Eastern Band of Cherokee Historic Lands Reacquisition Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 226, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Historic Lands Reacquisition Act. I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their kind words in support of this bill.

Madam Speaker, this legislation has passed this House four times and must pass again today. It needs to go to the United States Senate, and it needs to go to President Trump's desk for signature.

It has been far too long. The Eastern Band of Cherokee have been waiting and had a lot of promises made to them over the years, which have been broken.

This is a great bill for America, and it is a great bill that will honor our wonderful Eastern Band of Cherokee. In my home State, the great State of Tennessee, it takes its name from Tanasi, a historic Overhill Cherokee settlement in present-day Monroe County, Tennessee, in the Third District of Tennessee, which I am privileged to represent.

Tanasi served as the Cherokee capital as early as 1721. Unfortunately, due to misguided Federal policies, the Cherokee were forced from their homes in Tennessee and surrounding States. This tragic period in American history led to the Trail of Tears, a journey in which 15,000 Cherokees were forcibly marched to the Indian territory.

My bill returns important historic sites back to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the Tribal Nation comprised of descendants of those Cherokees who resisted removal in the Great Smoky Mountains and escaped the Trail of Tears.

It is on these same lands where the Eastern Band of Cherokees have, for decades, honored the birthplace of Sequoyah, whose likeness we all in this House have the opportunity to pass as we make our way from the rotunda in our Capitol to the House floor.

Let me be clear. My bill, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Historic Lands Reacquisition Act, is limited and targeted. It restores 76.1 acres of federally owned Tennessee Valley Authority land to the Eastern Band of Cherokees and will grant two permanent easements over TVA property to be held in trust for the Tribe to create recreational trails between the sites.

Madam Speaker, this is about honoring history and keeping our promises. I strongly urge Members of both Chambers to understand the importance of the Cherokee Tribal land preservation and support H.R. 226 so it may be brought to President Trump's desk promptly.

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