Indian Country praises trust reform

Here’s a press release from Coeur d’Alene Tribe spokeswoman Heather Keen:

Earlier today, President Barack Obama signed the Indian Trust Asset Reform Act or H.R. 812 into law. This is the first Indian policy bill to pass this Congress and many tribal leaders are calling it the most significant piece of trust reform legislation to come out of Congress in two decades. Indian tribes who choose to participate now have the ability to manage their tribal assets such as land and natural resources currently held in trust and managed by the federal government. Tribes that volunteer to participate in the program will submit a management plan to the Secretary of the Department of Interior that lists the trust assets and details the tribe’s management objectives and priorities.

“For years, we’ve been asking to manage our own resources and tribal assets and this law gives us the ability to set our own priorities and make our own choices based on what is best for our tribe,” Chairman Chief Allan of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. “We’re grateful to Congressman Simpson and Senator Crapo for working so hard to get this bill passed and to President Obama for handing the control of tribal assets back to tribes,” he added. More here.