Cole talks about Cherokee delegate

NORMAN — U.S. Rep. Tom Cole predicted Monday that it will take a long time to resolve the Cherokee Nation's claim that it has a treaty right to a delegate to Congress. Cole said the full House would likely have to approve any such change to its membership.

“There's a lot of questions that have to be answered,” Cole, R-Moore, said before a town hall meeting on Monday night.

“No. 1, I don't know that the treaty still is valid. They're basing it on something that is 185 years ago.”

Cole was responding to a report that the Cherokee Nation — the largest tribe in the United States — plans to appoint a tribal member as a delegate to Congress under the terms of an 1835 treaty. Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Ho skin Jr. said last week that the tribe was“exercising our treaty rights and strengthening our sovereignty.”

Hoskins said it was the first step in a long process.

Cole, a member of the Chickasaw Nation and t he strongest advocate in Congress for Native Americans, praised the Cherokee Nation and said previous leaders had raised the issue of having a delegate to Congress.

“I intend to sit down and listen to it,” Cole said. “I'm always sympathetic to tribes, particularly Oklahoma tribes, so I'm interested in having the dialogue.

“But I think we're a long way away at this point. … Where the membership of the (House) would be, I just simply don't know.”

Cole said, “I have to believe the entire House would have to approve it.”