Washington, D.C.- Congressman Frank Lucas has succeeded in his long struggle for passage of his Osage Tribe Membership Bill.  President Bush signed the legislation into law today, amending a 98-year-old law that prevents those with Osage ancestry from participating in tribal governance.

“This is how the process should work every time,” Lucas said. “The tribe came to me with a problem, we gave all concerned parties an opportunity to give input, and we worked together to draft a legislative solution.”

The new law Lucas authored allows the Osage Nation to determine its own membership and government.  It does not change the tribe’s membership criteria, but allows the tribe to do so.  The law revises a 1906 law that prevents thousands of people with Osage ancestry from being voting members of the tribe.

“Once I had the bill drafted, the only hard part was educating other Members of Congress about how this legislation would help solve the Osage tribe’s membership problems,” Lucas said.  “But the fact that we had no opposition among the members of either the House or Senate - where they’ll debate which way the sun comes up - says a lot about the legislation. 

The old law limits the membership of the Osage tribe to only individuals who inherit a share of the Osage mineral estate. Only Osage who own a headright interest in the Osage mineral estate are able to vote or run for elective office.  As a result, many individuals who are of Osage descent are excluded from voting membership in the tribe. 

“Osages should have the same rights as members of any other tribe - the right to determine their own membership and form of government,” Lucas said. “Now the tribe can begin to foster more participation among the Osage community.”

Lucas' law, H.R. 2912, reaffirms the right of the tribe to determine their own membership, while protecting the Osage mineral estate. With the new law taking effect immediately, now the Osage tribe is free to change their membership criteria to allow others of Osage ancestry to become voting members of the tribe.  Lucas worked with Osage Tribal Chief Jim Gray and the tribal leadership on the legislation.

“This has been a long process for me, but it’s been a much longer and much more personal struggle for the Osage tribe,” Lucas said. “For them, this is about more than federal legislation, it’s about maintaining the tribe’s very existence.”

In March, Lucas hosted members of the House Resources Committee at a field hearing in Osage county, to hear testimony from those that would be affected by the bill.  All members in attendance gave their approval of Lucas’ bill, and the committee approved the bill without dissent.

The House passed Lucas’ bill in June by a voice vote.  It passed the Senate by voice vote Nov. 23.