THE RESTORATION ACT In response to the Texas Attorney General’s Opinion, the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe turned to Congress to secure federal recognition for the Tribe. The first version of the Restoration Act was introduced on October 3, 1984, by Texas Congressmen Ronald Coleman and Charlie Wilson. The Attorney General’s Opinion also affected the Tigua Tribe in El Paso, Texas, so the Restoration Act provided for the federal recognition for both Tribes. Because there was only nine days left in the 98th Congressional Session, there was no time to take any action on the bill before the end of that Congress. On February 26, 1985, Congressmen Coleman and Wilson reintroduced the Restoration Act. Although the Act was passed by both the House and Senate, on September 25, 1986, Texas Senator Phil Gramm, through an unusual administrative procedure, asked Senator President Robert Dole to vitiate or cancel the passage of the Restoration Act. Senator Gramm claimed that his request was driven by the need to understand the potential cost of the bill. Senator Dole granted Senator Gramm’s request. On January 3, 1987, Congressmen Coleman and Wilson again introduced a Restoration Act for the federal recognition of the Tigua and Alabama-Coushatta Tribes. Again, the Restoration Act was passed by both Houses of Congress. Having received his answer from the Government Accounting Office regarding the cost of the legislation, Senator Gramm dropped his opposition to the Act. On August 18, 1987, President Ronald Regan signed the Restoration Act into law, thereby restoring federal recognition t
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 13:10:15 +0000
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