Connecticut stirs opposition to federal recognition reforms

Monday, August 26, 2013  

Politicians from Connecticut are trying to stop the Bureau of Indian Affairs from making changes to the federal recognition process.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), whose anti-tribal record as Connecticut's attorney general was brought up during his Senate campaign, has long complained about the process. He said it was "broken and must be fixed" as far back as August 2001.

But he says the BIA's proposed reforms, which were released in June, go too far. Officials in Connecticut are worried that state-recognized groups will be able to gain federal recognition much more easily.

“Our hope is we can dissuade officials from proceeding with a regulatory step that would be very misguided because it would essentially eviscerate and eliminate key criteria,” Blumenthal told the Associated Press.

Blumenthal joined the Senate in January 2011. He has not introduced any bills that would fix the process that he said was broken.

Get the Story:
US overhauls process for recognizing Indian tribes, stirring concerns for new casino rush (AP 8/25)
Connecticut political establishment at odds with tribes (The Connecticut Mirror 8/14)

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

BIA extends comment period on federal recognition proposal (08/13)