There is no doubt the Jamestown settlement would have perished if it had not been for the forbearance and the assistance of the Virginia tribes who enabled it to survive.

The State of North Carolina has already by state law recognized the Lumbee Indians under that tribal name. Giving official recognition to the Lumbee Indians means a great deal to the 4,000 Indians involved.

There is no story that is better known about the interaction between the Europeans who came to this country and became Americans and the Indian tribes than the story of the Jamestown settlers, Pocahontas and the Powhatan Nation.

But it was scrutiny of the historic records and academic materials and oral folklore of the tribe members themselves.

We think that as a matter of equity and good conscience it is time for the Lumbee Tribe to be recognized.

The second reason is a more sinister reason.

These factors in and of themselves don't necessarily mean tribal recognition is not warranted for the Lumbee or the six Virginia tribes.

Congress has the power to recognize these Tribes. It has exercised this power in the past, and it should exercise this power again with respect to our Virginia Tribes.

How can we commemorate their history and not recognize their existence? Now is the time to reconcile history.

I am here today because recognition of these Tribes by the Federal Government is long overdue.

It is time to finally right an historic wrong for Virginia and the Nation.

We can say with confidence that among these tribes there is at least one Silver Star winner, two Bronze Star winners...

To begin, I want to thank the Chair for your leadership on this issue and your support for the Virginia tribes.

This bill deals with tribes who encompass the best known stories of the interaction between those who settled this country from Europe and the Native populations who lived in this land when the settlement occurred.

Recognition of a tribe conveys a unique set of benefits, legal immunities and responsibilities.

I hope the Committee carefully considers whether it would be more appropriate to defer to this process.

It should not be held against these tribes that they made peace with our people before there was an American government.

We are honored to be testifying here today alongside the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Timothy Kaine, who, in his inaugural address, pledged his strong support for Federal recognition of these Virginia Indian tribes and has…

The practice was supported when the eugenics movement...was endorsed by Virginia universities.

Virginia perpetrated this monstrous injustice for a very long time.

It is absolutely long overdue, and I appreciate, Governor, your leadership and, Representative Moran, your leadership on this issue.

I commend the committee for giving its time and attention to the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act.

These applications have been denied as incomplete.

I strongly believe that our recent commemoration of the 400 years of modern Virginia history will be incomplete without successful Federal recognition of these Virginia Tribes.

It is a matter of fundamental fairness to ensure recognition is not given in an arbitrary manner.