In 1980, Maine passed the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act (MICSA), which stipulated that federal laws benefiting tribes only apply in Maine if Congress explicitly says so in the legislation. As a result, Maine tribes have been excluded from over 151 federal laws since 1980, including important legislation such as the Violence Against Women Act and environmental protection laws. This restricts Wabanaki tribes’ abilities to protect air, water and wildlife, even though they have been part of this land for millennia.
A recent report details how MICSA has impeded the Wabanaki tribes’ rights to sovereignty by limiting the capacities of their governments and economies.
Earlier this year, Rep. Jared Golden introduced a bill (H.R.6707) that would extend future federal Indian laws to the Wabanaki tribes. The bill passed in the House as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. It’s now time for the Senate to advance the bill – and for Senator King to show his support.
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