RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Legislation that would grant long-sought federal recognition of six Virginia Indian tribes is headed to the full U.S. Senate.
Sen. Tim Kaine’s office says the Senate Indian Affairs Committee forwarded the tribal recognition bill on Wednesday. The tribes have recognition from Virginia, but not from the federal government.
The tribal recognition bill was introduced in 2009 by Sens. Mark Warner and Jim Webb, who left the Senate after one term.
The bill would grant federal recognition to the Chickahominy, the Eastern Chickahominy, the Upper Mattaponi, the Rappahannock, the Monacan and the Nansemond.
Kaine’s office says the company bill in the House has reserved strong bipartisan support.
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