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Opinion: McCain, Dorgan lowball Indians on trust
Wednesday, July 27, 2005

"The bill offered by U.S. Senator John McCain and U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan sent Indian Country a low-ball deal, which in gaming terms means they sent the best bill for the guilty and the worst bill for the victims. They offered no settlement amount but McCain has already announced the $27 billion recommended by Indian leaders as too high.

The Senate bill seeks to fix a hundred years of theft by only looking at the years of 1980 through 2005. Because records crucial to the case were destroyed exposing the width and breath of gross theft over the past 100 years this bill meant to bring justice is a slap in the face of the victims.

Democratic leader Dorgan points out that this is a starting point and as such it is the way they would like to see this happen. Tribes and their leaders certainly have other plans."

Get the Story:
Louis Gray: Old habits die hard in dealing with Indians (The Native American Times 7/26)

Senate Documents:
John McCain Statement | Byron Dorgan Statement | Full Text of Bill as Introduced | S.1439

Relevant Documents:
Trust Reform and Cobell Settlement Workgroup Principles for Legislation (June 2005)

Related Story:
Federal official: Native trust fund accounts vulnerable (The Lincoln Journal Star 7/21)

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com
Cobell v. Norton, Department of Justice - http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/cases/cobell/index.htm
National Congress of American Indians - http://www.ncai.org
Intertribal Trust Fund Monitoring Association - http://www.itmatrustfunds.org

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Listening Lounge: Senate hearing on Cobell (7/26)
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McCain and Dorgan introduce trust reform legislation (7/22)
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McCain plans hearing on Cobell settlement, reform (7/14)
Judge blasts Interior on handling of trust (7/13)
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