WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Rep. Tom Cole (OK-04) today introduced a bill to reaffirm the authority of the Secretary of Interior to take land into trust for Indian tribes.  The policy would address issues created by the Carcieri v. Salazar decision:

"Addressing the Carcieri issue is a win-win for tribes and the federal government," said Cole.  "Restoring the original intent of the Indian Reorganization Act is vital to tribal sovereignty and economic development, and it will prevent continued costly litigation.  This legislation was approved in subcommittee last Congress, and I'm hopeful we can build on that support and get it passed this year."

A previous version of the legislation was approved by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior in the 111th Congress.

In 2009, the Supreme Court ruled that a modern reading of the IRA did not adequately provide authority for the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for the Narragansett Indian Tribe of Rhode Island.  Many tribes in existence today were not federally recognized before the 1934 law was passed.  The legislation makes clarifying changes to the IRA of 1934 so that the Interior Department will be able to continue to acquire trust lands for tribes, regardless of the date a tribe was federally recognized.

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