The Duwamish Tribe of Washington deserves federal recognition, Chairwoman Cecile Hansen says.

The tribe was the first to sign the Point of Elliott Treaty of 1855, according to Hansen. And Chief Seattle donated more than 54,000 acres of the tribe's land to found present-day Seattle.

"We were promised everything it said in the treaty about housing, education and medical, everything that recognized tribes have today," Hansen told Q13 FOX News. "And we don't have that."

Hansen thought the struggle was over when the Clinton administration approved the tribe's petition for federal recognition. But it was rescinded by the Bush administration.

"It was a shock," Hansen said. "So, we whooped it up that evening. And then Monday when Bush comes in, they put that decision on hold and then take it away. You see, that's wrong."

Bills to recognize the tribe have failed to move in Congress.

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Duwamish tribe donated land for Seattle to be built, tribe now seeks recognition (Q13 FOX News 10/4)