Legislative Update: Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Judgment Fund Distribution Act of 2011

Statement

Overview: The legislation would finally release reimbursement funds from the Interior Department that are owed to the Boise Forte, Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, Leech Lake, Mille Lacs, and White Earth bands of Chippewa in Minnesota -- five of which reside within the Eighth Congressional District -- for federal misfeasance in implementing the Nelson Act of 1889. H.R. 1272 was introduced by Representatives Colin Peterson (MN-7) and Chip Cravaack (MN-8) and currently awaits action in the House Committee on Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs.

"I met with Chairman Leecy of Bois Fort for the first time in late November of last year. I am eager to finally get these funds out of the Interior Department trust, where they have been sitting since 1999, and back to Minnesota's Chippewa," said Rep. Cravaack.

History: The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Judgement Fund Distribution Act, H.R. 1272, provides for a long-overdue distribution of $20 million appropriated in 1999 after the judgment in favor of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and placed into trust fund managed for the exclusive benefit of the Tribe by the United States to compensate for federal misfeasance in implementing the Nelson Act of 1889. The Nelson Act of 1889 apportioned a small piece of the Chippewa Indians of Minnesota's land to the Chippewa Indians, while the rest of the lands and timber were sold by the U.S. government. These sales were agreed upon by the Minnesota Chippewa based on the understanding that all money accrued from the sale of those lands and timber would be placed in the Treasury of the United States to the benefit of all the Chippewa Indians in the State of Minnesota as a permanent fund. Unfortunately, the U.S. government mismanaged the process, resulting in the Chippewa receiving far less in revenues than the sale of their lands and timber were worth.

What the bill does: H.R. 1272 legislatively enacts a 2009 Minnesota Chippewa Tribal resolution to reimburse to the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe the amount of funds plus interest earned to the date of reimbursement (now about $28 million). This bill reflects the wishes of the 2009 Minnesota Chippewa Tribal resolution and distributes the funds in a per-capita apportionment of $300 per member enrolled in each band, followed by an equal six-way split of the remaining settlement funds to the six recipient bands.

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