The House Resources Committee holds a hearing today on a bill to speed up the federal recognition process for tribes that have been waiting more than two decades for an answer.

The hearing takes place at 10 am in 1324 Longworth House Office Building. A live audio link can be found at http://resourcesaudio.house.gov/1324.

Witnesses include Mike Olsen, principal deputy assistant secretary at the Bureau of Indian Affairs; Lance Gumbs, trustee for the Shinnecock Nation of New York and Phil Deloria, the director of the American Indian Law Center at the University of New Mexico.

H.R. 512 was introduced by Rep. Richard Pombo (R-California), chairman of the committee. It requires the BIA to issue final decisions on a handful of tribes whose petitions were filed before October 17, 1988, and whose documentation is complete.

Get the Bill:
H.R.512

Related House Report:
TO REQUIRE THE PROMPT REVIEW BY THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR OF THE LONG-STANDING PETITIONS FOR FEDERAL RECOGNITION OF CERTAIN INDIAN TRIBES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES (HR.108-788)

Only on Indianz.Com:
Federal Recognition Database (July 2004)

Relevant Links:
House Resources Committee - http://resourcescommittee.house.gov

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