Facebook Twitter Email
THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 2003

The House Resources Committee on Wednesday held a hearing to consider a bill that would distribute a $142 million trust fund to members of the Western Shoshone Nation.

The money has been sitting in an account for more than 50 years. It was an award for the alleged loss of 26 million acres of aboriginal Shoshone territory.

Not all Shoshone members support the payout, although several votes have been held on the issue. A Department of Interior official said 90 percent of tribal members voted in favor of taking the money in a recent election.

Get the Story:
Gibbons' measure would divvy up payments to tribe (The Las Vegas Review-Journal 6/19)
Bill Offers Tribe Money to Settle Old Land Dispute (Gannett News Service 6/19)
Indian claims bill revived in Congress (AP 6/19)

Relevant Documents:
Written Witness Testimony (June 18, 2003)

Get the Bill:
Western Shoshone Claims Distribution Act (H.R.884)

Related Stories:
Reid says he would consider Shoshone land claims (03/14)
Western Shoshone payout bill reintroduced (02/26)
Indian bills faces uncertain future in Congress (11/18)
Senate approves Shoshone payout (11/14)
Opposition to Shoshone payout mounts (10/15)
BLM auctions seized Shoshone cattle (10/7)
U.S. asked to halt Shoshone auction (10/4)
BLM to auction seized Shoshone cattle (10/2)
Shoshone activists to stage protests (9/30)
Senate panel approves Shoshone payout (9/26)
Shoshone cattle seized, horses feared next (9/24)
Shoshone 'renegades' resist land payout (8/26)
Senate panel debates Shoshone payout bill (8/5)
Western Shoshone are 'homeless' (8/2)
Report finds human rights violations (8/1)
Shoshone land 'not for sale' (7/22)