[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 106 (Friday, July 29, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    URGING THE U.S. BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS TO APPROVE THE TRIBAL 
             RECOGNITION PETITION OF THE MASHPEE WAMPANOAG

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 28, 2005

  Mr. DELAHUNT. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand before the House 
today with news that the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribe and the Bureau 
of Indian Affairs have reached an important agreement. The Mashpee will 
be placed on the BIA's active consideration list for federal 
recognition. This agreement is an important milestone on what has been 
an exceedingly long and arduous road for the Mashpee.
  As some of my colleagues know, the Mashpee are long-time residents of 
Cape Cod in our area 5,000 years before there was a United States of 
America, much less the Tenth Congressional District of Massachusetts. 
The Mashpee literally met the Mayflower in 1620 and were the Native 
Americans who aided the Pilgrims through their difficult first months 
and who attended the first Thanksgiving feast.
  The history of the Mashpee Wampanoag in American life goes back to 
that meeting in 1620, but that only tells the most recent chapters of 
the story. With an unbroken chain of habitation spanning five 
millennia, the Mashpee accepted the Pilgrims and others--and went out 
of their way to offer assistance. And then, when European culture gave 
way to a fledgling United States, the Mashpee Wampanoag embraced their 
roles as both Native Americans and Americans. Mashpee Wampanoag Indians 
have served honorably in the U.S. armed forces in every war from the 
Revolution through Iraq. The Tribe's current Chief was part of the 
Allied invasion of Normandy in the Second World War, and the Chairman 
of the Tribal Council is a survivor of the siege on Khe Sanh. Mashpee 
Wampanoag Indians continue to serve and sacrifice with so many other 
Americans.
  But the Mashpee have a dream: Formal recognition of their cultural 
identity by the Federal Government. They have sought a decision from 
the Bureau of Indian Affairs since 1978. Today I am pleased to tell you 
that the Bureau has agreed to place the Mashpee's application on active 
status and has committed to issuing a decision by April of next year. 
This process, I have no doubt, will lead to recognition of the tribe by 
the federal government, as Massachusetts has since the early days of 
the Commonwealth.
  Many in this chamber are familiar with this issue and I thank my 
colleagues and their staffs for helping so much to this point. I ask 
for your continued support as the day of decision draws near. We all 
remember the Mayflower. It's now time to remember those who stood on 
the shore the day she landed, and, with open arms, embraced the 
Pilgrims--the Mashpee Wampanoag Indians.

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