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WASHINGTON, D.C - The U.S. House of Representatives has passed by unanimous consent a land reform bill that the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation calls "the most significant legislation passed for the Five Tribes of eastern Oklahoma in over 50 years."

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

"The goal of this legislation is to provide the remaining restricted Indian allotments in eastern Oklahoma with the same level of protection that is afforded trust allotments in western Oklahoma and elsewhere in the United States,” Watkins said. "The bill puts the Five Nations on fair and equal footing with other federally-recognized tribes."

"I am pleased to have been able to work so closely with Congressman Watkins on this issue, which brings equity to citizens of the Five Civilized Tribes and is important to many people in Oklahoma", Carson said.

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."

The Five Nations Indian Land Reform Act now moves to the Senate for approval. The tribal leaders are now asking Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Senator Don Nickles (R-Okla.) to pass the bill immediately.

"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 Carson must be commended for their efforts to finally bring some equity to Indian landowners in eastern Oklahoma. Restricted Indian land will continue to be lost until this bill becomes law.

For more information on the Five Nations Indian Land Reform Act, visit Representative Watkins’ web site, or the Library of Congress web site.