Copyright © 2000 NLThomas
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WASHINGTON, D.C - The U.S. House of Representatives has passed by unanimous consent a land bill that one Native American leader has called "the most significant legislation passed for the Five Tribes of eastern Oklahoma in over 50 years."

The Five Nations Citizens Land Reform Act of 2000 sailed through the House after bipartisan sponsorship from Wes Watkins (R-Okla.) and Dale Kildee (D-Mich.). The Act would reform legislation that places an unfair burden on individual members of the Cherokee, Muskogee (Creek), Seminole, Choctaw and Chickasaw nations who own nearly 400,000 acres of restricted Indian land.

"These (current) laws have created an exceedingly complex system of Indian land tenure in eastern Oklahoma," Watkins said. "This has resulted in substantial land loss to tribes and their members, cause ownership of these lands to be increasingly fractionated and more difficult to manage... and potentially raised questions about the title that Indian land owners currently hold. This reform would treat the restricted lands of the Five Civilized Tribes like the federally protected allotments of land of all other federally recognized tribes."

Leaders of the Five Tribes support the bill unanimously. "Indian people in eastern Oklahoma now hold just one-third of one percent of the land they held 100 years ago," said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. "This bill will help keep that land base from eroding any further."

Congressman Kildee proudly cosponsored the bill, saying that the legislation would "bring equity and fairness to the Indian people who own allotted lands," in eastern Oklahoma.

"I am pleased that Congressmen Watkins and Kildee have the interests of Native Americans at heart," said Perry Beaver, Principal Chief of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. "The beginning of the 20th century, at the time of allotment, was a dark tragic period for the five great Indian nations in eastern Oklahoma. The work of Congressmen Watkins and Kildee is a wonderful way to celebrate the beginning of the 21st century, which we hope will bring prosperity to Indian people here and elsewhere in the country."

"When this bill is signed into law, it will mark the end of 100 years of federal policy that operated to separate members of the Five Tribes from their land," Smith said. "Congressmen Watkins and Kildee must be commended for their efforts to finally bring some equity to Indian landowners in eastern Oklahoma."

After receiving bipartisan support in the U.S. House of Representatives, the bill was considered and passed by the House under the suspension of the rules, meaning it passed without objection by any of the members present.

Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) introduced an identical bill in the Senate last week. Although the tribal leaders do not expect the House bill to be taken up by the Senate this session of Congress, they feel that they have the commitment of Senator Inhofe to advance the bill through the Senate early in the next session.

"This is a chance to right an old wrong," Smith said. "We thank Senator Inhofe for his support of this bill and hope that the Senate will pass this bill and send it on to the President for his signature."