New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) is asking Interior Secretary Gale Norton to ensure that billions of dollars in Indian trust funds are protected.

A letter Richardson is drafting urges Norton to ensure that computer systems are not vulnerable to hackers. It urges Norton to develop a contingency plan to deliver payments to trust beneficiaries when computer failures or other problems occur.

When he was a congressman, Richardson was an original sponsor of the American Indian Trust Reform Act of 1994. He represented a district in New Mexico with a large number of Navajo trust beneficiaries.

Richardson and his Indian Affairs Secretary Benny Shendo Jr. met with Elouise Cobell, the lead plaintiff in the trust fund case, last week.

Get the Story:
Gov. Seeks Clarity on Indian Trusts (The Albuquerque Journal 8/15)

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
Indian Trust, Department of Interior - http://www.doi.gov/indiantrust

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