i will begin with steven adkins, chief of the crickahominy tribe. you're up. >> thank you, chairman young and other distinguished members of this house subcommittee for inviting me here today to speak to this very important subject which looms large across all of indian country. i seek to provide a voice for those tribes seeking federal acknowledgment as sovereign nations regardless of the process they are pursuing. however, in some specific areas i'm speaking on behalf of the other tribes, the six tribes named in hr-783. chairman young, the virginia indian tribes are honored to represent the very essence of democracy and freedom as we participated in events both in the commonwealth of virginia and the united kingdom, commemorating the 400th anniversary of the first permanent english settlement in america. we took pride in representing commonwealth of virginia and the united states of america descendents of those tribes who welcomed the first permanent english settlement to virginia, to this place called america. however, when the festivities were o