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Statement of the Governor on the "Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act"

Statement

By: Tim Kaine
By: Tim Kaine
Date: May 8, 2007
Location: Richmond, VA
Issues: Indigenous Peoples Federal, State and Local Relations

Governor Timothy M. Kaine released the following statement today in response to the U.S. House of Representatives' unanimous voice vote to pass the "Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act" (H.R. 1294):

"Today's vote by the U.S. House of Representatives to recognize six of the Native American Tribes of Virginia is a major step towards reconciling an historic wrong for Virginia and the Nation. While the Virginia Tribes have received official recognition from the Commonwealth of Virginia, acknowledgement and officially recognized status from the federal government has been considerably more difficult.

"I would like to thank the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and especially Representative Jim Moran (D-VA) for his years of work on behalf of the native peoples of Virginia. I am especially heartened by the bipartisan Virginia Delegation support for H.R. 1294 and thank Representatives Jo Ann Davis (R-VA), Tom Davis (R-VA), and Bobby Scott (D-VA) for their original co-sponsorship of the legislation.

"It is time for these Virginia Native peoples to be recognized by the United States. I will strongly support efforts to pass recognition legislation for the Native American Virginia Tribes in the U.S. Senate and look forward to assisting in any way I can to help ensure this legislation is enacted into law."


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