The Chinook Nation of Washington state, which says its ancestors greeted Lewis and Clark along the path of their expedition 200 years ago, almost achieved federal recognition from the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the waning days of the Clinton administration in 2001, only to then be turned down by the Bush administration.
Now the Nation hopes to persuade Congress to pass a bill recognizing them. On the tribe’s webpage it declares, “This is a critical moment in our fight for recognition.”
Currently there are no bills pending.
The main opposition to federal recognition comes from the Quinault Nation, also of Washington. Many members of the Quinault trace their lineage to the Chinook, who joined them in the late 1800s.
