Past News Items

Interior Secretary Rogers C. B. Morton has appointed Reid P. Chambers, former Acting Professor of Law at the University of California at Los Angeles, to be Associate Solicitor of the Interior Department for Indian Affairs, effective immediately.

Chambers, 33, has had background.in Federal Indian Law, not only teaching at UCLA and the University of Colorado Law Schools, but also in litigation involving protection of Indian rights and resources.

Secretary of the Interior Cecil D. Andrus released the attached statement and fact sheet today concerning the Pacific Northwest salmon fisheries, at a joint news conference held in Seattle with Senator Warren G. Magnuson of Washington.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk has begun his administration by moving quickly to begin discussions with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, tribal leaders and tribal organizations on economic, energy, education, public safety and other issues that need to be addressed in Indian Country.

Alaska Natives will begin to get one-twelfth of the land in their State, and a sizeable chunk of cash as well, under terms of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in early 1974. This will come about through a system of corporations that is uniquely Alaskan.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is now making up a roll of United States citizens who are of one-fourth or more Indian, Aleut or Eskimo ancestry or combination of these born on or before December 18, 1971.

A new Bureau of Indian Affairs Agency has been established at Hoquiam, Washington, to serve nine Indian tribes located on the Olympic Peninsula, Assistant Secretary --Indian Affairs, Forrest J Gerard announced today.

Gerard said the new agency will more effectively meet the increasing tribal requests for services to Olympic Peninsula reservations and will improve Bureau performance in meeting responsibilities under the provisions of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (P.L. 93-638).

Washington – Jerry Gidner, Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), announced today the Second National Conference on Child Protection & Child Welfare in Indian Country will be held August 19-22, 2008, in Billings, Mont.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs Morris Thompson today announced the appointment of George A. Laverdure, 58, enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Indian Tribe, to the post of Superintendent of the Crow Agency, Mont., of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He has been serving in that post in an acting capacity since June 1973. His appointment was effective March 31.

Anson Baker, former Crow Agency Superintendent, has been transferred to the Fort Berthold Agency, New Town, N. Dak., as Superintendent.

Amendments to Federal regulations which are designed to bring the oil and gas leasing of Indian lands more into conformity with present industrial practices and still provide Indian owners with adequate protection have been approved, the Department of the Interior announced today.

WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Carl J. Artman joined Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, Bureau of Indian Education Acting Director Kevin Skenandore and students and faculty from 20 BIE-funded schools for the launching of “BIE READS” at the Department’s kick-off event for National American Indian Heritage Month. BIE READS is the Bureau’s plan to help BIE school students improve their proficiency in reading and math.

Indian young people have little or no difficulty gaining admission to the college or university of their choice. They tend to enroll immediately after they graduate from high school, drop out for a year or two, and then return to their undergraduate studies. Education and social work are their most common majors. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is their greatest source of financial help