On the recordJune 18, 2012
In 1999, the United States Court of Federal Claims awarded a $20 million settlement to the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, pursuant to the Nelson Act and various treaties that are not covered by the Nelson Act, for various accounting obligations of the Federal Government. These funds have been held in trust and have not been disbursed. H.R. 1272 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to disburse the balance held in trust to the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. I would like to thank Congressman Chip Cravaack and the sponsor of this bill, Congressman Collin Peterson, for working with the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and for getting this bill to the floor. I urge the adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
