The Senate Indian Affairs Committee plans to take action on the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar, Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota) said on Thursday.

The committee heard from two witnesses who called on Congress to "fix" the decision so that all tribes can participate in the land-into-trust process. Attorney Ed Lazarus and Ron Allen, the secretary of the National Congress of American Indians and the chairman of the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe of Washington, said the ruling will lead to more litigation and cause problems if not addressed.

A third witness, South Dakota attorney general Larry Long, did not support or oppose a fix. He instead called on Congress to launch a full-scale review of the land-into-trust process.

The hearing did not last very long due to a scheduled vote in the Senate. Dorgan, the chairman of the committee, promised to continue looking for ways to address the decision.

Get the Story:
Senate committee explores congressional fix for tribes (The Cape Cod Times 5/22)

Committee Hearing:
HEARING to examine Executive Branch authority to acquire trust lands for Indian Tribes (May 21, 2009)

Supreme Court Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [Thomas] | Concurrence [Breyer] | Dissent [Stevens] | Concurrence/Dissent [Souter]

Supreme Court Documents:
Oral Argument Transcript | Briefs

Related Stories:
Senate Indian Affairs hearing on land-into-trust (5/21)
Tribal critic to testify at land-into-trust hearing (5/19)
Senate Indian Affairs hearing on land-into-trust (5/18)
Failed Alaska nominee signed land-into-trust letter (05/11)
USET to broadcast land-into-trust session on web (5/11)
Turtle Talk: State AGs oppose land-into-trust fix (4/30)
NIGC's Hogen not drawing up post-1934 tribes list (4/29)
In The Hoop: Making a list, checking it ... (4/29)
Turtle Talk: Lists of post-1934 tribes a bad idea (4/29)
NIGC compiling list of post-1934 recognized tribes (4/28)
USET to host forum on land-into-trust decision (4/23)
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe confident of Carcieri fix (4/16)
Prior land-into-trust acquisitions appear safe (4/6)
Land-into-trust worries aired at House hearing (4/2)
Dorgan promises hearing on land-into-trust decision (4/2)
Narragansett Tribe hopeful for land-into-trust fix (4/2)
Audio: House Resources hearing on Carcieri (4/1)
Witness list for House hearing on land-into-trust (3/31)
Land-into-trust options weighed after Carcieri (3/26)
House Resources hearing on land-into-trust ruling (3/26)
Turtle Talk: Money damages and land-into-trust (03/26)
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe seeks land-into-trust fix (3/25)
Letter: Overturn Supreme Court on land-into-trust (3/24)
Tribes protest against land-into-trust decision (3/23)
Ione Band worried about casino after high court ruling (3/23)
Tribes to protest against land-into-trust decision (3/20)
Shakopee Tribe not worried about land-into-trust (3/19)
Poarch Band not worried about land-into-trust ruling (3/17)
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe sticks with casino (3/17)
Narragansett Tribe plans land-into-trust protest (3/16)
Senate hearing on land-into-trust set for April 2 (3/13)
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe asks Congress for fix (3/12)
Dorgan says no quick fix to land-into-trust ruling (3/9)
California a battleground after land-into-trust ruling (3/6)
Chemehuevi Tribe waits on off-reservation casino (3/6)
NCAI opens winter session in Washington DC (3/4)
Turtle Talk: No easy fix for land-into-trust ruling (3/2)
Rhode Island delegation cool to land-into-trust ruling (3/2)
Fletcher: Now's the time to fix land-into-trust ruling (2/26)
Rep. Rahall to call hearing on land-into-trust ruling (2/26)
Narragansett Tribe to fight land-into-trust ruling (2/26)
Cowlitz Tribe weighs impact of land-into-trust decision (2/26)
Menominee Nation hopes for shift on land-into-trust (2/26)
Gun Lake casino foes review land-into-trust options (2/26)
Supreme Court rules in big land-into-trust case (2/25)
Tribes will ask Congress to 'fix' land-into-trust decision (2/25)
Massachusetts tribe blasts land-into-trust ruling (2/25)
Oneida Nation not worried about land-into-trust (2/25)
Turtle Talk: Implications of land-into-trust ruling (2/25)
Turtle Talk: Thoughts on land-into-trust decision (2/25)