PREAMBLE
We, the Eastern Shawnee Indians of Oklahoma, whose inherent sovereignty has existed since historic times, and who therefore hold those inherent powers to self-government that have not been extinguished by Congress wish to develop a stronger self-determination policy in order to advance socially and economically, and to take advantage of the Thomas Rogers Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of June 26, 1036 (49 Stat. 1967), do adopt the following constitution which shall supersede the Constitution and Bylaws of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe approved by the Assistant Secretary of the Interior on November 7, 1939.