WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives may consider legislation allowing the Makah tribe to return to its centuries-old practice of whaling without obtaining a waiver to the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Matt Streit, deputy communications director for the House Resources Committee, said the measure might come in the wake of the committee’s approval Wednesday of a resolution supporting the tribe’s treaty rites.
The committee is headed by Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., a leading Congressional recipient of campaign contributions from Native American tribes.
The Resources Committee oversees Native-American issues in the House.
‘Some talk’ of a bill
Streit said Thursday there was “some talk” among committee members of introducing a bill that would allow the tribe to go whaling without obtaining a waiver from the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
The act outlaws whaling in the United States.
“Gee, you made my evening,” said Makah Tribal Chairman Ben Johnson Jr. when told of Streit’s comments.
“That would really be a big, big step. It would eliminate a lot of hassles.
“I think that’s what they considered doing in the first place.”
On the other side of the controversy, Joyce resident Chuck Owens, founder of Peninsula Citizens for the Protection of Whales, said:
“We know it’s on the table back there. Hopefully, that won’t happen.”
“We’re monitoring it very closely.
“The simplest thing to do is to have the language put on a rider to a bill that would go through.”
However, Owens said his survey of members of Congress from western Washington indicated “they’re going to let the court have its way.”
He referred to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals’ 2002 ruling that the Makah must obtain a waiver from the marine mammal act to hunt whales again.
