Duwamish Tribe suing for federal recognition

The Duwamish tribe - the tribe of Chief Seattle - is suing the federal government for recognition.

The suit filed Wednesday in federal court in Seattle asks the court to reverse a Bureau of Indian Affairs decision seven years ago that the tribe had gone extinct.

Federal recognition would bring the tribe money for housing, health care, education and cultural programs. The tribe also could put land into protected status for a reservation and open a casino.

The tribe says it has about 500 members. It received federal recognition at the end of the Clinton administration only to have the decision reversed in 2001 by the Bush administration.

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Information from: Seattle Post-Intelligencer, http://www.seattle-pi.com/