progress we have made toward fulfilling President Obama’s vision for empowering Indian nations.
"With Larry Echo Hawk’s leadership, we have opened a new chapter in our nation to nation relationships with American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments, accelerated the restoration of tribal homelands, improved safety in tribal communities, resolved century-old water disputes, invested in education, and reached many more milestones that are helping Indian nations pursue the future of their choosing.”
