Delaware Tribe seeks to restore federal recognition

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. (AP) _ A year after a federal appeals court stripped the Delaware Tribe of its federal recognition, the tribe is running out of money and shutting its doors. <br/><br/>A for-sale sign

Sunday, December 11th 2005, 8:18 pm

By: News On 6

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. (AP) _ A year after a federal appeals court stripped the Delaware Tribe of its federal recognition, the tribe is running out of money and shutting its doors.

A for-sale sign hangs on the tribe's national headquarters building in Bartlesville and its modern Delaware Health and Wellness Clinic will close on December 21st.

Two months ago, the US Supreme Court refused to hear the tribe's appeal, resulting in a loss of about $7-million the tribe received annually.

The Cherokee Nation sued to strip the Delawares of federal recognition and says the Delawares brought the problems on themselves.

Cherokee officials say they repeatedly offered to agree to Delaware recognition if the Delawares agreed not to assert sovereignty within the Cherokees' 14-county jurisdictional area.

Now that they've lost in court, the Delawares say they are ready to resume talks with the Cherokees.