HARTFORD (AP) — The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs has notified two state-recognized tribes in Connecticut that they've exhausted both administrative and judicial remedies for gaining federal recognition, a claim rebuffed by the leaders of both tribes who vowed to keep pursuing their applications.

R. Lee Fleming, the director of the Office of Federal Acknowledgement, said "the only available remedy" now available to the Historical Eastern Pequot Tribe in North Stonington and the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation in Kent is Congress passing legislation granting them federal recognition.

Fleming sent similar letters to the Eastern Pequots on June 2 and the Schaghticokes on April 25.

The recognition would make the tribes eligible for federal aid for such things as housing, health care and education. It also would give them the ability to pursue economic development, such as casinos.

Richard Velky, chief of the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, said the letter sent to his attorney came as a complete surprise. He said the tribe does not have any applications currently pending.

"I was taken aback. Why is this guy sending my attorney a letter like this when we requested nothing from him," Velky said.

Velky contends Fleming was not authorized by his superiors to write the letter to the Schaghticokes. He called it "another example of an irregular, politically motivated action that has come to characterize this entire process," adding how Fleming is also "wrong on the law."

"We feel there are remedies there for the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation to regain federal recognition," adding how the tribe is "in the process of pursuing those avenues at this time."

BIA spokeswoman Nedra Darling said she could not immediately comment on the accusations.

In his letters to both tribes, Fleming noted how the department no longer accepts requests for acknowledgement from entities that were previously denied. The BIA had granted the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation federal recognition in 2004 but that decision was later reversed after state officials argued the tribe had gaps in evidence related to its social continuity and political governance. The tribe retains a 400-acre reservation recognized by the state.

Meanwhile, a separate group known as the Schaghticoke Indian Tribe of Kent has filed a petition for federal recognition with the BIA. Darling said the BIA is reviewing the material submitted by the group to determine whether it meets the requirements of a "documented petition" under new rules passed last year.

The Historical Eastern Pequot sent a petition last month to the BIA, asking the agency to "declare and reaffirm" its status as a "previously federally acknowledged tribe." In 2002, the BIA had acknowledged the Eastern Pequot Indians and the Paucatuck Eastern Pequot Indians as the Historical Eastern Pequot Tribe. However, that decision was challenged by the state and local communities, which led to the federal government declining to recognize the group in 2005.

Katherine Sebastian Dring, chairwoman of the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation, said she received the BIA's letter on Tuesday. She said the tribe stands by its petition.

"We will appeal the BIA decision prohibiting our right to petition under the new federal acknowledgment regulations as a previously acknowledged tribe and denying our constitutional rights of due process and equal protection of the law," she said. "We will continue to fight for justice for the nation in honor of our ancestors and the seven generations, yet unknown."