Four Oklahoma Congressmen are working together to help remove a blood heritage requirement for Native American lands to be passed down to heirs. Congressmen Tom Cole, Frank Lucas, Markwayne Mullin and Steve Russell introduced an amendment to the Stigler Act of 1947 which restricts Native American allotted land to only persons of ½ degree of Native American blood heritage. It only affects the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Seminole, Creek and Cherokee Tribes. Other Native American tribes have no blood heritage restrictions.
If signed into law it would allow heirs and devisees to take title of the allotted lands even if they have less than a ½ degree blood heritage while it retains its “restricted” status. Restricted lands are not subject to state taxation.
“Introducing this amendment to the Stigler Act will allow for past precedent to be current with the realities of Native-owned, restricted land,” said Cole. “Many of Oklahoma’s citizens have passed out of ½ blood lineage, but remain vested to their Native American heritage. Removing the ½ blood degree prerequisite and expanding its range to any degree will help preserve the rights and legacy of Native American tribes and their inheritance.”
“As Native Americans, we take great pride in our heritage and the land that our ancestors maintained before us,” said Mullin. “The Stigler Act Amendment would allow Natives to pass on their restricted land to future generations who may not meet the ½ blood degree requirement. I appreciate Congressman Cole for putting forward this legislation to ensure that members of the Five Tribes who seek to carry on their ancestors’ heritage can continue to preserve restricted status of their land and reap all of the benefits that come along with it.”
“The Stigler Act Amendment of 2017 protects the sovereignty and heritage of our Native Americans in Oklahoma,” said Russell. “Through time many of our tribal members have passed out of the blood degree prerequisites allowing taxation of tribal businesses. This bill would fix this issue and allow tribal heritage and sovereignty to continue to grow and thrive in Oklahoma.”
