The Western Shoshone National Council filed suit against the Union Pacific Railroad and seven landowners, accusing them of taking away land promised in an 1866 treaty.

The lawsuit seeks the recovery of millions of acres under the 1866 Treaty of Ruby Valley. The Western Shoshones say the railroad and the other defendants illegally accepted land from the federal government.

The Western Shoshone Nation was promised 26 million acres in the treaty. The Indian Claims Commission ruled that the tribes "lost" the land due to white encroachment and other actions.

Get the Story:
Western Shoshone sues Union Pacific, other landholders (The Las Vegas Review-Journal 1/11)

Relevant Links:
Western Shoshone Defense Project - http://www.wsdp.org

Western Shoshone Claims Distribution Act:
Bill Report | H.R.884 | S.618

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