H-4641.1          _______________________________________________

                       SUBSTITUTE HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 4024

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

By House Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representatives O'Brien, Locke, Anderson, Belcher, Sheldon, Brekke, Spanel, Rasmussen, Prentice, Franklin, Leonard, Paris and Dellwo)

Read first time 02/05/92.  Referred to Committee on .Requesting Congress to acknowledge tribes.

     TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

     WHEREAS, The Chinook, Cowlitz, Duwamish, Samish, Snohomish, Snoqualmie, and Steilacoom Tribes of Washington have not been officially acknowledged by the department of the interior on behalf of the United States government; and

     WHEREAS, Federal acknowledgement of these tribes will restore tribal sovereignty, improve tribal governance, clarify tribal status, and establish important tribal rights, powers, and privileges; and

     WHEREAS, These tribes are petitioning the department of the interior to secure official federal acknowledgement; and

     WHEREAS, The United States Senate select committee on Indian affairs has begun the process of developing federal legislation designed to speed up the time line and procedures by which tribes petition for federal acknowledgement;

     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the Congress of the United States enact legislation that will assure that the unacknowledged tribes located in Washington state have the opportunity to petition the department of the interior for federal acknowledgement in a manner which is clear, unbiased, and timely in administrative response.

     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George Bush, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each member of Congress from the State of Washington.