The Federal government has agreed to pay $1 billion to dozens of Blackfeet, Santee Sioux, and Ute Mountain Ute American Indian tribes to settle charges and natural resources held and/or managed on the tribes' behalf. Some of these natural resources include timber, limestone, oil and gas.
The settlements announced on Wednesday, April 11th, 2012, by the Justice Department and the Interior Department jointly, award the $1 Billion in funds to 41 American Indian tribes. Some of the settled claims date back 100 years and are the result of nearly two years of negotiation with the Obama Administration.
More than 70 American Indian tribes remain in litigation with the U.S. over these issues.
The settlements will be paid from the Federal government's "Judgment Fund", which is the government's special fund used specifically to pay settlements and judgments entered against the U.S. Government.
[WSJ, Thursday, 4/12/2012, p. A3]
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