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FEBRUARY 1, 2001

President George W. Bush convened his first Cabinet meeting on Wednesday with almost all of the heads of his executive agencies sworn in to their offices or confirmed by the Senate.

Although a number of nominees have faced intense scrutiny, Bush has managed to complete his Cabinet less than 13 days into his administration. In contrast, it took President Clinton more than a month longer to do the same when Attorney General Janet Reno was confirmed as his final Cabinet member in March 1993.

The completion signals a full-scale resumption of the daily duties for various departments and agencies, including the Department of Interior and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Like other offices on Capitol Hill, the Interior has had to hold back a number of last-minute decisions pending approval by Bush's political appointees.

Meanwhile, the Interior has been swamped with calls about a number of those decisions. Some were made by departed Secretary Bruce Babbitt, others by former Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Kevin Gover, and still more by Michael Anderson, Gover's former deputy assistant. All await further action under newly confirmed Secretary Gale Norton and the person chosen to head the BIA.

Among the most anticipated are decisions affecting two off-reservation casinos in Wisconsin. The Menominee Nation and three Ojibwe tribes have received preliminary positive reviews of their proposals, which have been controversial with local communities and other gaming tribes.

Now that Lt. Governor Scott McCallum is set to become run the state today when Governor Tommy Thompson is sworn in as Secretary of of Health and Human Services, speculation on the casinos has increased. McCallum has said he opposes expanded gaming in the state and even if the BIA gives its final stamp of approval on both projects, McCallum has veto authority.

Tribal and state officials elsewhere are also awaiting the outcome of pending decisions at Interior. In addition to the contested federal recognition bids of two Pequot tribes in Connecticut, the Nipmuc Nation of Massachusetts has also been extended preliminary recognition.

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has criticized the last-minute decision to recognize the tribe, whose traditional territory extends into the northern part of his state. But the proposed finding to acknowledge the tribe won't be available until it can be approved by Norton and her staff, which might take as long as a month.

By then, the extended comment period on the Eastern Pequot and the Paucatuck Eastern Pequot Tribes of Connecticut will almost be closed. Blumenthal and the leaders of three towns in southeastern Connecticut have launched a pre-emptive strike against the Bureau and the Interior, hoping to rescind the decisions to recognize the tribes.

Get the BIA lawsuit:
Blumenthal et. al v. US DOI et. al (Conn Attorney General January 2001)

Relevant Links:
The Department of Interior - www.doi.gov
The Bureau of Indian Affairs - www.doi.gov/bureau-indian-affairs.html

Related Stories:
Norton confirmed by 'landslide' (Politics 1/31)
Thompson won't approve casino (Money Matters 1/30)
BIA affected by Bush actions (Politics 1/23)
Nipmuc Nation granted recognition (Tribal Law 1/22)
Bush blocks Clinton decisions (Politics 1/22)
Challenges, risks cited at Interior (Politics 1/18)
What's next for Interior, BIA? (Tribal Law 1/11)