[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 34 (Thursday, March 21, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E404]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         IN SUPPORT OF S. 1857

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 20, 2002

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my 
support for S. 1857, Encourage the Negotiated Settlement of Tribal 
Claims bill.
  I would like to begin by commending my friend and Co-Chair of the 
Native American Caucus, Representative Kildee for introducing the 
companion bill H.R. 3851 and my friend Nick Rahall, our ranking member 
of the Resources Committee for his dedication and work on this issue.
  Through treaties, statutes and executive orders American Indians and 
Alaskan Natives (Al/AN) have entered into a trust relationship with the 
federal government. As part of this relationship Al/AN agreed to 
entrust the federal government with their resources such as land, 
natural resources, enterprises, judgement awards and investment income. 
Under the Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs 
(BIA) has been given the authority by the federal government to manage 
Indian resources and other assets.
  Unfortunately, the BIA has not honored this trust relationship. 
Instead, they have managed to ``mismanage'' the trust accounts of 315 
Indian tribes with over 1,400 accounts worth over $2.6 billion for many 
years.
  S. 1857 will expand the current statute of limitations until 2005 
allowing Indian tribes to postpone filing claims against the U.S. 
relating to the management of their trust fund accounts. It will enable 
the trust account holders the time necessary to identify where their 
money is going. This legislation will hold the BIA accountable for 
their mismanagement and squandering of Indian people's money. This past 
December my constituents of the Navajo Nation, Jicarilla Apache and 
Pueblos (over 40,000 people) did not receive their royalty checks, 
money they greatly depend on for rent, clothing, food and other basic 
necessities.
  Today, the Congress has the opportunity to honor and enforce its 
trust responsibility to Al/AN people. I fully support S. 1857 and 
encourage my fellow colleagues to do the same. We must make the BIA 
accountable for their actions.

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