INDIANZ.COM LISTENING LOUNGE House Natural Resources Committee oversight hearing on Utah Navajo Trust Fund. June 19, 2008. • Opening Statements • Panel 1 - Testimony | Q&A • Panel 2 - Testimony | Q&A • Panel 3 - Testimony | Q&A • Written Testimony

The House Natural Resources Committee held an oversight hearing on Thursday to discuss the Utah Navajo Trust Fund.

Under an act of Congress from 1933, Utah manages oil and gas royalties for members of the Navajo Nation who live in San Juan County. Tribal members are concerned that they have been cheated out of millions of dollars.

A lawsuit pending in federal court seeks to determine whether Navajo beneficiaries are owed money. The state has made it clear that it wants to relinquish its role as a manager.

It would then be up to Congress to devise a new system. Witnesses discussed handing duties to the tribe, a nonprofit corporation that represents Navajos in Utah or another entity.

Get the Story:
Congress to pick new Navajo Trust manager (The Salt Lake Tribune 6/20)
Who'll take charge of Navajo fund? (The Salt Lake City Deseret News 6/20)

Committee Notice:
Full Committee Oversight Hearing On The Utah Navajo Trust Fund (June 19, 2008)

Court Decision:
Pelt v. Utah (March 14, 2008)

Related Stories:
House Resources hearing on Utah Navajo trust fund (6/19)
House Resources hearing on Utah Navajo trust fund (6/13)
Judge limits Utah's role in managing Navajo trust (3/18)
Navajos concerned about Utah trust legislation (03/04)
Utah Navajo trust fund accounting report due (02/01)
Utah House passes bill to relinquish Navajo trust (01/24)
Utah Navajos seek extension for state trust fund (12/04)
Editorial: Utah should pull out of Navajo trust (11/16)
Utah seeks to pull out of Navajo trust fund (11/14)
Navajos in Utah fight state over trust mismanagement (3/6)
Federal judge advances Navajo trust fund lawsuit (1/12)
Navajo trust fund case moves forward (6/11)