Leaders of the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut. Outgoing Chairman Dennis Jenkins is in the back row, third from right. Incoming Chair Katherine Sebastian Dring is first from right on the back row. Photo from EPTN
The outgoing leader of the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation blamed politicians in Connecticut for pressuring the Bureau of Indian Affairs to scale back the Part 83 reforms to the federal recognition process. Chairman Dennis Jenkins tried to meet with Assistant Secretary Kevin Washburn to discuss the rule but was turned away, The New London Day reported. He said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), whose federal recognition battles earned him a reputation as an Indian fighter, and allies weakened the rule. “They got to the president and the bureau,” Jenkins told the paper. “But Blumenthal and his co-conspirators shouldn’t be doing their high-fives and partying just yet. We’re not going to go down without a fight.” The proposed version of the rule would have allowed the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation to submit a new petition for recognition. But it also would have allowed interested parties, including the state of Connecticut, to object to reconsideration. Both provisions were removed from the final rule that was published in the Federal Register last week. Jenkins said there is not reason why his tribe shouldn't be able to restart the process despite being rejected by the Bush administration in 2005 after winning a favorable ruling in 2002. “Everyone knew it was in trouble,” Jenkins told the Day of the provision. “But it doesn’t make sense that tribes can’t re-petition, whether they go to the back of the line, or the front of the line." Jenkins will be succeeded in the chairman's post by Katherine Sebastian Dring later this month, the paper reported. The tribe is recognized by the state and resides on a reservation that was set aside during Colonial times. Get the Story:
Eastern Pequot chairman vows to fight new tribal recognition rule (The New London Day 7/7) Some Opinions:
Our View: Balanced approach needed on tribal recognition (The Norwich Bulletin 7/7)
Editorial: Improved rules (The Waterbury Republican American 7/7) Bureau of Indian Affairs Documents:
Press Release | Fact Sheet Federal Register Notices:
Federal Acknowledgment of American Indian Tribes (July 1, 2015)
Requests for Administrative Acknowledgment of Federal Indian Tribes (July 1, 2015)
Federal Acknowledgment of American Indian Tribes (July 30, 2014)
Federal Acknowledgment of American Indian Tribes (May 29, 2014)
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