02.26.02

Senator Cantwell Calls on Interior Department To Work with Tribes to Reform Trust Management

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) today called on the Interior Department to consider proposals from several tribes as the Department seeks to carry out a court-ordered reform of Indian Trust Funds. These trust funds have been mismanaged since their inception in 1887, leading to billions of dollars of lost money that was intended to help many of the most economically disadvantaged tribes and tribal members. Every tribe in Washington state has trust assets, and approximately 24,000 Washington residents have Individual Indian Money trust accounts.

Speaking at a hearing of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, Cantwell said, "It is my hope that Interior will seriously consider the concerns, suggestions, and proposals from the tribal community and also take advantage of the wisdom and insight from the leaders who are working hard to create a viable plan for reform. Any successful attempt at rectifying this complex and century-long problem must include the experience of the tribes."

The Interior Department, acting without meaningful input from the tribes, has proposed a new Bureau of Indian Trust Assets Management (BITAM), which met much opposition from tribal leaders. While tribes agree that reform is sorely needed, they oppose BITAM on the grounds that it was constructed hastily and without input from the tribes, and that it would remove trust management responsibility from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Members of several Washington state tribes attended today's hearing, including representatives from the Colville, Spokane, Lummi, Tulalip, Jamestown S'Klallam, Quinault, Squaxin Island, Swinomish, Yakima, Lower Elwha, Muckleshoot, and Port Gamble tribes.