Copyright © 2002 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

Osiyo,

Dear Cherokee Citizen or Friend,

Just two weeks ago, I asked participants at the Cherokee National Holiday and visitors to our web site to send letters of support to U.S. Senator James Inhofe, asking him to continue his efforts to pass the Five Nations Land Reform Act in the Senate.

Since that time, we have collected more than 1500 letters and you have sent countless emails to the Senator's office. The effort has made a difference. The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs has set a hearing for September 18. I will attend that hearing and strongly support the passage of this bill, which would protect restricted Indian allotments belonging to individual citizens of the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole and Muscogee (Creek) Nations.

This bill has already passed the U.S. House of Representatives by unanimous vote. With your help, it is on its way to passing the Senate. I want to thank each of you for supporting this legislation to save Cherokee land. If you haven't had a chance to do so, it is not too late to tell Senator Inhofe that you appreciate his work and that you hope this legislation moves quickly through the Senate. Visit the Cherokee Nation web site and follow this link:

http://www.cherokee.org/TribalGovernment/ChiefPage.asp?ID=08

You will get directions there on how to contact Senator Inhofe. Even those of you have already submitted a letter can still help by sending a follow-up email.

I want to thank each of you who has already sent in a letter or email. You are sending a message to Washington that Cherokee people are strong and speak with one voice on important issues. Because you have made your voice heard, we have this hearing scheduled. In the future, I may again ask your support on issues important to the Cherokee Nation. By working together, we have demonstrated an ability to get our message to Washington

Wa-do.

Chad Smith,
Principal Chief