Rep. Cole questions need for bill to limit Cobell attorney fees
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Filed Under:
Cobell
Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma),
the only Native American in Congress, doesn't think lawmakers should be interfering with the $3.4 billion settlement to the
Indian trust fund
lawsuit.
Cole, a member of the
Chickasaw Nation, helped pass the settlement during the 111th Congress. But some of his fellow Republicans are upset about deal and have introduced a bill to limit attorney fees to $50 million.
"My sense is that its not particularly helpful" for Congress to interfere, Cole said at a hearing before the
House
Appropriations Committee yesterday. "We oughta let the ... judge in this case do what he wants to do."
"I'd hate to reintroduce the issue here," added Cole.
The
House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs will hold a hearing on
H.R.887 next Tuesday. The bill has three sponsors, all Republicans.
In addition to limiting attorney fees, the bill requires the
Interior Department
to submit a report to Congress on its land consolidation plans, and to
potentially identify an alternative to the portion of the settlement that deals
with land consolidation.
Related Stories:
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fund settlement (3/29)
Subcommittee sets hearing on
bill to limit Cobell attorney fees (3/28)
Elouise Cobell discusses settlement at University
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Cobell attorneys host
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Oklahoma beneficiaries question payment to Cobell
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S.E. Ruckman: Indian
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Audio from Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing
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Cobell attorneys criticize Republican bill to
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Editorial: Lawyers the true beneficiaries in Indian
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Elouise Cobell discusses Indian trust settlement in
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Elouise Cobell headed
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Cobell attorneys detail request for $223M fees for
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