BISMARCK, N.D. (GPN) – The chairman of North Dakota’s Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa says North Dakota should share its prosperity with the state’s American Indian tribes.

Richard McCloud wants the North Dakota Legislature to help finance work force and business training programs on the state’s five reservations.

He’d also like help for buying land to expand the Turtle Mountain reservation. He says that would give tribal members more chances to own property, and increase farming and tourism.

(AUDIO: McCloud10, 22 seconds, “I want you to see … starting today.”)

McCloud spoke Thursday to a joint session of the North Dakota House and Senate. A North Dakota Indian tribal chairman makes a speech to state lawmakers every two years.

McCloud says tribes also have a responsibility to make their reservations more “business friendly” and operate their governments more openly. He says that would attract outside investment.

(AUDIO: McCloud11, 20 seconds, “Our tribal leaders … of the reservations.”)

Every two years, a North Dakota Indian tribal chairman speaks to lawmakers about the relationship between North Dakota’s state government and its tribal governments.

The task is rotated among North Dakota’s tribal chairmen, and the Turtle Mountain chairman was assigned the job this year.