Check Point: Legislation Legacy
A current issue that faces Native Americans and the federal government is the fight over land and sufficient social, medical, and educational services. A legislation that links the fight issue to the Native Americans is the Cobell vs Norton, also known has the Indian Trust Fund. (video: Eloise Cobell Fights, University of Axia)
Native Americans gave up most of their land to the federal government in exchange for the promise they could remain on reservations and have their trust upheld. This lawsuit is on behalf 500,000 Native Americans and their heirs. The purpose of the lawsuit is to force the federal government to account for money held and a permanent reform of the trust systems. The basics of the lawsuit dates back to 1887 and was known as the General Allotment Act of 1887 or the Dawes Act. ( A Current Issue Between Native American and Federal Government. M. Hopkins. 2/2007 ) The federal government acting as a trustee for Native Americans contracted the land to different companies for mining, cattle grazing and timbering. Money was collected and was suppose to be turn over to the Native Americans, but the Interior Department’s Bureau of Indians Affair (BIA) has not done that yet. Eloise Cobell a member of the Blackfeet tribe filed a class action suit in 1996 claiming the government mismanaged billions in land royalties owed to Native Americans. www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=1222&issue
1) Video: Eloise Cobell Fights BIA. University Of Phoenix (Axia). 8/1999.
2) A Current Issue Between Native Americans and the Federal Government.M.S.Hopkins.2/2007. www.associatedcontent.com/.../a_current_issue_between_native_americans.html -
3) Issues: Native Americans Trust Funds: Massive Mismanagement Friend Committee on National Legislation.(FNCL)updated 3/2008.
www.fncl.org/issues.item.php?item