The Second Bite -- NAHASDA reauthorization
H.R.2786 "To reauthorize the programs for housing assistance for Native Americans" went to Yeas and Nays in the House on the 6th. The results were 333 - 75 (Roll no. 859). Where the bite on Chad Smith's quixotic trajectory as Indian Country's Last Yellow Leg Standing at the Battle of the Grafty Grass is in Section 2 -- Block Grants.
`(l) Limitation on Use for Cherokee Nation-
`(1) IN GERNAL- No funds authorized under this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, or appropriated pursuant to an authorization under this Act or such amendments, shall be expended for the benefit of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma until the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma is in full compliance with the Treaty of 1866 and fully recognizes all Cherokee Freedmen and their descendants as citizens of the Cherokee Nation.`(2) CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS- The Congress hereby finds that--
`(A) the Cherokee Freedmen have appealed the March 3, 2007, vote of the Cherokee Nation to rescind their tribal membership and it is currently in litigation in tribal courts; and
`(B) on May 14, 2007, Cherokee Nation District Court Judge John Cripps issued a temporary injunction requiring reinstatement of citizenship for the Cherokee Freedmen, pending appeal of the constitutionality of the March 3, 2007, tribal election rescinding membership.
`(3) EFFECTIVE DATE- Paragraph (1) shall not have any effect--
`(A) during the period that the temporary injunction issued on May 14, 2007, and referred to in paragraph (2)(B) remains in effect; and
`(B) if the Cherokee Freedmen prevail upon final judgment in the pending appeal referred to in paragraph (2)(B) regarding rescinding membership or a settlement agreement regarding such appeal is entered into, at any time after entrance of such judgment or such settlement agreement.'.
Western Iowa's gift to the KKK, Tandcredo look-alike, Steve King (IA-05) added this historical first to Indian Country:
SEC. 10. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS.
No amounts made available pursuant to any authorization of appropriations under this Act, or under the amendments made by this Act, may be used to employ workers described in section 274A(h)(3)) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1324a(h)(3)).
In case any of our readers are interested in keeping score, we've been working with Joyce Schulte since the run up to the '06 cycle. We think the IA-05 can be won, but it will take $$ and clue.
