* FINAL VERSION - Concurred
Resolution:A153
Title:Federal Tribal Recognition
Topic:Reconciliation
Committee:09 - National and International Concerns
House of Initial Action:Deputies
Proposer:Executive Council Committee on Indigenous Ministries

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 76th General Convention request The Episcopal Church's Office of Government Relations in Washington D.C. and the bishops and Episcopalians of the Dioceses of Virginia, Southwestern Virginia and Southern Virginia to call upon their elected officials in support of the federal tribal recognition of the Upper Mattaponi Tribe, the Monacan Indian Nation, the Chickahominy Tribe, the Eastern Chickahominy Tribe, the Rappahannock Tribe and the Nansemond Tribe of Virginia; and be it further

Resolved, That the 76th General Convention request The Episcopal Church's Office of Government Relations and the bishops and Episcopalians of the dioceses of Louisiana, Western Louisiana, Georgia, Atlanta, Hawaii, Fond du Lac, and the six dioceses in the State of New York, to advocate in their respective spheres of influence for the federal tribal recognition of the United Houma Nation of Louisiana, the Shinnecock Tribal Nation of New York, the Southeastern Cherokee Council Inc. of Georgia, the Native Hawaiian Nation and the Brothertown Nation of Wisconsin.


EXPLANATION

This Resolution originally came from The New Jamestown Covenant Summit of The Episcopal Church, gathered in Williamsburg, Virginia for the 400th Anniversary of the encounter of English colonists and Native Americans and to inaugurate a new "Decade of Remembrance, Recognition and Reconciliation." The Summit consisted of Episcopalians from 28 dioceses and represented 39 tribes.

The Summit heard from the Chief of the Upper Mattaponi Tribe of Virginia, an Episcopal deacon from the Monacan Indian Nation of Virginia, the Principal Chief of the United Houma Nation of Louisiana, and leaders of the Shinnecock Tribal Nation of New York, the Southeastern Cherokee Council Inc. of Georgia, the Native Hawaiian Nation and the Brothertown Nation of Wisconsin about their struggles, desires and stalled attempts to receive federal recognition of tribal status and subsequent opportunities for health benefits, educational opportunities, economic development and equal voice with other tribes in Washington D.C.

We recalled Resolution 1985-B007 of our General Convention which called upon "all agencies of the church to advocate and support the honoring of all Indian treaty rights and the right to internal autonomy and self-determination of Indian Nations and Tribes."
 


* Note: The final language, as well as the final status of each resolution, is being reviewed by the General Convention office. The Journal of the 76th General Convention and the Constitution and Canons will be published once the review process has been completed.