Who'll take charge of Navajo fund?
The Interior Department says it cannot take over the fund, and there are different opinions among Navajo Nation members as to who should take over, based on witness testimony at a House Resources Committee hearing Thursday.
On top of the differing opinions, this is something Congress has never had to deal with before, said Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah.
Matheson does not sit on the committee, although Utah Republican Reps. Rob Bishop and Chris Cannon are members. Matheson asked Committee Chairman Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., for the hearing, which falls under the committee's jurisdiction, because the Navajos are in his district and "there are legal liabilities that need to be sorted out," including whether the state can just opt out of a federal responsibility.
"I am not aware of another instance in which the federal government has directed a state to receive and expend money for the benefit of individual Indians," Rahall said.
Tani Pack Downing, deputy chief of staff and general counsel for Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., said the state will wind down active management of the find and "simply protect the fund and other assets until a successor is determined."
"The state has no preference for a successor management entity other than a desire to see that the royalties continue to flow to the benefit of the Navajo residents of San Juan County," Downing said, adding that Congress can only determine the successor.
Matheson also said he has no preference what entity takes over the fund, but his main concern is that the 37.5 percent of royalties now allocated to Utah remain in Utah. He said the challenge is not just the money but the real estate or other assets the trust has. Matheson will also have to figure out the specific language legislation determining the future of the trust would need to include, and Congress will have to pass a law.
Ross O. Swimmer, special trustee for American Indians at the Interior Department, said it would not be the appropriate entity to take over the fund. Instead, it would be better left to the Navajo Nation or a nonprofit organization tasked specifically to manage the money.
'The Department is aware of the Navajo Nation's position expressing its desire to manage the trust and disburse funds to the Utah Navajo beneficiaries consistent with the current disbursement and percentages," Swimmer said. "The (Bureau of Indian Affairs) consistent with our government to government relationship with the Navajo Nation, acknowledges and respects the position of the Navajo Nation as it pertains to the Utah Navajo Trust Fund."
Recent comments
Oh! "O", We definitely do not want the Navajo Nation to...
NAVAJO PRINCESS | June 26, 2008 at 4:37 p.m.
This just shows not to trust any politicians, not even a relative...
Dineh of Utah | June 24, 2008 at 3:50 p.m.
just don't give it to the ones who walk around in San JUAN county...
Whatever | June 20, 2008 at 12:17 p.m.
