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.
# # #
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.