Interior Secretary Sally Jewell with youth from the Southern Ute Tribe. Photo by Tami A. Heilemann / U.S. Department of the Interior
The Southern Ute Tribe of Colorado is among a group of tribes that reached settlements to their trust fund cases. The tribe will receive $126 million from the United States. The money resolves allegations that the federal government failed to account for the tribe's trust funds and mismanaged the tribe's trust assets. “The tribe is pleased that the United States has taken accountability for its past actions in breaking the promises it made to tribes,” the tribe council said in a prepared statement. “Southern Ute has long suffered the effects of the United States’ inability and unwillingness to stand behind its trust responsibility. This settlement will help the tribe repair the damage that has occurred as a result of this neglect.” The Southern Ute settlement is on the high end of the latest round, according to documents filed in federal court. The Quinault Nation of Washington secured $30 million, the Umatilla Tribes of Oregon settled for $20 million, the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate secured $10.8 million, the White Earth Nation of Minnesota will receive $6.8 million and the Kickapoo Tribe in Oklahoma secured $1.87 million. The Obama administration has settled more than 100 tribal trust fund cases since January 2009. Tribes have received $3.3 billion. Internal Revenue Service Documents:
Notice 2015-67: Per Capita Distributions of Funds Held in Trust by the Secretary of the Interior (September 2015)
Notice 2014-38: Per Capita Payments from Proceeds of Settlements of Indian Tribal Trust Cases (March 2014)
Notice 2014-17: Per Capita Distributions of Funds Held in Trust by the Secretary of the Interior (March 2014)
Notice 2012-60: Per Capita Payments from Proceeds of Settlements of Indian Tribal Trust Cases (May 2014)
Notice 2013-1: Per Capita Payments from Proceeds of Settlements of Indian Tribal Trust Cases (December 2012
Notice 2012-60: Per Capita Payments from Proceeds of Settlements of Indian Tribal Trust Cases (September 2012)
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