TO: The Honorable Sally Jewell

FROM: Rob Bishop, Chairman

Dear Madam Secretary:

We are writing to request your cooperation in evaluating the procedures used for acknowledging tribal status and the impacts of modifying the regulations governing such determinations. The Department of the Interior has published proposed regulations to modify the tribal acknowledgment regulations set forth at 25 C.F.R. Part 83. For years, the Part 83 procedures have been criticized as burdensome, time-consuming, confusing, and expensive. In addition, the procedures are not based on standards or guidelines established by Congress, whose power to regulate Indian affairs under Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution has been characterized by the Supreme Court as "plenary" and "exclusive."

Read the Chairman's entire letter HERE.