The proposed rules were "significantly" changed, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy told a group of business leaders in Danbury Wednesday, and now are expected to effectively block attempts by the Schaghticokes in Kent to win federal recognition. The revisions, announced by the BIA last Thursday, specify that for any petition to move forward it would need consent by all parties who were involved in earlier unsuccessful attempts. Given that Connecticut, the state's attorney general and the town of Kent all vigorously objected to federal recognition for the Schaghticokes -- a designation approved in 2004 and then overturned in 2008 -- any new effort would go nowhere. Good news for the state. Not such good news for the Native Americans, who obtained their reservation by the General Assembly of the Colony of Connecticut in 1736. The original 2,500-acre reservation, one of the oldest in the country, was pared down in the 1800s and early 1900s to the present day steep, rocky 400 acres in Kent.Get the Story:
Editorial: Still struggling with the Native American identity (The Danbury News-Times 5/29) Another Opinion:
Editorial: Odds are tribal recognition changes won’t benefit state (The Manchester Journal Inquirer 5/29) Federal Register Notice:
Federal Acknowledgment of American Indian Tribes (May 29, 2014) Relevant Documents:
Proposed Rule | Press Release | Comparison Chart (comparing current rule to proposed rule) | Response to Comments on June 2013 Discussion Draft | Frequently Asked Questions Related Stories:
Interview with Kevin Washburn on federal recognition reforms (5/27)
Editorial: BIA shouldn't be altering federal recognition process (5/27)
BIA plans separate meets for recognized, non-recognized tribes (5/26)
Little Shell Chippewa Tribe welcomes federal recognition reform (5/23)
Federal recognition reforms might not help tribes in Connecticut (5/23)
BIA announces regulation to reform federal recognition process (5/22)
Opinion: Federal recognition matters influenced by lobbyists (03/14)
Editorial: Connecticut argues against its own recognized tribes (3/13)
Editorial: Some Indians become inconvenient for Connecticut (3/7)
Editorial: Don't let BIA water down federal recognition process (3/6)
Connecticut governor opposes BIA federal recognition reforms (2/27) Connecticut politicians want BIA to drop recognition reform (8/30)
Connecticut leads opposition to federal recognition reforms (8/26)
BIA extends comment period on federal recognition proposal (08/13)
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