Campbell, Edward G., regional director, National Archives and Records
Service, Region 3, General Services Administration; presented by
Robert Davis, Director of Legislation, General Services Administration,
accompanied by John B. Nix, chief, Indian Claims Branch --
Holy Rock, Johnson, president, Oglala Sioux Tribe...
Morigeau, E. W., member of Flathead Council
Watkins, Hon. Arthur V., Chief Commissioner, Indian Claims Commis-
sion, accompanied by William M. Holt and T. Harold Scott,
Weisl, Edwin L., Assistant Attorney General, Land and Resources Divi-
sion, Department of Justice, accompanied by J. Edward Williams, First
Assistant Director, and Ralph Barney, Chief, Indian Claims Section---
Wilkinson, John, treasurer and chairman of the claims committee, three
affiliated tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, New Town, N. Dak
Dillstrom, Edna, and others, Klamath Tribe of Oregon: Telegram to Hon.
Henry M. Jackson, chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs,
dated February 10, 1967-.
Douglass, Dr. Truman B., chairman, Division of Christian Life and Mis-
sion, National Council of Churches: Telegram to Hon. Henry M. Jack-
son, chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, dated
February 14, 1967
Gentry, Clarence, Jr., and others, Klamath Tribe of Oregon: Telegram to
Hon. Henry M. Jackson, chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular
Affairs, dated February 1, 1967.
Harris, Robert N., Sr., Shoshone Business Council, and Miller, Jesse,
Arapaho Business Council: Telegram to Hon. Henry M. Jackson,
Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, dated February 1,
Jackson, Hon. Henry M., Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular
Affairs: Letters to-
Clark, Hon. Ramsey, Acting Attorney General, Department of
Justice, dated January 25, 1967
Knott, Hon. Lawson B., Jr., Administrator, General Services Admin-
istration, dated January 25, 1967.
Watkins, Hon. Arthur V., Chief Commissioner, Indian Claims Com-
mission, dated January 25, 1967--
Jim, Robert M., chairman, and Mennanick, Joe, secretary, The Yakima
Indian Nation: Telegram to Hon. Henry M. Jackson, Chairman, Com-
mittee on Interior and Insular Affairs_
John, Calvin, president, the Seneca Nation of Indians: Letter to Hon.
George S. McGovern, Chairman, Indian Affairs Subcommittee, dated
February 1, 1967.
Keeler, W. W., Cherokee Tribe of Oklahoma: Telegram to Hon. Henry M.
Jackson, Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, dated
February 3, 1967.
Lane, Vernon A., chairman, Lummi Indian Business Council: Letter to
Hon. Henry M. Jackson, Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular
Affairs, dated February 2, 1967---
Lane, Vernon, Lummi Tribal Council: Telegram to Hon. Henry M. Jack-
son, Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, dated January
31, 1967-
Lazarus, Arthur, Jr., Strasser, Spiegelberg, Fried, Frank & Kempelman,
Washington, D.C.: Letters to Hon. Henry M. Jackson, Chairman,
Pitts, Paul, Osage Tribe of Indians: Telegram to Hon. Henry M. Jackson,
Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, dated February 1,
Ruppe, Hon. Philip E., a Representative in Congress from the State of
Michigan: Letter to Hon Henry M. Jackson, chairman, Committee on
Interior and Insular Affairs, dated February 14, 1967.
Shoshone Bannock Tribe, Fort Hall, Idaho: Telegram to Hon. Henry M.
Jackson, Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, dated
February 13, 1967.
INDIAN CLAIMS COMMISSION ACT AMENDMENTS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1967
SUBCOMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS OF THE
COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS,
The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in room 3110, New Senate Office Building, Senator George McGovern presiding.
Present: Senators McGovern, Burdick, and Hatfield. Also present: James H. Gamble, professional staff member. Senator McGOVERN. The purpose of the hearing this morning is to take testimony on S. 307, a bill introduced by Senators Jackson and Magnuson to amend the Indian Claims Commission Act of 1946. The bill is almost identical to S. 3068, passed by the Senate in 1966, but which failed of enactment in the last days of the session.
I should like to begin this proceeding by providing some background concerning the Claims Commission for the benefit of those who may not be familiar with it and for our new colleagues who have just recently become members of the subcommittee-Senator Hansen of Wyoming and Senator Hatfield of Oregon.
The Indian Claims Commission Act, as enacted on August 13, 1946, provided for the creation of a tribunal to consider and adjudicate all claims of Indian tribes, of whatever nature, that existed from the establishment of the Republic to the date of enactment of the act. Tribes were given a period of 5 years, that is, until August 13, 1951, within which to submit their claims; and the Commission was instructed to adjudicate those claims within a 10-year period from and after April 10, 1947, the date of the Commission's first meeting. It should be noted that over 60 percent of the claims filed were submitted in the last 6 weeks of the 5-year filing period.
During the time for filing, more than 800 separate claims were submitted to the Commission, and these were consolidated into approximately 590 dockets. Toward the end of the initial 10-year life of the Commission, it was clear that all cases filed could not possibly be tried, and by the act of July 24, 1956 (Public Law 84-767), the life of the Commission was extended for an additional 5 years. Again in 1961, the Congress enacted Public Law 87-48 to provide another 5 years of life for the Commission, bringing the termination date up to April 10, 1967.
We are rapidly approaching the terminal date, and I think it is fair to say that there is not the remotest possibility of finishing the remaining work within the next month or so. Therefore, it is necessary to make additional time available so that the Commission's work may be completed. As introduced, S. 307 would extend the date to
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