Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes Of Virginia Federal Recognition Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

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Mr. WITTMAN. I rise in support of H.R. 1385, the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2009. I would like to start by thanking Ranking Member Hastings for yielding time to me. I would like to thank Representative Moran for his hard work in introducing this bill and for his work on behalf of the tribes. I would like to thank Chairman Rahall for his leadership in moving this legislation forward. We thank you for your efforts. It is an effort long overdue.

As a cosponsor of H.R. 1385, I am supportive of Federal recognition of Virginia's Indian tribes. This bill would extend Federal recognition to six Virginia tribes; and my district, the FirstCongressional District of Virginia, better known as America's First District, includes the historic tribal areas of the Chickahominy, Chickahominy Eastern Division, Upper Mattaponi, Rappahannock and Nansemond tribes. These tribes are important culturally and historically to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Tribal ancestors from these tribes populated coastal Virginia when Captain John Smith settled at Jamestown in 1607. These ``first contact'' tribes have been intertwined with the birth of our Nation for over 400 years and continue to preserve a culture and heritage important to both Virginia and the Nation.

I believe that it's especially important to recognize these tribes because so many tribal members served our country bravely and heroically as members of our armed services. These tribal members who served our country during our Nation's conflicts have not been officially recognized by our government. This legislation, after nearly 400 years, will recognize these tribes.

Mr. Chairman, I'm a cosponsor of this bill, and I definitely and strongly support its passage. However, I do want to bring up one point. I have heard from some in the convenience store and gasoline marketing industry who have faced issues in other States when tribal businesses sell gasoline and tobacco tax-free to nontribal members, negatively impacting off-reservation business and State tax revenue. I don't want to see these types of problems in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and I don't believe that we will. I have assurance from the tribes that that is not their intent, and we've had a great working relationship with the Virginia General Assembly who have said that they will be working to make sure that through State compacts that this is taken care of. I bring this up with the hope that, moving forward, we can address this issue while respecting tribal sovereignty and protecting nontribal businesses. I do believe that that will happen. I believe that folks with the tribes are going to make that happen. I think they have reached out and have done an extraordinary job in doing everything to make sure that they are helpful in getting this issue taken care of.

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