As I’ve watched the Native nations in Maine fight for their sovereign rights in the last few years, I’ve observed great wisdom, humility and perseverance. These, in spite of living under the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980 that has denied them access to federal laws created to benefit Native communities in all other states.
With 40 years of perspective, we can see the need for an amendment that would correct the stipulation regarding the application of federal laws. Why not embrace the change that would undo this? I do not believe this would take anything away from non-Native Mainers. I believe that when our neighbors thrive, so do we.
I urge Sens. Angus King and Susan Collins to support H.R. 6707, a bill that would allow tribes in Maine to qualify in the future for the same federal benefits for which tribes in 49 states already qualify.
Jennifer Frick
Portland
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.