Reorganization of the Bureau of Indian Affairs: Hearing Before the Committee on Indian Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred Eighth Congress, First Session on Proposed Reorganization of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, May 21, 2003, Washington, DC.

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U.S. Government Printing Office, 2003 - Law - 103 pages
 

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Page 51 - account" for "the daily and annual balance of all funds held in trust by the United States for the benefit of an Indian Tribe or an individual Indian which are deposited or invested pursuant to the Act of June 24, 1938.
Page 47 - On behalf of the members of the National Congress of American Indians, I would like to express our appreciation to this Committee for its commitment to Indian people and to upholding the trust and treaty responsibilities of the federal government.
Page 50 - ... repeatedly perform administrative procedures such as probate. Consequently, a large backlog of corrections has developed in many of the title offices, and this has compounded the delays in probate, leasing, mortgages, and other trust transactions that rely on title and ownership information. In turn, each of these delays compounds the errors in the distribution of trust funds.
Page 50 - Second, fractionated interests in individual Indian allotted land continue to expand exponentially with each new generation. Today, there are approximately four million owner interests in the 10 million acres of individually owned trust lands.
Page 51 - NCAI believes that it is critical for Congress to substantively address the underlying issues of transparency and accountability in fixing the trust system. We would greatly encourage the Committee to take up trust reform legislation that would hold the DOI to the ordinary standards of a trustee, and we would be pleased to work with you in developing that legislation. Core Business...
Page 51 - ... with payments received. The accounting system most often begins with the receipt of a check that is assumed to be accurate and timely. Implementing an effective lease recording system that is integrated with the title and accounting systems is a primary need for the Indian trust system. Accounting — The DOI needs to develop accounting systems that will integrate and verify information from one function into another (from title to leasing to accounting). The DOI should also set out what oversight...
Page 72 - Cherokee Nation, Kaw Nation, Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Muscogee Creek Nation, Osage Tribe, Quapaw Tribe, Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Confederated Tribes of Umatilla...
Page 47 - Tribal leaders have repeatedly emphasized that funding needed to correct problems and inefficiencies in DOI trust management must not come from existing BIA programs or administrative monies — yet once again, this year's budget request reduces effective funding for tribes to fund a reorganization that tribes have opposed. It is critical that the Department request additional funding from Congress to correct the internal problems created through their administrative mistakes rather than...
Page 37 - Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the committee thank you for the invitation to speak to you today on such a critical problem in Indian country.
Page 82 - The purpose of the Task Force, as defined in the protocol agreement, was to: "develop and evaluate organizational options to improve the integrity, efficiency, and effectiveness of the Departmental Indian Trust Operations consistent with Indian treaty rights, Indian trust law, and the governmentto-government relationship.

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