The House Rules Committee intends to hold a hearing in mid-November on the push for Congress to seat a Cherokee Nation delegate, a Democratic staffer familiar with the planning process confirmed to CNN.
The plans for a hearing come as the Cherokee Nation has renewed its campaign for representation in Congress, calling on lawmakers to honor a treaty the US government made nearly 200 years ago.
The New York Times was first to report that the committee is expected to hold the hearing.
In a video released in September, the tribal nation reasserted its demand that Congress seat its delegate in the House of Representatives – a right stipulated by the 1835 Treaty of New Echota.
“For two centuries, Congress has failed to honor that promise,” Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said in the video, referring to the delegate. “However, the Treaty of New Echota has no expiration date. The obligation to seat a Cherokee Nation delegate is as binding today as it was in 1835.”
In 2019, Hoskin nominated Kimberly Teehee to be the Cherokee Nation’s first delegate to Congress. If Teehee were to be seated, her role would likely be similar to other non-voting members of Congress. Delegates can’t vote on final passage of legislation in the House, but they can serve on committees, introduce bills and offer amendments.
CNN’s Harmeet Kaur contributed to this report.
Source: www.cnn.com