Thank You For Your Leadership on the Cobell Settlement

Dec 16, 2010

Note: The following letter was sent via fax to members of Congress who showed leadership in passing the Cobell Settlement, including: Senator Harry Reid (NV), Senator Byron Dorgan (ND), Senator Max Baucus (MT), Senator Daniel Inouye (HI), Senator John Barrasso (WY), Senator Jeff Bingaman (NM), Senator Jon Kyl (AZ), Representative Nick Rahall II (WV), Representative Dale Kildee (MI), and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA)

Senator/Representative
Congressional Office Building
United States Senate
Washington D.C. 20510

Dear Senator/Representative,

We write to thank you for your leadership in achieving passage of the Cobell Settlement.

Senate approval of the court settlement allows the United States to meet a decades-long obligation to 500,000 Native Americans – the equitable owners of lands and resources held in trust by the federal government.

We are pleased that the settlement approved by the Senate honors the agreement reached among the parties, and that it includes provisions to improve the federal government’s management of these trust assets in the future.

We recognize the complexities of the case, the settlement, and the political and economic context in which you worked to garner approval of this legislation. We are pleased that approval of the Cobell settlement was coupled with approval of the Pigford II settlement, making the Claims Settlement Act a meaningful statement on civil rights.

We appreciate your work and your leadership on behalf of Native American people.

Sincerely,

Ruth Flower
Legislative Director
202.903.2524
flower@fcnl.org