Paul Richards, U.S. Senate 2006, Montana - Support An Equitable Indian Trust Reform Act S.B. 1439/H.R. 4322

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IT'S TIME FOR A FAIR SETTLEMENT OF NATIVE AMERICAN CLAIMS

In 1887, the federal government set up trust funds to manage royalties for farming, grazing, mining, logging, and other economic activities on tribal lands. After a century of mismanagement of these funds a lawsuit was filed in 1996, Cobell v. Norton, in which it has been held repeatedly that the government had breached its trust responsibility to the Indians and owed them a full accounting for funds the government was supposed to have held for them.

The plaintiffs in the case, led by Eloise Cobell, a Blackfoot Native activist from Montana, have made a settlement offer of $27.5 billion dollars on behalf of herself and as many as 500,000 other affected claimants.

In bringing forward S.B. 1439 and H.R. 4322 together, Congress has recognized that they have a responsibility to step in to resolve this case, which has dragged on for 10 years already. The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs has further accepted the principle that there should be a multi-billion dollar settlement, though the exact number has not yet been marked up in the bill itself. To a very large extent your voices speaking out will have an impact on what the final resolution will be.

The one click form below will send your personal message to all your government representatives selected below, with the subject "Support An Equitable Indian Trust Reform Act S.B. 1439/H.R. 4322 ." At the same time you can send your personal comments only as a letter to the editor of your nearest local daily newspaper if you like.

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