Senate hearing on trust fund litigation on Thursday

Monday, March 26, 2007  

The Senate Indian Affairs Committee is holding an oversight hearing this Thursday on Indian trust fund litigation.

The committee received a letter on March 1 from U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne. The two Bush administration officials offered up to $7 billion to settle the Cobell trust fund lawsuit and all tribal trust lawsuits and to pay for trust reform at the Interior Department.

Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota), the chairman of the committee, said he invited Gonzales and Kempthorne to the hearing to "publicly discuss the origin of the settlement offer and to explain its details." He also wants testimony from the Cobell plaintiffs and tribal leaders.

Committee Notice:
OVERSIGHT HEARING on Indian trust fund litigation (March 29, 2007)

Settlement Letter:
Kempthorne-Gonzales to SCIA (March 1, 2007)

Elouise Cobell Statement:
NO THANKS, WE’LL TAKE THE ACCOUNTING, INDIAN PLAINTIFFS SAY (March 8, 2007)

Sen. Dorgan Statement:
DORGAN SAYS BUSH ADMINISTRATION OFFERS $7 BILLION TO SETTLE SUIT OVER MISMANAGEMENT OF INDIAN TRUST FUNDS (March 6, 2007)

Other Documents:
Alberto Gonzales Testimony (March 1, 2005) | SCIA Views and Estimates (March 1, 2007)

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Kempthorne - http://www.indiantrust.com
Cobell v. Norton, Department of Justice - http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/cases/cobell/index.htm

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