For the second time in weeks, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation authorizing the $3.4 billion settlement in the long-running Cobell suit in federal district court in Washington.
The settlement, reached in December in the Indian trust litigation, requires congressional authorization. The House first approved the deal back in May, but the tax extenders bill, which contained the settlement, failed in the U.S. Senate in June.
The lawyers in the suit last month agreed to a July 9 extension of an already extended deadline. The latest deadline is now in jeopardy because of today’s services for the late Sen. Robert Byrd and Congress’ July 4th weeklong break.
In the House, the Cobell provision was shifted into a $60 billion supplemental appropriations package. The House last night passed the legislation, which, among other things, funds the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Justice Department officials and attorneys for lead plaintiff Elouise Cobell of Montana said the July 9 deadline remains in place. For background on the suit, click here.
But Cobell, who is represented by Kilpatrick Stockton and D.C. solo Dennis Gingold, said in a statement today that the plaintiffs are hopeful the Senate considers the appropriations legislation when it returns from its break.
“With a House vote late Thursday night these Native Americans have moved closer to recovering some of their lost money,” Cobell said in a statement. “This is the second time that the House has approved the settlement we reached with the government in December to end our 14-year-long lawsuit over the government's mismanagement of individual Indian money accounts.”
A lawyer for Cobell, Kilpatrick Stockton partner David Smith, said the plaintiffs are "very confident that ultimately the legislation will pass. There is no strong opposition to the Cobell settlement in Congress."
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