Senate Democrats are introducing a bill to separate the African-American farmers discrimination lawsuit from the Indian trust fund lawsuit.

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Arkansas), the chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and two other Democrats said the $1.15 billion African-American settlement deserves to be heard on its own. "We will try to attach this bill to any moving legislative vehicle in the Senate. But if the political environment is such that no bill is moving, Senate Leadership will need to call up this stand alone bill and debate it on its merits," Lincoln said in a press release.

The Obama administration and Senate Democratic leaders have linked the two settlements in hopes of getting them passed. But the National Black Farmers Association says controversy over Cobell is hurting their cause.

“The two should not be separated, and they will not be separated, a spokesperson for Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota), the chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, told Indian Country Today. "Any settlement that moves through Congress must include Cobell.”

Get the Story:
Black Farmers Rally on Capitol Hill (BlackVoiceNews.Com 9/27)
Vlack Farmers, Lawmakers Implore Congress to Free Up Settlement Money (Afro.com 9/25)
Black farmers turn away from Cobell, senators respond (Indian Country Today 9/24)

Cobell Settlement Documents:
Agreement | Press Release | Q&A | Audio

Related Stories:
Editorial: Time running out for Senate to act on Cobell settlement (9/24)
Marty Two Bulls: Something stinky about Cobell trust settlement (9/24)
John Boyd: Cobell lawsuit delaying African-American settlement (9/23)
African-American farmers don't want settlement linked to Cobell (9/22)
Shakopee Tribe awards $50K grant for Cobell case documentary (9/20)
Elouise Cobell: Sen. Barrasso needs to work for trust settlement (9/13)
Obama calls trust fund settlement 'priority' at press conference (9/13)
Editorial: Government fails to live up to promises to Indian people (09/03)
Cobell attorneys working towards Senate approval of settlement (8/20)
Federal judge urges Congress to authorize trust fund settlement (8/18)
Marty Two Bulls Cartoon: Another extension for trust settlement (8/13)
Elouise Cobell provides update about status of trust settlement (8/11)
Dennis Gingold: Critic of settlement needs to get facts straight (8/11)
Cobell attorney calls on Obama to lobby stronger for settlement (8/9)
Sen. Barrasso blocks Senate action on Cobell trust fund settlement (8/6)
Richard Monette: Trust settlement only fair to plaintiffs and lawyers (8/5)
Editorial: Senate balks again at authorizing Cobell trust settlement (8/5)
Elouise Cobell: Another unfounded attack on trust fund settlement (8/4)
Sen. Baucus: Putting principles before politics on Cobell settlement (8/3)
TPM: Vote on Cobell, African American farmer settlements delayed (8/3)
Senate vote anticipated this evening on bill with Cobell settlement (8/2)
Kimberly Craven: Congress should do more work on Cobell lawsuit (8/2)
Senate plans separate legislation for Cobell trust fund settlement (7/30)
Sen. Reid hopes to take action on trust fund settlement this week (7/28)
Cobell remains hopeful despite Senate inaction on settlement bill (7/26)
Elouise Cobell statement on status of trust settlement in Congress (7/23)
Sen. Reid statement on failure to authorize trust fund settlement (7/23)
Senate removes Cobell settlement from appropriations measure (7/23)
Letter: Congress doesn't want individual Indians to get their funds (7/21)
Elouise Cobell: Criticism of trust fund settlement is unwarranted (7/13)
Editorial: Congress should approve Indian trust fund settlement (7/12)
Parties agree to set August 6 deadline for trust fund settlement (7/12)
Elouise Cobell responds to questions about trust fund settlement (7/9)
CNC: Washington politics delaying passage of Cobell settlement (7/7)
Cobell Letter: Sen. Barrasso wrong over trust fund settlement (7/6)
Kimberly Craven: Obama not transparent on Cobell settlement (7/6)
Blog: Elouise Cobell never backed down from Indian trust fight (7/6)
House passes Cobell settlement under appropriations measure (7/2)
Editorial: Set aside partisan politics and pass Cobell settlement (7/2)
Cobell settlement in limbo after being removed from Senate bill (7/1)
Editorial: Partisan gridlock in Senate holds up Cobell settlement (7/1)
Sen. Barrasso: Trust fund settlement spends taxpayer dollars (6/30)
Editorial: Cobell settlement hits a partisan roadblock in Senate (6/29)
