[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17950]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 THE DELAWARE TRIBE OF INDIANS JUDGMENT FUNDS DISTRIBUTION SETTLEMENT 
                                  ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN SULLIVAN

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 1, 2008

  Mr. SULLIVAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce H.R. 6786, the 
Delaware Tribe of Indians Judgment Funds Distribution Settlement Act.
  The Delaware Tribe was the first tribe to sign a treaty with the 
fledgling United States in 1778, playing an important role in winning 
the Revolutionary War, and was called the ``Grandfather Tribe'' by 
other tribes in and around the Delaware River valley. The Tribe was 
forced inexorably westward by the Colonies and then the United States 
from its aboriginal area further west and eventually into Cherokee 
territory in Oklahoma.
  The Tribe was recognized by the United States throughout the 20th 
century until it was terminated by the Department of the Interior in 
1979. The Department rescinded that decision in 1996, and the Tribe was 
recognized from 1996 until 2004 when a Tenth Circuit Court decision 
ended the Tribe's Federal recognition. The United States Solicitor 
General stated to the United States Supreme Court that the Tenth 
Circuit decision to end status of the tribe resulted in the need for 
Congress to address this issue.
  This legislation restores the rightful Federal recognition of the 
Delaware Tribe of Indians but also incorporates mechanisms for the 
Delaware Tribe of Indians and the Cherokee Nation to resolve issues 
between them in Eastern Oklahoma amicably. I am pleased to see not only 
Delaware restoration but also accord and cooperation between the two 
tribes.

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