The issues around Indian gaming ought to be well behind us in this state, resolved two decades ago by Gov. Lowell P. Weicker Jr. But the Bureau of Indian Affairs keeps trying to stack the deck. In 2002, the BIA granted federal recognition to two putative Connecticut tribes, the Schaghticokes and Eastern Pequots, even though neither met the BIA's standards for recognition. An Interior Department appeals panel reversed the recognitions, an action that held up in court. Well, here we go again. As author Jeff Benedict reported on these pages, the Interior Department's assistant secretary for Indian affairs, Kevin Washburn, has drafted new guidelines for groups petitioning to become federally recognized tribes. Though the guidelines are still preliminary, they deeply concern state officials — as well they should.Get the Story:
Editorial: Feds Would Open Door To 'Casino Tribes' (The Hartford Courant 8/7) Federal Register Notice:
Procedures for Establishing That an American Indian Group Exists as an Indian Tribe (June 26, 2013) Relevant Documents:
Dear Tribal Leaders Letter
Present Version - 25 CFR Part 83 Procedures for Establishing that an American Indian Group Exists as an Indian Tribe
Red Lined Proposed Version - 25 CFR Part 83 Procedures for Establishing that American Indian Group Exists as an Indian Tribe Related Stories:
Dave Palermo: BIA aiming to reform federal recognition process (07/30)
Cedric Sunray: How to fix a broken federal recognition process (07/29)
BIA takes comment on changes to federal recognition process (07/26)
Editorial: BIA needs to be more open with federal recognition (07/15)
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