Duwamish Tribal Recognition Act

H.R. 852, the Duwamish Tribal Recognition Act, would grant formal federal recognition to the Duwamish Tribe of Washington State. This status would make the tribe and its members eligible for federal services and benefits, such as healthcare and education assistance, regardless of whether they live on a reservation.

The bill also outlines a process for the tribe to establish a formal government, including the adoption of a constitution and the election of a governing body. Additionally, it requires the federal government to identify the tribe’s ancestral lands and allows for the transfer of certain lands into a federal trust for the tribe’s benefit. For the public, this legislation would officially integrate the Duwamish Tribe into the legal framework governing federal-tribal relations in the United States.