Politics

Lawmakers introduce bill to allow Miami Nation to revoke charter

Friday, January 30, 2015

The seal of the Miami Nation. Image from Miami University

Lawmakers from Oklahoma introduced a bill to allow the Miami Nation to revoke its charter.

The charter was approved under the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act. The document is outdated but changing it is extremely difficult, tribal leaders said.

In addition to an election among the membership, federal approval is required. Congress has approved similar bills for other tribes so the Miami Nation wants to take the same path.

"This dated charter creates hurdles for the tribe’s investors, business partners, and potential customers,” Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), the sponsor of H.R.533, said in a press release. “Removing this obsolete charter from the books will eliminate uncertainty facing the tribe’s partners, leading to additional growth opportunities for the communities the tribe operates.”

“Outdated laws and regulations hold communities back all around Oklahoma,” said Sen. James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), the sponsor of S.321. “This federal corporate charter is unused by the tribe, and yet its existence raises concerns for prospective business partners due to restrictive conditions within the charter. Taking the federal charter off the books eliminates uncertainty for these partners and ensures that the tribe is free to pursue new opportunities that will benefit the community now and for years to come.”

The House passed a similar version of the bill last year but it never came up for consideration in the Senate.

Get the Story:
Lankford, Mullin introduce bill to remove economic barriers for local tribe (The Miami News-Record 1/30)