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The Cathlamet Town Council voted April 5 to support federal recognition of the Chinook Indian Nation.
Cathlamet council members are the first elected officials in Chinook ancestral land to endorse the tribes’ federal recognition, according to a town press release.
The nation has been acknowledged by the United States government for more than a century. The tribes briefly were officially recognized under the Clinton administration but lost the status soon after.
Federal recognition allows tribes to self-govern while receiving certain federal benefits.
Chinook Indian Nation Councilwoman Rachel Cushman said funds are needed for economic justice.
“If recognized (we) would be able to access monies only available to recognized tribes,” she said. “More funds and opportunities means more jobs and services.”
The Chinook Indian Nation comprises five tribes located at the mouth of the Columbia River in Wahkiakum and Pacific counties in Washington and Clatsop County in Oregon.
