Saying it is tired of waiting to hear from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Little Shell Chippewa Tribe of Montana is seeking federal recognition through an act of Congress.

The tribe received a positive preliminary determination in 2000. But vice chairman James Parker Shield told The Great Falls Tribune "we never heard anything since" then.

Sen. Max Baucus (D-Montana) and Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Montana) will sponsor the recognition bill, Shield said. The tribe's recognition bid has been endorsed by the state and by other tribes in Montana.

Get the Story:
Little Shell Tribe 'tired of waiting' (The Great Falls Tribune 7/4)

Relevant Links:
Little Shell Tribe - http://www.littleshelltribe.com

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Little Shell Tribe seeks support for recognition bid (07/07)
Little Shell Tribe sees delay in recognition (05/27)
Mont. court recognizes tribe through common law (05/01)
Little Shell case could help federal recognition (05/01)
Little Shell finding a departure (08/16)
Decisions put Gover in the middle (08/16)