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B-114868 1 (1961-03-21)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaadzi0001 and id is 1 raw text is: B-114868 REPORT TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES WASHINGTON 25 F[W'A 2 1 ib' Honorable Sam Rayburn Speaker of the House of Representatives Dear Mr. Speaker: REVIEW OF CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM FOR THE TERMINATION OF FEDERAL SUPERVISION OVER INDIAN AFFAIRS BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR m r.n: u BY THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES Herewith is our report on the review of certain aspects of the program for the termination of Federal supervision over Indian affairs by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior. Our review disclosed that the Department had not proposed legis- lation for the termination of Federal supervision over certain Indian groups which Bureau surveys indicate to be ready for such termina- tion, primarily because of the Department's policy not to propose ter- mination legislation for any Indian tribe or group unless the tribe or group has clearly demonstrated that it understands the plan under which such a program would go forward and supports the plan proposed. Also, the Department has not required the Bureau to develop definite long-range programs for the termination of Federal supervision over all individual Indian groups and tribes and is relying on them to do much of the real planning for termination. We believe that the Department's policies will not result in any significant progress in fulfilling the goal of the Congress of terminat- ing Federal supervision over Indian affairs, as stated in House Con- current Resolution 108 approved by the Eighty-third Congress on August 1, 1953. The Department does not agree with our vie'w,- ccn- cerning the advisability of changing its policies. To accelerate the termination of Federal supervision over Indian affairs, we are recom- mending that the Congress enact legislation requiring the Secretary of the Interior (1) to prepare long-range termination programs for each Indian group or tribe, (Z) to report annually to the Congress on the progress Leing made in carrying out such programs, and (3) to submit proposed legislation for the termination of Federal supervision over those tribes that the Department considers to be ready for termi- nation but which have not consented to such action. The multiple ownership of Indian lands which are held in trust by the Department is a serious obstacle to the orderly termination of Federal supervision. The Department generally cannot sell or parti- tion Indian trust or restricted lands in heirship status without the consent of all heirs, and it has not been feasible to obtain consent in many cases because of the numerous fractional interests involved. We are recommending that the Congress enact legislation to authorize MARCH 1961 I

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