Proposed regulations to govern the preparation of three separate rolls of Delaware Indians eligible to share in the distribution of $4 million in Indian Claims Commission awards are being published in the Federal Register, Commissioner of Indian Affairs William E. Hallett said today.
On August 1, 1980, President Carter signed legislation (P.L. 96-38) setting forth provisions for the distribution of the judgment funds among four Delaware groups: the Delaware Tribe of Western Oklahoma, Cherokee Delawares, Kansas Delawares and Idaho Delawares.
The law provides compensation to the Kansas and Idaho Delawares for their exclusion from an earlier award divided among the Cherokee Delawares and the Delaware Tribe of Western Oklahoma and then directs that 17 percent of the balance be apportioned to the Delaware Tribe of Western Oklahoma, with the remainder divided on a per capita basis among the Cherokee, Kansas and Idaho Delawares.
The three rolls of Delawares to be prepared are: 1) a tribal membership roll of the Delaware Indians of Western Oklahoma; 2) a descendancy roll of Kansas and Idaho Delawares excluded from the earlier award; and 3) a descendancy roll of Cherokee, Kansas and Idaho Delawares. Comments on the proposed regulations should be sent within 30 days of publication to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Division of Tribal Government Services 1951 Constitution Avenue, N. W., Washington, D. C. 20245. For further information, call Kathleen Slover at 703/235-8276.
