Six Minnesota Chippewa tribes should soon know when they would receive a $28 million settlement from the U.S. government first awarded 13 years ago.
On Monday, May 7, a representative from U.S. Congressman Chip Cravaack’s office said that “The subcommittee looking at this passed a unanimous vote two weeks ago to support Chip and U.S representative Colin Peterson to have this bill move forward.
“Right now we’re waiting for the majority leader to bring it up for a vote. The way it looks at this time is it will be brought up under suspension of the rules and it will be an up or down vote that needs two-thirds of a majority to pass, rather than a simple majority to pass. All indications are at this time is that this bill will pass,” he said.
The United States Court of Federal Claims awarded and appropriated $20 million to the Minnesota Chippewa tribes in 1999 after the government was found to have improperly devalued native timber and took tribal lands under the Nelson Act of 1889.
The settlement was meant to compensate descendants of the Chippewa, but the tribes disagreed about who should get what, and the money has been sitting, gathering interest.
Representatives Chip Cravaack and Colin Peterson testified March 1, 2012 before the Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on Indian and Alaskan Native Affairs on H.R. 1272, the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Judgment Fund Distribution Act.
“I represent five of the six bands that constitute the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. Their representatives have all made it very clear to me that it is more than past time to bring resolution to this long-standing issue. I agree,” said Cravaack.
“Furthermore, Representative Petersen and I agree that H.R. 1272 is the solution that must be enacted in order to fulfill the U.S. government’s legal obligation, conclude its litigation with the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, and release the over $28 million in the settlements funds in a expeditious manner. I am hopeful that the House will quickly move to vote on this important bill and bring resolution to this long-standing issue,” Cravaack said.
Under terms of the H.R. 1272 resolution each band member would receive $300 and the six tribes, which includes the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, would split the rest of the money evenly. The bill will now move before Congress for a vote that could take place next week.
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