Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is pushing for quick action to resolve the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar, tribal leaders were told on Monday.

The decision places doubts on the ability of the Interior Department to acquire land for tribes. So Salazar instructed Larry EchoHawk, the new leader of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Hilary Tompkins, the new Solicitor at the department, to come up with a solution soon. "If the last consultation is July 8, then he expects something to be done by July 9," EchoHawk told tribal leaders in Minnesota, Gambling Compliance reported. Tribes are asking Congress to amend the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. They want to ensure all tribes, regardless of the date of recognition, can follow the land-into-trust process. EchoHawk and Tompkins said the Obama administration isn't ruling out a Congressional fix though they warned that tribes might face opposition on Capitol Hill. They said Salazar, as a former U.S. Senator, might be able to use his influence. The BIA held two consultation sessions on the decision this week. The final will take place July 8 in Arlington, Virginia.

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