Moran Hails Senate Leadership in VA Indian Struggle

Washington D.C.− Congressman Jim Moran hailed today’s Senate Committee passage of legislation to officially recognize Virginia’s Indian tribes. The Virginia Democrat commended his colleague Senator Jim Webb and Chairman Byron Dorgan for their strong leadership on the issue.

“This is another major step forward in the long-standing effort to officially recognize Virginia’s Indians,” said Moran. “Senator Webb has been a champion for the tribes; his support and tireless advocacy is driving action on the Senate side. With Chairman Dorgan’s backing, a big hurdle has been cleared.  In the coming weeks, we’ll be pushing hard for a vote on the Senate floor, the next major milestone.”

In June, the House of Representatives approved Rep. Moran’s tribal recognition legislation (H.R. 1385) by a unanimous voice vote. Congressman Moran has been working on this issue for the past decade, having first authored the legislation in 1999.

Virginia’s tribes were the first to greet the settlers at Jamestown, despite having waited 400 years for federal recognition. The Commonwealth of Virginia first recognized the tribes at the state level in the 1980’s. The six tribes seeking federal recognition include: the Chickahominy Tribe, Chickahominy Indian Tribe Eastern Division, the Upper Mattaponi, the Rappahannock Tribe, the Monacan Tribe, and the Nansemond Tribe.