Trust deal 'a joke,' state Indians tell U.S. senators

Indian trust case
Background: For decades, many individual American Indians have owned their property "in trust." The federal government, acting as trustee, leased some property rights to others and collected money from such leases on behalf of the Indian owners. A lawsuit filed in 1996 accused the government of failing to turn over all that money. The government has been unable to produce an adequate accounting of where the money went.

New development: The Bush administration signaled in early August it wants to settle the case. The Senate Indian Affairs Committee, already considering settlement legislation, sent staff members to meet with Indians across the country to discuss it.

What's next: Committee staff will consider comments collected at the meetings and possibly propose revisions to the bill.

Source: Friends Committee on National Legislation