The Department of Agriculture is objecting to a proposal to use $380 million from the Keepseagle settlement to create a new foundation for Indian Country.

Government attorneys said the proposal would not be permitted under federal law. They suggested other ways for the remaining funds to be distributed.

“The USDA may be willing (1) to expand the definition of Cy Pres Beneficiaries to include entities such as educational institutions and (2) to eliminate the requirement that the cy pres funds be distributed to beneficiaries in equal shares. These are just examples of changes that could be sufficiently narrow and appropriate," government attorneys wrote in court filing, Indian Country Today reported.

The foundation is supported by several inter-tribal organizations.

Get the Story:
USDA Questions Keepseagle $380 Million Foundation Proposal (Indian Country Today 9/17)

Relevant Documents:
Keepseagle Status Report (August 30, 2013)

Related Stories:
Opinion: Keepseagle foundation boosts farmers and ranchers (9/13)
Choctaw Nation seeks $58.5M from Keepseagle for foundation (9/6)
Keepseagle foundation would share $380M with Indian Country (9/3)
Magazine: Farmers hope for new era with USDA settlement (8/27)
Most of Indian farmer discrimination settlement goes unspent (04/26)