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To sever United States Government relations with the Creek Nation of Oklahoma until such time as the Creek Nation of Oklahoma restores full Tribal citizenship to the Creek Freedmen disenfranchised in the October 6, 1979, Creek Nation vote and fulfills all its treaty obligations with the Government of the United States, and for other purposes.
12/31/2022, 5:05 AM
Summary of Bill HR 4637
The Creek Freedmen are descendants of African American slaves who were owned by members of the Creek Nation. Despite being granted citizenship in the Creek Nation following the Civil War, the Creek Freedmen were stripped of their citizenship rights in the 1979 vote, which has been a source of contention and legal battles ever since.
If passed, this bill would put pressure on the Creek Nation to rectify the disenfranchisement of the Creek Freedmen and uphold their treaty obligations with the United States. The bill does not specify any punitive measures if the Creek Nation fails to comply, but it serves as a clear statement of the United States' stance on the issue. Overall, the bill seeks to address historical injustices and ensure that the Creek Freedmen are granted the rights and recognition they deserve within the Creek Nation of Oklahoma.
Congressional Summary of HR 4637
This bill directs the United States to sever all relations with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma (i.e., Creek Nation) until the tribe complies with treaty and federal obligations.
Specifically, Creek Nation must restore full tribal citizenship to those individuals who can trace their ancestry to individuals listed on the 1906 Dawes Commission Rolls for the Creek Freedmen (i.e., Creek Freedmen, Freedmen, and Black Creeks).
The bill also suspends the tribe's authority to conduct gaming or administer any funds from gaming until the tribe is in compliance with all treaty and federal obligations.
The bill requires the Department of the Interior to (1) coordinate with federal agencies and receive reports from such agencies; (2) submit monthly compliance reports; and (3) issue a report on the status of Freedmen in the Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole Nations of Oklahoma, including their access to tribal benefits.
The Department of Justice must issue a finding on whether the civil rights of the Freedmen have been violated by the Creek Nation, Interior, or both. The bill establishes a private right of action for Freedmen.
The bill directs the Government Accountability Office to issue an annual report on the tribe's expenditure of federal funds and whether the tribe is in full compliance with all federal laws related to the management and disbursement of such funds.