Supreme Court dismisses petition in Cobell accounting appeal (6/28)
Editorial: Barrasso should listen to tribes on Cobell settlement (6/28)
Senate Republicans block passage of bill with trust settlement (6/25)
Kevin Abourezk: NCAI passes resolution for Cobell settlement (6/24)
NCAI backs Cobell settlement, rejects Barrasso amendment (6/23)
Supreme Court to consider petition in Cobell trust fund case (6/23)
Turtle Talk: Trouble ahead if Supreme Court takes on Cobell? (6/23)
NCAI weighs position on amendment to trust fund settlement (6/22)
Sen. Barrasso hopes for vote on changes to Cobell settlement (6/21)
Wyoming tribes oppose amendment to trust fund settlement (6/18)
Editorial: Senate should approve Cobell trust fund settlement (6/18)
Tribes complain about NCAI letter on Cobell trust settlement (6/17)
Elouise Cobell responds to questions about trust settlement (6/16)
Parties agree to extend deadline over trust fund settlement (6/16)
Official clarifies that NCAI 'firmly supports' Cobell settlement (6/15)
Blackfeet Nation slams NCAI over letter on Cobell settlement (6/15)
NCAI president writes letter on changes in Cobell settlement (6/14)
Opinion: Republican Senator threatens trust fund settlement (6/14)
Sen. Barrasso pushing amendment to trust fund settlement (6/11)
Obama administration against changes in Cobell settlement (6/10)
Bob Juneau: Pennies on the dollar for Cobell trust settlement (6/9)
New Cobell case judge backed Indian preference at Interior (6/7)
Opinion: Some justice for Indian Country in trust settlement (6/7)
Cobell suit handed to new judge after Robertson retirement (06/02)
Cobell speaks to graduates from Menominee Nation college (06/02)
Sen. Barrasso seeks to make changes to Cobell settlement (6/1)
Trust settlement awaits Senate action after House passage (6/1)
Editorial: Trust settlement is a victory for Native Americans (6/1)
Rep. Hastings loses bid to change terms of trust settlement (5/28)
Congress fails to meet deadline to act on Cobell settlement (5/28)
Editorial: Cobell settlement brings hope for Indian Country (5/26)
White House statement supports bill with trust settlement (5/25)
Votes expected this week on bill with trust fund settlement (5/25)
Five Civilized Freedmen seek a share of Cobell settlement (5/25)
Cobell trust fund settlement a part of jobs and tax measure (5/24)
Editorial: Indian Country deserves settlement to Cobell case (05/18)
White House press secretary mentions Cobell during briefing (05/18)
Rep. Hastings insists Congress not on 'deadline' over Cobell (5/14)
Kimberly Craven: Transparency needed for trust settlement (5/13)
Sen. Coburn blocks attempt to authorize Cobell settlement (5/10)
Angelique EagleWoman: Cobell deal bad for Indian Country (5/10)
Three weeks before end of last Cobell settlement deadline (5/7)
Cobell attorney says Congress can't change terms of deal (5/6)
Elouise Cobell answering questions about trust settlement (5/5)
Editorial: Congress must act quickly on Cobell settlement (5/4)
Cobell criticizes Sen. Barrasso for trying to 'kill' settlement (5/3)
Sen. Barrasso proposes changes to trust fund settlement (04/28)
Editorial: Justice delayed for Indian trust fund settlement (4/27)
House Speaker Pelosi backs settlement for Cobell case (4/26)
Clock ticking for Congress to approve Cobell settlement (4/26)
Harry Reid: Senate needs to act on trust fund settlement (4/23)
Elouise Cobell answers questions about trust settlement (4/21)
Rep. Rehberg pushes for action on trust fund settlement (4/16)
UKB chief hopes Congress acts on trust fund settlement (4/15)
Elouise Cobell answers questions about trust settlement (4/13)
Editorial: Not another 14 years for Indian trust fund case (4/12)
Judge in trust fund case worried about delays in settlement (4/9)
Judge urges Congress to approve settlement in Cobell case (4/8)
Cobell responds to questions about trust fund settlement (4/7)
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes back settlement to Cobell case (4/1)
Gyasi Ross: Cobell a hero and warrior for Indian Country (3/31)
Cobell discusses trust fund settlement at Yakama Nation (3/31)
Cobell to discuss settlement at conference in New Mexico (3/29)
Cobell team to discuss trust fund settlement in Wyoming (3/25)
Cobell responds to questions about trust fund settlement (3/24)
Cobell discusses settlement on Fort Belknap Reservation (3/24)
Cobell asks for support to approve trust fund settlement (3/23)
Cobell team heads to Idaho to talk trust fund settlement (3/23)
