A bill to distribute a $143 million trust fund to members of the Western Shoshone Nation is gaining support.

Rep. Richard Pombo (R-California), chairman of the House Resources Committee, will support the version that was introduced by Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nevada), a spokesperson said. Rep. Jim Gibbons (R-Nevada) is backing Reid's version as well in response to Democratic objections to the version he originally introduced.

The bill is payment for 60 million acres of land the tribe lost due to white encroachment and other actions. Of the amount, $142 million will be distributed on a per capita basis to about 4,500 tribal members. The rest will be placed in an education trust fund.

Some tribal members oppose the payment, saying their land was never taken legally. They have called for a bill that would restore some of their land base.

Get the Story:
Gibbons backs Reid bill on Western Shoshone (The Las Vegas Review-Journal 5/7)

Get the Bill:
Western Shoshone Claims Distribution Act (H.R.884) | S.618

Related Stories:
Western Shoshone bill faces another push in 2004 (01/13)
Western Shoshone leaders want U.S. to show ownership (10/27)
Senate approves $144M Western Shoshone payout bill (10/20)
Western Shoshones sue over 60M acres of land (09/30)
Senate panel approves Western Shoshone payout bill (07/17)
House panel considers Shoshone payout bill (06/19)
Reid says he would consider Shoshone land claims (03/14)
Western Shoshone payout bill reintroduced (02/26)
Indian bills faces uncertain future in Congress (11/18)
Senate approves Shoshone payout (11/14)
Opposition to Shoshone payout mounts (10/15)
BLM auctions seized Shoshone cattle (10/7)
U.S. asked to halt Shoshone auction (10/4)
BLM to auction seized Shoshone cattle (10/2)
Shoshone activists to stage protests (9/30)
Senate panel approves Shoshone payout (9/26)
Shoshone cattle seized, horses feared next (9/24)
Shoshone 'renegades' resist land payout (8/26)
Senate panel debates Shoshone payout bill (8/5)
Western Shoshone are 'homeless' (8/2)
Report finds human rights violations (8/1)
Shoshone land 'not for sale' (7/22)