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MONDAY, JULY 7, 2003

A legislative rider that settles the Cobell trust fund lawsuit was the work of Congressman Charles Taylor (R-North Carolina), The Seattle Times reports.

But Norm Dicks, the top Democrat on Taylor's Interior Appropriations subcommittee, supports it anyway. Despite opposition from a growing group of lawmakers, from Richard Pombo (R-Calif.) to Brad Carson (D-Okla.), the Washington Congressman says money spent on trust reform could be better used elsewhere.

The rider authorizes the Department of Interior to offer cash payouts to willing Individual Indian Money (IIM) account holders. For those not settled after a year, the department would be allowed to use statistical sampling, a method overwhelmingly rejected by Indian beneficiaries. The bill assumes the entire process will be completed within five years.

On Wednesday, Pombo and the House Resources Committee will hold a hearing to address the case. Pombo and other lawmakers are pushing for a settlement but also say the rider must be defeated because it was developed without consultation.

Get the Story:
Dicks defends move to settle Indian lawsuit (The Seattle Times 7/6)
Lawmakers work to force Indian trust lawsuit settlement (The Daily Oklahoman 7/5)
Username: indianz@indianz.com, Password: indianz

Relevant Links:
Office of Special Trustee - http://www.ost.doi.gov
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com
Cobell v. Norton, Department of Justice - http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/cases/cobell/index.htm
Indian Trust, Department of Interior - http://www.doi.gov/indiantrust

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