House votes to cut Cherokee funding

[CountAllVotes]

Decision follows tribal decision to oust descendants of black slaves

Updated: 2 hours ago

WASHINGTON - The Cherokee Nation would lose some of its federal funding under House legislation passed Thursday if it doesn't reinstate descendants of its former slaves as tribal citizens.

The bill delays the funding cuts until the issue has been addressed in federal court, potentially giving the Oklahoma-based tribe years before it would lose any money. Critics said it sends a clear signal that lawmakers are not happy with the Cherokee decision earlier this year to oust descendants of black slaves, known as Cherokee freedmen.

"The fact that the Cherokee freedmen issue has been raised on floor of the House of Representatives demonstrates the gravity of the issue," said Rep. Diane Watson, a California Democrat who introduced broad legislation earlier this year to cut off Cherokee funding. "If the Cherokee Nation does not move expeditiously (to) comply with its treaty obligations, Congress is poised to take stronger action."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20638110/

My oh my, can I say except that the Cherokee DID IT TO THEMSELVES with their newly found bigotry and greed for that casino money (IMO). I'd warned about this in my former posting from the Keetoowah Nation that feared that exactly something like this might happen if the Cherokees started striking people from the Dawes Rolls.