Facebook Twitter Email
JANUARY 17, 2001

Fulfilling a campaign promise, newly elected Representative Rob Simmons (R-Conn) on Tuesday said he has scheduled a field hearing in Connecticut to discuss controversial issues affecting tribes and communities in his state.

The key focus of the February 9 hearing in Hartford would be the Mashantucket Pequot Settlement Act of 1983, the law introduced by the man he defeated, Sam Gejdenson. It granted federal recognition to the Mashantucket Tribe and defined the borders of their reservation.

With anti-tribal sentiment in southeastern Connecticut running high, the hearing, which would also focus on larger issues of federal recognition, is likely to be contentious. Whether or nor it is a precursor to one before the House Committee on Resources is another question, however.

The committee has jurisdiction over Indian issues like the 1983 law and federal recognition. So far, the committee hasn't decided to conduct a hearing on the Pequot Act and Simmons isn't a member.

Still, Simmons is promising a "fair" hearing on the two issues. Along with the state, the towns of Ledyard, North Stonington, and Preston have challenged a decision by the Department of Interior to add 165 acres of land to their reservation.

They have argued the law prevents such an acquisition. But the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in September disagreed and the group is now asking the Supreme Court to review the decision.

The towns and the state are also challenging the pending federal recognition of the Eastern Pequot and Paucatuck Eastern Pequot Tribes. Both state-recognized, the Bureau of Indian Affairs is in the process of issuing a final decision on them amidst criticism that the two don't meet all the mandatory recognition criteria. A public comment period is set to end in March.

Another Connecticut lawmaker, Representative Chris Shays (R-Conn) is also pushing the recognition issue, calling for a full-scale investigation into the entire process. Meanwhile, state legislators are considering a proposal to give Attorney General Richard Blumenthal $1.3 million to help his office investigate tribes seeking recognition.

Of the amount, $1 million would be used to hire genealogists, historians, and anthropologists to look into petitions submitted by tribes. The rest would used to hire a legal staff to contest petitions.

Get the Pequot Ruling:
Connecticut v. Babbitt (Second Circuit Court of Appeals. No. 99-6042. September 2000)

Relevant Links:
Attorney General, Connecticut - www.cslib.org/attygenl
Simmons for Congress, campaign site - www.simmonsforcongress.com

Related Stories:
State wants money for recognition fight (Tribal Law 01/11)
Towns to appeal Pequot ruling (Tribal Law 11/07)
Does a Pequot empire await? (Tribal Law 9/27)
Court rules against anti-Pequot towns (Tribal Law 9/26)