[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 73 (Thursday, May 24, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S5633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REID (for himself and Mr. Ensign):
  S. 958. A bill to provide for the use and distribution of the funds 
awarded to the Western Shoshone identifiable group under Indian Claims 
Commission Docket Numbers 326-A-1, 326-A-3, 326-K, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today for myself and for Senator 
Ensign, to introduce the Western Shoshone Claims Distribution Act. I am 
re-introducing this much needed bill for the Western Shoshone Tribe 
from the second session of the 106th Congress. It had been referred to 
the Indian Affairs Committee, but there was not enough time at the end 
of the Congress to act on it.
  In 1946, the Indian Claims Commission was established to compensate 
Indians for lands and resources taken from them by the United States. 
The Commission determined in 1962 that Western Shoshone homeland had 
been taken through ``gradual encroachment.'' In 1977, the Commission 
awarded the Tribe in over $26 million dollars. However, it was not 
until 1979, that the United States appropriated the funds to reimburse 
the descendants of these Tribes for their loss. Plans for claims 
distribution were further delayed by litigation; and the Western 
Shoshone concern that accepting the claims would impact their right to 
get back some of their traditional homelands.
  The Western Shoshone are an impoverished people. There is relatively 
little economic activity on some of their scattered reservations. Those 
who are employed, work for the tribal government, work in livestock and 
agriculture, or work in small businesses, such as day-cares and 
souvenir shops. They live from pay check to pay check, with little or 
no money for heating their homes, much less for their children's 
education. Many of the Western Shoshone continue to be 
disproportionately affected by poverty and low educational achievement. 
Many individuals of the Western Shoshone are willing to accept the 
distribution of the claim settlement funds to relieve these difficult 
economic conditions. About $128.8 million (in principal and interest) 
would be distributed to over 6,000 eligible members of the Western 
Shoshone; $1.27 million (in principal and interest) would be placed in 
an educational trust fund for the benefit of and distribution to future 
generations of the Tribe.
  The Western Shoshone have waited long enough for the distribution of 
these much needed funds. The final distribution of this fund has 
lingered for more than twenty years, and the best interests of the 
Tribe will not be served by a further delay in enacting this 
legislation. My bill will provide payments to eligible Western Shoshone 
tribal members, and ensure that future generations will be able to 
enjoy the financial benefits of this settlement by establishing a grant 
program for education and other individual needs. The Western Shoshone 
Steering Committee, a coalition of Western Shoshone individual tribal 
members, has officially requested that Congress enact legislation to 
affect this distribution.
  This Act also provides that acceptance of these funds is not a waiver 
of any existing treaty rights pursuant to the Ruby Valley Treaty. Nor 
will acceptance of these funds prevent any Western Shoshone Tribe or 
Band or individual Western Shoshone Indian from pursuing other rights 
guaranteed by law.
  Twenty-three years has been more than long enough.
  Finally, I would like to highlight the fact that Senator Ensign of 
Nevada joins me today to introduce this important bill. I know that 
Senator Ensign is concerned, as I, about the delay of the distribution 
of the claims to the Western Shoshone, and his support for this bill 
will help ensure that the Tribe will receive their long-awaited 
compensation.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 958

  [Data not available at time of printing.]
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