On Feb. 22, the Chinook Indian Nation celebrated a major milestone in our fight to restore our federal recognition: the resolution of Docket 234, which reconfirmed our legal heirship to the settlement funds from our 1970 victory before the Indian Court of Claims and our role as the sole political successors of the Lower Chinook & Clatsop people at the mouth of the Columbia River.
During the 2022 midterm cycle, the Chinook Indian Nation received commitments of support from both candidates to represent the tribe’s aboriginal territory in Congress: Joe Kent and now-Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez.
Now, it’s time for Rep. Perez to fulfill her campaign promise by introducing and championing the Chinook Indian Nation Restoration Act of 2024. We’ve been fighting to restore our recognition for well over 20 years. It’s past time for Congress to take action. Our elected officials have an opportunity to end cultural erasure, support Indigenous rights and build a legacy of defending Native communities. Not only will it set the record straight — it will put Rep. Perez, Sen. Maria Cantwell and Sen. Patty Murray on the right side of history.
