(The following letter was sent to Connecticut's Congressional Delegation.)

Dear Member of the Congressional Delegation:

I write to you today to share my dismay and disbelief relating to the conclusion by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Inspector General, that there was no wrongdoing in the decision that granted federal recognition to the Schaghticoke Indians.

This incomprehensible decision, sent in a letter to Senator Christopher Dodd, was apparently based, in part, on the conclusion by the Inspector General that there is no clear standard for granting federal recognition to tribes and that the regulations governing the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) are “permissive and inherently flexible” when it comes to recognizing Indian tribes.  More disturbing, was the Inspector General’s acknowledgement that such flexibility exists even though tribal recognition carries with it unique entitlements, including limited sovereignty.

In light of these unique and significant entitlements, and the serious impact on states that tribal recognition has, the recognition process cannot and must not be “flexible.”  The tribal recognition process must be rigid and strict, thereby ensuring that only those groups who can legitimately and conclusively prove native American ancestry can avail themselves of the benefits that federal law provides to native American tribes. 

            This unsupportable decision begs more than ever for an immediate investigation into the entire recognition process at the BIA, as well as immediate legislative initiatives to repair the seriously flawed existing tribal recognition process.  I ask that you immediately renew and redouble your efforts to legislatively correct this process in order to restore faith and integrity and to protect the rights of the states and their citizens.        

            I thank you in advance for your efforts.

                                                                        Sincerely,

M. JODI RELL

                                                                        Governor