Cobell holds settlement meetings in Washington, Oregon (3/22)
Great Plains tribal leaders raise Cobell settlement issues (3/22)
Cobell settlement discussions in Montana, South Dakota (3/19)
Elouise Cobell responds to questions about settlement (3/16)
Kimberly Craven: Cobell deal wrong for Indian Country (3/16)
Editorial: Congress must act soon on Cobell settlement (3/16)
Cobell team in Arizona, New Mexico to brief settlement (3/15)
Editorial: It's time to settle the Cobell trust fund lawsuit (3/15)
Editorial: It's time to settle the Cobell trust fund lawsuit (3/15)
South Dakota tribes weigh stance on Cobell settlement (3/11)
Audio: House Resources hearing on Cobell settlement (3/10)
Congress slow to move on Cobell trust fund settlement (3/10)
Witness list for House hearing on trust fund settlement (3/9)
Elouise Cobell responds to questions about settlement (3/9)
Elouise Cobell to meet with landowners in South Dakota (3/5)
Elouise Cobell responds to questions about settlement (3/2)
House Resources Committee schedules Cobell hearing (3/2)
Deadline in Cobell trust fund case extended to April 16 (3/1)
Elouise Cobell answers questions about settlement (2/22)
Elouise Cobell answers questions about settlement (2/17)
Opinion: Questions remain about Cobell settlement (2/9)
Opinion: Cobell case settled for pennies on the dollar (2/8)
Opinion: Cobell trust settlement addresses land issues (02/01)
Deadline approaches to approve trust fund settlement (02/01)
Dennis Gingold: The facts behind trust fund settlement (1/29)
Bill Martin: No rubber stamp for trust fund settlement (1/26)
Editorial: Congress must act fast on Cobell settlement (1/22)
Chickasaw firm secures land consolidation contract (1/21)
Opinion: Indian trust beneficiaries finally getting paid? (1/20)
Interview with Elliott Levitas, attorney for Cobell case (1/18)
Millions coming to Montana under Cobell settlement (01/07)
Congress gets more time to act on Cobell settlement (1/6)
Editorial: A long overdue settlement to Cobell lawsuit (1/6)
Editorial: A long overdue settlement to Cobell lawsuit (1/6)
Letters: A good settlement to Indian trust fund case (12/21)
Cobell urges Senate to move quickly on settlement (12/18)
Column: Free Indians of federal government control (12/18)
Column: Cobell deal not so great for Indian Country (12/18)
Editorial: Cobell deal corrects century-old old wrong (12/18)
Editorial: Settlement and accountability in trust fund (12/18)
Witness List: Senate hearing on Cobell settlement (12/16)
Mary Pember: The small picture of the Cobell deal (12/16)
Opinion: Deal won't change much in Indian Country (12/16)
Editorial: Settlement in Cobell case is long overdue (12/16)
Editorial: Act quickly to approve Cobell settlement (12/16)
Bill Means: Cobell settlement a rip-off for Indians (12/15)
Editorial: At last a settlement in Cobell trust case (12/15)
North Dakota tribes back settlement in Cobell case (12/14)
Opinion: Indian plaintiff won't see trust settlement (12/14)
Column: Navajo woman helped resolve Cobell case (12/14)
Editorial: Preventing future trust mismanagement (12/14)
Editorial: Approve settlement to Cobell trust case (12/14)
Senate committee sets Cobell settlement hearing (12/11)
Washington tribes react to Cobell case settlement (12/11)
Editorial: Land consolidation program 'worrisome' (12/11)
Lynne Harlan: A new era in federal Indian relations (12/11)
Column: Cowboy banks got paid more than Indians (12/11)
Editorial: Settling more than a century of injustice (12/11)
Editorial: Support settlement for Cobell trust case (12/11)
Editorial: Acknowledge past mistakes in trust fund (12/11)
Editorial: A long overdue settlement to Cobell suit (12/11)
NARF welcomes settlement in Cobell trust lawsuit (12/10)
Cobell hailed as warrior as she returns to Montana (12/10)
Billings Paper: Cobell deal sends $27M to Montana (12/10)
Editorial: Cobell settlement fair for Indian Country (12/10)
Editorial: Welcome settlement to Cobell trust case (12/10)
Mostly praise for $3.4B settlement to Cobell lawsuit (12/9)
Editorial: Act quickly on Indian trust fund settlement (12/9)
Twitter Recap of Cobell settlement with Photos (12/8)
Statement by President Obama on Cobell settlement (12/8)
Statement by Sen. Dorgan on Cobell settlement (12/8)
Statement by Sen. McCain on Cobell settlement (12/8)
Statement by Sen. Tester on Cobell settlement (12/8)
Statement by Rep. Rahall on Cobell settlement (12/8)
Statement by Rep. Cole and Rep. Kildee on Cobell settlement (12/8)
'Major' announcement on Indian trust management (12/8)