House panel favors Va. Indian tribes' recognition

WASHINGTON

Virginia Indians on a 10-year quest for federal recognition took a step Wednesday when the House Natural Resources Committee unanimously passed a bill in their favor.

Federal recognition allows tribes to access financial assistance and other programs earmarked for Native Americans. The Bureau of Indian Affairs usually handles recognition requests, but six Virginia tribes are asking legislators to bypass the agency's bureaucracy and stringent requirements.

The committee's vote keeps the Indians' bill alive and sends it on for consideration by the full House of Representatives.

- Joanne Kimberlin, The Pilot