The Senate Indian Affairs Committee is moving quickly to address the Cobell settlement.

The committee has scheduled a hearing next Thursday, December 17, to discuss the $3.4 billion deal. A witness list hasn't been made public.

Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota), the chairman of the committee, supports the settlement. "It has been a long and tortured trail for that case," he said on Wednesday.

"My hope is that the settlement of the Cobell case would allow us to move beyond and begin to address other issues" in Indian Country, Dorgan added.

The deal requires legislative and judicial approval. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said he hopes Congress takes action by the end of the month.

The hearing will take place immediately following a business committee meeting at 2:15pm in Room 628 of the Senate Dirksen Office Building.

Get the Story:
OVERSIGHT HEARING on the Cobell v. Salazar Settlement Agreement (December 17, 2009)

Relevant Documents:
Agreement | Press Release | Q&A | Audio

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