chairman, and the ranking member, to listen to chairwoman tucker, the people of the muskogee nation of florida and their continued efforts that i hope will lead ultimately, although this is not what this hearing is about, but the proper federal recognition which they have long awaited. with that i introduce chairwoman, ann tucker. >> miss tucker, thank you. if you've been doing this for 30 years you must have started in elementary school. you're welcome to speak. >> chairman young, ranking member lujan, honorable committee members. i'm chairwoman ann tucker of the muskogee nation of florida, the florida tribe of eastern creek indians. i want to thank congressman miller for being here and for his continued support of this tribe's recognition. we are the people known as petitioner 32 to the office of federal acknowledgment. in 1978, when part 83.7 was created for tribal recognition, there were 40 tribes with evidence already filed in the bia. we were one of those tribes. our people have lived on the same homelands in florida since 1861. we are creek indian people who have lived together,

our situation is essentially like the one described by ann tucker, the chairwoman of the muskogee nation. we're fighting that behemoth that just doesn't want to move because of those situations that we find ourselves in. >> you certainly are owed an apology as miss tucker is when we talk about laws when people were arrested for simply saying they were native american, what a travesty and a shame that we need to find a way to correct. >> my parents had to come to washington, d.c. in 1935 to be married as indians. they faced jail time had they done it in virginia. >> i read that in your testimony. i appreciate you telling us that as well. supervisor dillon, if a tribe is not terminated, should they be allowed to pursue administrative relief? >> i believe that is what the law already states. >> i appreciate that. mr. gabaldon, is it your assertion that you feel that your tribe was never terminated? >> no. we believe we were terminated in 1959, but it was by a non-wappo indian. >> i appreciate that very much. thank you very much, mr. chairman. i yield back. >> mr. denham. >> thank you, mr. c