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Tribal leader warns codified address change would ‘cut us off’ from programs
Summary
Richard Botts, who identified himself as chairman of the Georgia Tribe of Eastern Cherokee, told the committee that altering the tribe’s codified address in statute would terminate the tribe’s status and end access to USDA and other federal supports; he urged lawmakers not to change the address without consent.
Richard Botts, who introduced himself to the committee as chairman of the Georgia Tribe of Eastern Cherokee, told lawmakers their bill would “terminate” his people if the statute’s mailing address were changed without tribal consent.
"If you change our address, it's effectively terminating us," Botts said during testimony on HB43. He said the tribe has used PO Box 1993 for decades and accused other parties of attempting to substitute an address and interfere with the tribe’s government-to-government relationships and program eligibility. "We're not consenting to that," he said, adding that members could lose access to USDA programs, loans, grants and other services.
Botts and other witnesses asked the committee to preserve the existing codified contact information and to allow tribes to request name changes on their own terms. The committee paused consideration of HB43 and asked sponsors to consult with affected groups and the Georgia Council on American Indian Concerns before returning with amendments or a new bill.
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