Copyright © 2002 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

Dear Cherokees and Friends,

I write to you today because of a late challenge to a new federal law, unanimously supported by the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole and Muscogee (Creek) Nations, which would protect the restricted lands belonging to individual Indians. This is the allotted lands that so many of our families have lost over the past 100 years. This law, known has H.R. 2880, would help preserve the tiny fraction of remaining restricted allotments.

In the past week, oil and gas producers in Oklahoma have raised last minute objections to the bill. Senator James Inhofe has been very helpful in getting the bill through committee in the Senate, but he has placed a hold on the bill because of the objections of these oil and gas interests.

Today, it is urgent that we contact Senator Inhofe, thank him for his support thus far, and urge him to listen to the people he represents.

Please help us save these restricted allotments and help individual Indian families by following steps at the end of this letter.

Sincerely,

Chad Smith

Principal Chief

1) Copy the following letter:

Dear Senator Inhofe:

Thank you for your help in getting H.R. 2880 through the Senate. As you know, this law would offer the same kinds of protection to restricted lands owned by individual members of the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole and Muscogee (Creek) Nations as restricted lands owned by individual Indians in the rest of the United States.

I am lending my voice to the unanimous support of the Five Nations for this bill. I understand that you have placed a hold on the bill due to last minute objections from oil and gas producers.

According to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission web site, there are more than 100,000 oil leases in the state. According to the Oklahoma Solicitor's Office, there are about 100 leases a year on restricted property owned by individuals belonging to the Five Nations.

Please do not let another Indian family lose their land over something that effects 1/1000 of Oklahoma's oil industry.

Please remove your hold from the bill and send it to the full Senate for consideration.

Sincerely,

2) Follow this link:

Contact Senator Inhofe

3) Fill out form

4) Copy & Paste letter