One year ago, leaders from the Montana and Wyoming tribes met with Interior Department officials in Billings
to express our concerns about the lack of transparency and the
bureaucratic foot-dragging that have prevented our tribal citizens from
receiving their due compensation. We were also concerned that the
Interior Department, rather than tribal governments, was controlling the
process for educating our citizens and determining which lands could be
purchased under the new Land Buy-Back Program. I am thankful that some
members of Congress heard our voices and took action to introduce
legislation necessary to address these problems. This bill should help
make the Land Buy-Back Program a tribally driven process and transfer
more of the functions to the local level, to people who understand the
tribal communities.
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