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Gov. Malloy applauds new Bureau of Indian Affairs tribal recognition rules

HARTFORD — Gov. Dann Malloy spoke out Monday afternoon on new Bureau of Indian Affairs tribal recognition rules. He was joined by Sen. Richard Blumenthal ...
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HARTFORD -- Gov. Dann Malloy spoke out Monday afternoon on new Bureau of Indian Affairs tribal recognition rules. He was joined by Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Sen. Chris Murphy. The rule, as drafted, would have guaranteed recognition for three more Native American tribes in Connecticut.

But Connecticut strongly opposed the rules. If the push for recognition by the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation, Paucatuck Eastern Pequot Tribe and Schaghticoke Indian Tribe had been successful, it would have meant the tribes putting title claims on thousands of homeowners' property. That would have trumped state laws, zoning laws and property rights, state leaders said.

Malloy called the final ruling a victory. Murphy said two years of conversations helped Connecticut to protect the state's land, and the two tribes that are already federally recognized in the state.

"They wanted to gut the standards. But we refuse to lower the bar," Blumenthal said. He says the Mashanutcket Pequot and Mohegan Tribes "earned it the right way."

“This protects Connecticut from going through this process over again,” Murphy said.

You can read the full Bureau of Indian Affiars ruling here.

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