NCAI supports Cherokees

National Congress of American Indians Opposes Bill to Terminate the Cherokee NationThe National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) strongly opposes the recent legislation introduced by Congresswoman Diane Watson (D-CA), that would terminate the Cherokee Nation over a disagreement on the status of non-Indians within the Cherokee Nation.

“It is outrageous to propose to terminate the existence of an Indian Nation,” said Joe Garcia, the President of NCAI. “This is an uncalled for response to a legal question of treaty interpretation. When Alabama or California takes an action inconsistent with Congressional views, there is no discussion of revoking their statehood. The attempt to revoke tribal nationhood is equally inappropriate. Not since the Termination Era of the 1950’s, when the official policy of the federal government was complete destruction of indigenous peoples, have we seen such a piece of legislation. NCAI was founded to oppose termination of Indian tribes.”