The U.S. government has settled a long-running lawsuit over royalties owed to American Indians. The Interior Department will distribute $1.4 billion to more than 300,000 tribe members to compensate them for historical accounting claims, and to resolve future claims. The department also will spend $2 billion to buy back and consolidate tribal land lost by previous generations. The program will allow individual tribe members to obtain cash payments for divided land interests and free up the land for the benefit of tribal communities.
Finally, the department will set aside $60 million in a Fund for American Indians wishing to pursue post-secondary vocational education or a higher education.
At the Fund, we could not be more thrilled. This means a chance for many more American Indian people to earn a higher education and brings hope for them for a better future.
To read details of the settlement visit Cobell v. Salazar.
1 comment:
I admire the effort Ms. Cobell has endured during this incredible challenge. However, I do not see the how using 2 billion dollars of the settlement money is benefiting the IIM account holders. They are using our IIM settlement money to buy our own land back. This does not seem fair to me. If the government wants to buy our land back, they should have to make a new purchase agreement with us. It is not our fault they could not manage these accounts in the first place. For the record, I am not opposed to the portion that will go to Indian Education,but the other 2 billion should be given to us. It is part of our settlement.
Post a Comment