Category: In The News

Bill would reaffirm tribe’s status, give members access to critical resources 

GRAND RAPIDS – The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians applaud the introduction of a bill in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday that would affirm federal acknowledgement of the tribe.

U.S. Sens. Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin introduced the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians Restoration Act in the Senate, which seeks to reaffirm the Grand River Bands as a federally recognized tribe. It is the companion bill to H.R. 3255, which was introduced in May in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Hillary Scholten and John James.

If passed, the bills would give tribal members access to critical federal resources that are only accessed by federally recognized tribes.

“Our tribe is appreciative of Sen. Peters and Sen. Slotkin for introducing this critical legislation, as well as members of the Michigan House congressional delegation who have introduced and are co-sponsoring a bill that brings us closer to federal recognition for our members,” said Ron Yob, chairman of the Grand River Bands. “We applaud these lawmakers for their advocacy for our recognition, which would give our members access to important resources – social services, education, housing, elder care and the ability to exercise our treaty rights – which are only afforded to federally recognized tribes.”

The Grand River Bands have advocated for federal recognition for more than three decades through the federal acknowledgement process administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Office of Federal Acknowledgement. First filing its notice to petition for acknowledgement in 1994, the tribe completed its petition for federal recognition in 2000. Years later, in 2023, the tribe received a proposed finding from the BIA and continues to work with the Bureau on the administrative acknowledgement process. However, federal recognition through the BIA is still years away.

The Grand River Bands has a long and storied history in Michigan. Between 1795 and 1855, Grand River Bands chiefs signed five separate treaties reaffirming their Constitutional sovereignty and the homelands of their people. The Grand River Bands are the last treaty tribe east of the Mississippi River without federal recognition, even though the tribe’s history in southwestern Michigan has been widely documented.

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The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians is a native sovereign nation with agreements with the federal government dating back to 1795. The Grand River Bands originally included 19 bands of Ottawa people who lived along the Grand River and other waterways in southwest Michigan. Most of the Grand River Bands’ current membership resides in Kent, Muskegon and Oceana counties.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) reintroduced legislation to grant federal recognition to the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians (GRB).

The Gordon Olsen Award, named for the Grand Rapids historian, is presented by Grand Valley State University’s Kutsche Office of Local History to individuals who use history to give voice to diverse communities.

The celebration will kick off with an opening prayer by members of the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians, the original Indigenous peoples of Grand Rapids.

The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians, whose ancestors first settled along the Grand River, continue their decades-long quest for federal recognition.

A chapter of Michigan’s rich Indigenous history may soon be rewritten as the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians move one step closer to long-awaited federal recognition.

Scholten, James introduce restoration act to provide justice to tribal members 

GRAND RAPIDS – The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians today are applauding the introduction of a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would affirm the federal status of the tribe. 

The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians Restoration Act of 2025, HR 3255, co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Hillary Scholten, D-Grand Rapids, and John James, R-Shelby Township, seeks to reaffirm the Grand River Bands as a federally recognized tribe. If passed, it would give tribal members access to critical federal resources. 

“On behalf of the Grand River Bands, I thank the lead sponsors of this legislation, Reps. Scholten and James, and others from the Michigan Congressional delegation for advocating for justice for our tribal members,” said Ron Yob, chairman of the Grand River Bands. “After more than three decades of advocacy for federal recognition, I am hopeful our tribal members will soon have access to the resources they deserve, and which have eluded generations of tribal members.” 

The Grand River Bands have advocated for federal recognition for three decades through the federal acknowledgment process administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Office of Federal Acknowledgement. The tribe filed its notice to petition in 1994 and completed its petition for federal recognition in 2000. More than two decades later, the tribe received a proposed finding in February 2023 from the BIA and continues to work with the Bureau on this acknowledgement process, however federal recognition through the BIA is still years away. 

Federal recognition would provide tribal members with access to resources including social services, education, housing, elder care and the ability to exercise treaty rights and weigh in on legislation that impacts tribes. 

The Grand River Bands has a long and storied history in Michigan. Between 1795 and 1855, Grand River Bands chiefs signed five separate treaties reaffirming their Constitutional sovereignty and the homelands of their people. The Grand River Bands are the last treaty tribe east of the Mississippi River without federal recognition, even though the tribe’s history in southwestern Michigan has been widely documented. 

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The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians is a native sovereign nation with agreements with the federal government dating back to 1795. The Grand River Bands originally included 19 bands of Ottawa people who lived along the Grand River and other waterways in southwest Michigan. Most of the Grand River Bands’ current membership resides in Kent, Muskegon and Oceana counties.