[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 153 (Tuesday, October 28, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H9970-H9971]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CONCERNS REGARDING INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS CONFERENCE REPORT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Porter). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my deep concerns 
regarding the fiscal 2004 Interior appropriations conference report 
which was just reported out of the Committee on Rules, and in 
particular a provision relative to American Indian trust accounts. This 
provision would prevent the use of any Federal funds to conduct a 
complete historical accounting of Individual Indian Money Accounts as 
recently ordered by the U.S. District Court for the District of 
Columbia.

[[Page H9971]]

  Mr. Speaker, this provision should not be included in the Interior 
conference report because it was not included in S. 1391, the Senate-
passed Interior appropriations bill, or H.R. 2691, the House-passed 
Interior appropriations bill. Furthermore, this provision completely 
circumvents the House Committee on Resources, which retains authority 
over all issues impacting Native Americans, including trust reform.
  I would like to point out this is the not the first time language has 
been inserted into the Interior appropriations bill that would seek to 
legislate a resolution to the trust reform issue. Just this past July 
there was an attempt to add similar language that would have authorized 
the Secretary of Interior to unilaterally settle any claim relating to 
the balance of the individual Indiana accounts. That language was 
successfully stricken from the Interior appropriations bill before the 
bill was subsequently approved by the House.
  At that time, members of the Committee on Resources were told that 
they would have an opportunity to come up with a legislative solution 
to the trust reform issue without interference by the appropriators. 
The Committee on Resources has begun a series of hearings on the issue, 
with an eye towards accomplishing that goal in this Congress. But it 
was envisioned that Congressional action would complement the court 
action and not circumvent it.
  While this bill contains some provisions that are Native American 
friendly, if this language is allowed to move forward the negative 
effects will be felt throughout Indian Country. Prohibiting the 
Department of Interior to use Federal funds to implement the U.S. 
District Court's decision essentially permits the Department to do 
nothing to move towards settlement of the Individual Indian Money 
Accounts, and only further delays resolving a century old dispute.
  Mr. Speaker, a fair and equitable resolution to trust reform can only 
be reached by having all the necessary stakeholders at the negotiating 
table. Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to vote no on the Interior 
appropriations conference report, and I hope that this provision 
relative to the American Indian Trust Accounts can be stricken from the 
bill before it is finally sent to the President for his signature.

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