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FRIDAY, JULY 19, 2002

Several Republican and Democrat lawmakers this week unsuccessfully attempted to limit an historical accounting of the Individual Indian Money (IIM) trust.

Led by Reps. Joe Skeen (R-N.M.) and Norm Dicks (D-Wash.), chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the House Interior Appropriations subcommittee, the lawmakers sought $15 million for an accounting to cover the period 1985 to 2000. The limit was chosen because the Department of Interior started entering some trust data into a computer system in 1985.

The lawmakers -- mostly members of the House Appropriations Committee -- insisted the limited accounting would serve as a basis for a settlement for all prior years. The IIM trust dates to 1887.

The majority of House members disagreed and said there should be no restriction on the government's responsibility to more than 500,000 American Indians. They voted 281 to 144 to strip the Interior funding bill of the accounting language.

Get the Story:
Hayworth bars bid to cut Indian trust-fund probe (The Arizona Republic 7/19)
Username: IndianzCom, Password: indianz.com

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust, Department of Interior - http://www.doi.gov/indiantrust
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com
Trust Reform, NCAI - http://www.ncai.org/main/pages/
issues/other_issues/trust_reform.asp

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House to debate DOI funding bill (7/16)
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House trust fund bill opposed (7/15)
Full accounting said not 'cost effective' (7/15)
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