[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19306]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



   FOR THE RELIEF OF GLOBAL EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, 
         KERR--McGEE CORPORATION, AND KERR--McGEE CHEMICAL, LLC

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. MARK GREEN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, August 2, 1999

  Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage my 
colleagues to join me in supporting the passage of S. 606.
  Among other matters already discussed, S. 606 authorizes the U.S. 
government to finally make good on a $32 million court settlement with 
the Menominee Indian Tribe in my district. The history of this 
settlement can be traced to 1954, when the federal government 
terminated the tribe's federal trust status and the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs grossly mismanaged many of the tribe's assets.
  In 1967, the tribe filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging this 
termination and seeking damages. After decades of litigation, in 1993 
Congress passed a congressional reference directing the U.S. Claims 
Court to determine what damages, if any, were owed to the tribe.
  In August of last year, more than three decades after the initial 
suit was filed, the tribe finally settled its claim against the federal 
government for $32 million.
  As the members of this House are aware, Congress must authorize the 
payment of this court settlement before any U.S. funds can be released. 
The court has done its job and the tribe has waited long enough Now it 
is time for Congress to do its job and agree to this settlement.
  S. 606 passed the Senate by unanimous consent and I am not aware of 
any opposition to this measure in this House.
  I would like to thank Mr. McCollum for his help and leadership on 
moving this legislation forward.
  I also applaud Senator Kohl for his many years of work on this issue. 
I have enjoyed the opportunity to partner with him to bring this matter 
to a close.
  Finally, I would also like to thank Menominee Chairman Apesanahkwat 
for his willingness to work with me to ensure these funds won't be used 
to take any land off the tax rolls. These dollars will only be used to 
improve education, health care and economic opportunities for the tribe 
and the areas surrounding the reservation.
  Again, I encourage all of my colleagues to help me bring to an end a 
decades-long legal struggle and also provide much-needed financial 
assistance to one of the most impoverished areas of my Congressional 
District.

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