Native American tribes win $940 million in suit against the feds

Source: Washington Examiner

Acknowledging the U.S. government's "sad history" with Native American tribes, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell announced on Thursday that the Obama administration is settling hundreds of 25-year-old claims by tribes and their members against the government for almost $1 billion.

The proposed settlement ends the class-action lawsuit filed by 645 members regarding under-payment for contracts to manage educational, police, fire and other federal services on reservations.

The tribes maintained, and in 2012 the Supreme Court agreed, that the government did not allot enough money to pay the contracts in full.

"This landmark settlement represents another important step in the Obama administration's efforts to turn the page on past challenges in our government-to-government relationship with tribes," Jewell said. "Tribal self-determination and self-governance will continue to be our 'North Star'" as the federal government works to assist tribes in running their own reservations and lands, Jewell said.



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