"A century of incompetence and bureaucratic racism in the handling of Indian trust accounts by the U.S. government is compounded by efforts to stall the settlement of a decade-old lawsuit.

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne brought a refreshing commitment to his new job to end this shame, but, in another delay, the former Idaho governor joined with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to get all of August to study settlement language in Senate Bill 1489. After the congressional recess, two Republican senators can offer decisive help to stay focused on an equitable solution. Sen. John McCain of Arizona is chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, and Sen. Conrad Burns of Montana heads the Appropriations Committee's subcommittee on Interior. Both have indicated a desire to end this mess.

Spectacular sums are at stake with the failure of Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Treasury Department to manage and account for billions of dollars of lease and royalty receipts collected on reservation lands, especially oil and gas leases."

Get the Story:
Editorial: No more delays; settle Indian case (The Seattle Times 8/4)

Senate Indian Affairs Committee Statement:
INDIAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE POSTPONES CONSIDERATION OF TRUST REFORM LEGISLATION (August 2, 2006)

Indian Trust Reform Act:
S.1439 | H.R.4322

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

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