Dear Friends,

As a further update, the hearing that was originally scheduled for May 7, 2020 for the preliminary injunction against the Department of the Interior (DOI) to halt its efforts to disestablish the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's reservation, has been pushed to Wednesday, May 20, 2020.

The hearing will be held via video conference with public access available through the Court's public teleconference. Notably, for now, the DOI has agreed to extend the Tribe's Land in Trust status until June 5. 

Until that time, your efforts directed to Senator Hoeven, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, asking him to support the Tribe's pending legislation (HR312, the Mashpee Wampanoag Reservation Reaffirmation Act) will be especially helpful.  Here again is a script you can use:

My name is __________ and I reside at ____________ in [City], [State].  I am a proud supporter of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and am calling to voice my strong opposition to Secretary Bernhardt’s recent directive to disestablish the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation and to ask Congress to act quickly to enact HR 312 -- the Mashpee Wampanoag Reservation Reaffirmation Act.  

They are the first peoples of this land and extended their hands to the European settlers in peace and friendship. I am calling to urge Senator Hoeven to lead the effort to protect their Reservation from being disestablished on his watch.      

I urge Chairman Hoeven to take the steps needed to pass the bi-partisan legislation, HR 312, that already has been passed by the House and now awaits Senate action. 

I want to ensure that my message reaches the ears of Senator Hoeven and is shared with the rest of the Senate Committee for Indian Affairs. Thank you. 

To call: (202-224-2551)

To email:  send to both

1.  [email protected] 

2.  https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/contact/email-the-senator

With gratitude and hope for a positive outcome.

Wopanaak Language Reclamation Project started this petition on MoveOn. If there's an issue close to your heart that you'd like to campaign on, you can start your campaign here.