TO THE HONORABLE DONALD J. TRUMP, 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, AND TO THE HONORABLE RYAN ZINKE, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR:

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 Steilacoom tribe has continued to be recognized as an organized tribe since before the signing of the Medicine Creek Treaty of 1854; and

WHEREAS, The Steilacoom tribe was identified as a nation by the United States government to negotiate and to sign the Medicine Creek Treaty on December 26, 1854; and

WHEREAS, The Medicine Creek Treaty was ratified by the United States of America in 1855, establishing a trust relationship between the two nations, and there has never been an act of congress to abrogate this contractual relationship; and

WHEREAS, In 1856 the Steilacoom tribe participated in the Fox Island council to negotiate an end to territorial war and present the interests of all Puget Sound area tribes; and

WHEREAS, The interests of the Steilacoom tribe were supported by all tribes represented at the Fox Island council, including the necessity of maintaining a separate reservation in the aboriginal territory; and

WHEREAS, The Steilacoom tribe participated in the United States court of claims cases held by the Indian Claims Commission, and in 1974 the findings of fact provided that the Steilacoom tribe was to be compensated for their aboriginal rights; and

WHEREAS, No person, agency, or government has the right to deprive a people of their heritage, and all people have a natural right to their customs, culture, and ancestry;

NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the federal government of the United States acknowledge the Steilacoom tribe, conferring upon them the same rights, recognition, and privileges as those tribes now recognized by the United States government.

BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, the Honorable Ryan Zinke, Secretary of the Interior, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

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