Black lawmakers to meet with Artman over Freedmen

Wednesday, January 23, 2008  

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus plan to meet with assistant secretary Carl Artman to discuss the Cherokee Freedmen, The Hill newspaper reports.

Rep. Diane Watson (D-California) and other caucus members want to cut federal funds to the Cherokee Nation. They say the tribe violated a treaty by ousting the Freedmen, who are the descendants of former slaves.

The tribe says it has a right to define its membership and hired a former CBC staffer to lobby lawmakers on the issue. A lawyer for the tribe said 6,000 people have sent letters in opposition to Watson's legislation.

The Freedmen have been temporarily restored to citizenship pending a tribal court case over their status.

Get the Story:
K Street in brief: Cherokees vs. CBC (The Hill 1/23)

Cherokee-Related Legislation:
H.R.2786 | H.R.2895 | H.R.2824 | H.R.3002

BIA Letters:
August 9, 2007 | July 11, 2007 | June 22, 2007 | May 21, 2007 | March 28, 2007 | August 30, 2006

Sovereign Immunity Court Decision:
Vann v. Kempthorne (December 19, 2006)

Cherokee Nation Judicial Appeals Tribunal Decision in Freedmen Case:
Allen v. Cherokee Nation (March 7, 2006)

Relevant Links:
Cherokee Nation - http://www.cherokee.org
Freedmen Of The Five Civilized Tribes - http://www.freedmen5tribes.com
Freedmen Conference - http://www.freedmenconference.com

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