On Monday, June 8th, 2009, Diane Watson (D-CA) introduced H.R. 2761, "a bill to sever United States' government relations with the Cherokee nation of Oklahoma," in response to the recently re-affirmed citizenship policies of the Cherokee Nation.

 

If H.R. 2761 passes it would cut off all federal funding to the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee Nation and its businesses currently employ over 6,500 people in Northeastern Oklahoma. Most of these jobs would be lost if Congress cuts Cherokee funding. Almost 7,500 families would lose housing assistance and 1,000 children would lose their head-start programs. Numerous health clinics would also be forced to close, requiring over 100,000 patients to seek medical services from already overburdened private facilities. Many of these patients would not be able to afford medical care without federal funding and would receive no treatment at all.