Tribe to argue again for recognition timeline

Monday, Feb. 14, 2005 | 9:22 a.m.

BOSTON -- The Mashpee Wampanoags, who have been seeking federal recognition for more than two decades, will ask a judge in Washington today to set a timeline for a decision on their petition.

"It was a quest that was started by our elders a long time ago," said Glenn Marshall, chair of the American Indian tribe, based on Cape Cod. "We continue to walk that path, because it's what they've asked us to do."

The application for the 1,500-member tribe has been making its way through the courts since the tribe sued the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 2001. Today's hearing in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia gives the tribe a new opportunity to seek a BIA timeline for recognition.

Dan DuBray, a spokesman for the Department of the Interior, said he could not comment on pending litigation.

Federal recognition allows tribes to receive federal funding, and also opens the door for possible casino gaming.

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