Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York) says the Obama administration shouldn't take action to reverse the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar.

The decision restricts the land-into-trust process to tribes that were "under federal jurisdiction" in 1934. Schumer says Congress is the proper place to address the ruling.

"I have been disturbed to see reports that the Department of the Interior may be considering circumventing the legislative process and the decision of the Supreme Court in an effort to address the Carcieri decision unilaterally," Schumer said in a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.

The Senate Indian Affairs Committee approved S.1703 last December but the Senate hasn't scheduled a floor vote. Tribal leaders are hoping it might get attached to an appropriations measure or another "must pass" bill.

Get the Story:
Schumer: Let Congress settle land into trust (The Utica Observer-Dispatch 3/9)

Land-Into-Trust Fix:
S.1703 | H.R.3697 | H.R.3742

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

Supreme Court Documents:
Oral Argument Transcript | Briefs

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