Thomas Daschle: “for over 100 years, the Department of Interior has managed for the benefit of Indian people a trust fund containing the…”

“for over 100 years, the Department of Interior has managed for the benefit of Indian people a trust fund containing the proceeds from the leasing of oil, gas, land and mineral rights on Indian land. Today, far from enjoying a sense of security about the investment of these assets, tribal and individual Indian account holders cannot even be assured of the accuracy of the balances that the Department of Interior claims are in their accounts, and the Interior Department's discharge of its trust responsibility is being litigated in Federal court. There is little disagreement that the Department of Interior's stewardship of Indian trust funds has been a colossal and longstanding failure. But rather than get directly at the underlying problem, the department continues to focus on reorganization of the bureaucracy. Adding insult to injury, department officials refuse to collaborate with the tribes on a government-to-government basis as the department promised. It is my strong belief that Congress should not appropriate any additional funds for reorganization of the BIA until tribal leaders are fully consulted on, and can fully participate in, the design of the reorganization plan.”