[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 18 (Thursday, February 17, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S1654]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. LEVIN (for himself and Ms. Stabenow):
  S. 437. A bill to expedite review of the grand River Band of Ottawa 
Indians of Michigan to secure a timely and just determination of 
whether that group is entitled to recognition as a Federal Indian 
tribe; to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to introduce a 
bill to address an inequity to one of Michigan's Native American 
tribes. The Grand River Band of Ottawa Indians, commonly referred to as 
the Grand River Band, has been in some form indigenous to the State of 
Michigan for over 200 years. The Grand River Band consists of the 19 
bands of Indians who occupied the territory along the Grand River in 
what is now southwest Michigan, including the cities of Grand Rapids 
and Muskegon. The members of the Grand River Band are the descendants 
and political successors to signatories of the 1821 Treaty of Chicago 
and the 1836 Treaty of Washington. They are also one of six tribes who 
is an original signatory of the 1855 Treaty of Detroit. However, the 
Grand River Band is the only one of those tribes which is not 
recognized by the Federal Government.
  The bill I am introducing today with my colleague, Senator Stabenow, 
will direct the Bureau of Indian Affairs at the Department of Interior 
to make a recognition determination in a timely manner. Let me be 
clear--this bill does not federally recognize the tribe nor does it 
address the issue of gaming. I hope that this legislation will help to 
address this inequity to the Grand River Band and provide a timely 
remedy so that the tribe can enjoy the full benefits and status of 
Federal recognition.
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