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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2002

The Department of Interior's latest quarterly report on trust reform is available online.

The report, the 11th so far, was submitted to the federal judge overseeing the Cobell lawsuit earlier this month. It covers the time period July 1 to September 30.

The document covers the usual topics -- probate, data cleanup, computer systems and records management. Secretary Gale Norton, acting Special Trustee Donna Erwin and Indian Trust Transition director Ross Swimmer provide their observations about reform efforts.

The report does not go into detail the rift between the department and tribal leaders. It also does not contain any sections verified by Assistant Secretary Neal McCaleb.

The quarterly reports are required under U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth's December 1999 decision. They have been particularly controversial throughout the case: Norton and McCaleb were held in contempt for providing less than accurate information in them.

Norton is required, by another court order, to sign the documents personally. She is currently under investigation for the 8th report, the first for which she took personal responsibility.

Get the Report:
11th Quarterly Report (DOI November 2002)

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com
Cobell v. Norton, Department of Justice - http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/cases/cobell/index.htm
Indian Trust, Department of Interior - http://www.doi.gov/indiantrust
Trust Reform, NCAI - http://www.ncai.org/main/pages/
issues/other_issues/trust_reform.asp

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