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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2002

With seemingly no end to the debacle in sight, the computer shutdown at the Department of Interior is making the rounds in the media, a full month after a federal judge ordered an Internet disconnect.

According to the Government Computer News, the House Resources Committee, which has jurisdiction over Indian issues, has been keeping in close touch with the department over the shutdown. "They are working as fast as they can. In the meantime, the popularity of the fax machine has soared to new heights over there," a committee representative told GCN.

Not working fast enough to get checks to thousands of Individual Indian Money (IIM) account holders, though. Department officials acknowledged they asked for permission to reconnect a critical system just last week, missing a chance to distribute funds earlier.

The department, under the leadership of Associate Deputy Secretary James Cason, had been asking for a permanent reconnect, which could take weeks to resolve.

Get the Story:
Interior struggles to restore its Web presence (Government Computer News 1/7)
Interior unplugged (Federal Computer Week 1/7)

Today on Indianz.Com:
Interior waited weeks on trust fund shutdown (1/9)

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust, Department of Interior - http://www.doi.gov/indiantrust
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com

Related Stories:
Order on trust fund payments sought (1/8)
Debate continues over trust fund shutdown (1/7)
Speedy trust fund payments sought (1/7)
Interior says working on shutdown (1/7)
Little hope for trust fund payments (1/4)
Computer security charge stands as checks delayed (12/21)
Checks to Great Lakes region delayed (12/20)
For BIA, a working holiday (12/19)
Taking lead on trust reform proves tough (12/19)
Baucus: Delay in checks 'unacceptable' (12/19)
Judge orders Interior reconnect (12/18)
Interior shutdown was 'overreaction' (12/18)
'Not be a very bright Christmas' (12/18)
Cost of Interior shutdown not known (12/17)
Interior computer agreement dropped (12/14)
Interior computer order finalized (12/13)
Editorial: Still ripping off Indians (12/12)
Griles in charge of IT reform (12/11)
Floods more important than Indians (12/10)
Judge holds security hearing (12/8)
DOI Shutdown: 'We're Hurting Tribes' (12/7)
From the top, a gamble in trust (12/7)
Norton acknowledges Internet problems (12/7)
'We're in the Dark' (12/7)
Judge orders Interior to cut Internet access (12/6)
Security contempt charge added (12/6)
Transcript of Dec. 5 trust fund hearing (12/6)
Interior doesn't understand court order (12/6)
Judge cuts trust fund access(12/5)
Report reveals attacks on tribal, Indian trust (12/5)
No Trust: Hacking the Department of Interior (12/5)
Judge holding secret hearings (12/4)
New: Security report released (12/4)