Statement of Administration Policy: S. 1413 - Aroostook Band of Micmac Settlement Act

(House)
(Cohen (R) Maine and Mitchell (D) Maine)

The Administration strongly opposes S. 1413 because it would provide statutory Federal recognition of the Aroostook Band of the Micmac Tribe (Maine). The Administration has consistently opposed legislation that provides Federal recognition of Indian tribes by Congress. If S. 1413 is presented to the President in its current form, the Secretary of the Interior would recommend that he veto the bill.

To accord the Aroostooks Federal recognition would circumvent the Department of the Interior's acknowledgement process that all other similarly situated groups are required to complete. This would be unfair to all other groups seeking recognition. In addition, it would further weaken Interior's administrative process that was designed, with the support of Congress, to eliminate the need for ad hoc determinations through legislation.