Cherokee Nation officials Monday reacted to news from Washington, D.C., about the possible loss of federal funding – specifically, funds from Housing and Urban Development.

U.S. Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C., proposed an amendment in the House Friday, requesting the tribe’s funding be stopped until the issues put forth by the Freedmen are addressed.

Despite temporary restoration to full citizenship following a March ouster by tribal citizens, some Freedmen believe the Cherokee Nation is not upholding its agreement with them as set forth in the Treaty of 1866.

Principal Chief Chad Smith was disappointed the Freedmen are continuing to pursue federal sanctions.

“We’re disappointed this action has been taken,” said Smith. “The Cherokee Nation has taken every step to bring this matter to a just and equitable resolution, but the fact remains that the Cherokee Nation is being singled out for an enrollment policy that we share with more than 500 other Indian tribes. You have to have an Indian ancestor on our base rolls to be a citizen. You have to have Indian ancestry to be in an Indian tribe.”

Dr. Ron Daniels, national civil rights leader associated with the Freedmen band, contends the tribe’s stance is a move to remove African-Americans specifically.

“The Cherokee Nation’s blatant acts of disregard for those [CBC/African American political constituency] who have been the staunchest allies of Native Americans in their quest for justice and opposition against the shameful conduct of the U.S. government, can no longer be tolerated in Congress or anywhere else,” said Daniels. “This gross offense against these African Americans’ civil rights, human rights and political leaders and organizations, and deceptive quest for ethnic purity threatens to do irreparable damage to that relationship.”

Smith argues the Freedmen issue, which is currently in the courts, has never been a racial one.

“Thousands of African-Americans, including more than 1,500 descendants of slaves, are Cherokee citizens because they also have Indian ancestors,” Smith said. “Our fundamental principle is that you have to be an Indian to be in an Indian tribe. Even so, the Cherokee Nation currently allows citizenship to non-Indian freedmen descendants pending their tribal court appeals.”

Cherokee Freedmen were restored as tribal citizens following a class action suit filed by Nathan Young III, court-appointed attorney for more than 270 Freedmen seeking redress after a March special election ousted them from the tribe.

Smith also pointed out that, in denying federal funding to the Cherokee Nation, Freedmen would also be affected.

“This amendment hurts the very people it claims to be helping, because it denies services to non-Indian freedmen descendants, who are citizens of the Cherokee Nation today, but will suffer along with Indian citizens if funding is cut,” said Smith. “Cutting off access to this program only denies opportunities for quality housing to low-income citizens, including the elderly and handicapped.”

Watt’s amendment echoes a bill U.S. Rep. Diane Watson, D-Calif., introduced in June – HR 2824. This bill proposed the severance of U.S. relations with, and halt of federal funding to, the Cherokee Nation until “full tribal citizenship rights are restored.”

Smith believes the tribe’s laws abide by the 1866 Treaty.

“We have fully complied with the 1866 Treaty, and we’d like to see the United States comply with it, too,” he said.

According to a press release from the Freedmen, in August, Watson is planning a trip to Oklahoma to participate in a series of town hall meetings in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Muskogee. Representatives of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus, the Oklahoma Chapter of the NAACP and others will co-sponsor the meetings and travel with her delegation.