In the absence of a political one-eighty, hope for a historic restoration of rights held by Maine’s four tribal nations is about to be dashed again.

Members of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Penobscot Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseets and the Presque Isle-based Mi’kmaq Nation couldn’t be faulted for feeling heartened back in July when a bill to expand their rights, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, passed the House.

We now know that the bill, which is designed to allow Maine’s tribes to take advantage of all future federal Indian laws, is unlikely to gain enough support in the Senate to be adopted.