Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs: Trail of Broken Treaties Caravan, Hearings, 1972-1973

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is the largest and oldest national Indian organization in the United States. It was founded in 1944 and serves as the primary lobby for Indian interests in Washington, D.C. The NCAI does not condone violence or destruction, but it does support many of the issues that the Trail of Broken Treaties was designed to bring attention to. During the recent disruptions caused by the Trail of Broken Treaties march, the NCAI attempted to mediate between the demonstrators and the government agencies involved, but these efforts failed due to the apathy of the government officials. The NCAI did agree to serve as a conduit for government funds that were to be used to pay for the demonstrators' transportation home, but only after receiving assurances that these funds would not be taken from existing or future Indian programs. The NCAI believes that the federal government failed to adequately prepare for the potential disruptions caused by the march, and that the

The text describes a series of hearings held by the Indian Affairs Subcommittee in December 1972, in the wake of a standoff at the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) building. The hearings were intended to determine who was responsible for the events at the BIA, but instead revealed that everyone was trying to pass the buck. The decision was made to provide travel funds for the Indians involved, in order to avoid further violence.

The House subcommittee on Indian Affairs is investigating the damage caused by the takeover of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) headquarters by militant Indians. Five White House officials who were involved in the negotiations that ended the takeover have refused to testify before the subcommittee, citing executive privilege. Some subcommittee members have characterized the damage as a disgraceful performance by both the Indians and the executive branch. Interior Secretary Rogers C. B. Morton, however, disagrees that the executive branch overstepped its powers and said the negotiations were handled to do the best job. Morton is the first of 17 witnesses scheduled to testify before the committee.

The White House has reached an agreement with the Trail of Broken Treaties Indians, whereby a task force will be created to review federal Indian policy and needs. The task force will be led by Frank Carlucci and Leonard Garment, and will include representatives from various federal agencies. The task force will seek input from a broad cross-section of the Indian community, and will make recommendations to the President by June 1, 1973.

The Yakima Tribal Council is unhappy with the Bureau of Indian Affairs' relationship with self-styled Indian leaders, who they feel do not represent the interests of reservation Indians. They are concerned that the BIA is more focused on urban Indians than reservation Indians, and that this could lead to a repeat of the situation in 1970, when priorities were shifted away from reservations.

The text contains hearings on the seizure and occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs headquarters building. Statements are included from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the General Counsel of the General Services Administration, the executive director of the National Council on Indian Opportunity, and the Chief of Police of the Metropolitan Police Department. Letters are also included from the chairman of the House Interior Committee, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Counsel to the President. Additional information includes an affidavit from the Acting Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service, a chronology of events, and a list of Indian participants in the occupation of the BIA building.

Don E. Smith to John Happy Camp expresses outrage at the recent takeover of a Washington Bureau of Indian Affairs office by a group of Native Americans. He feels that the government is being too lenient with the protesters and that someone needs to speak out against this type of lawlessness.

The Justice Department will not be testifying at the upcoming three-day hearing probing the takeover of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) headquarters by the American Indian Movement (AIM). This is because the FBI is still investigating the matter and seeking to prosecute those responsible for the destruction and theft of Indian artifacts and records. Morton said that negotiations between the Indians and Interior officials quickly broke down when the Indians demanded to talk to White House personnel. He emphasized that the situation was defused without injury to anyone, and that the White House did not unlawfully assume the duties of the secretary of Interior.

The General Counsel of the General Services Administration testified before the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs regarding the recent occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Building by a group of Indians known as the Trail of Broken Treaties. He explained that the GSA is responsible for maintaining, operating, and protecting Federal buildings and other property, and for appointing special policemen to enforce laws on Federal property. He stated that the GSA had been assisting the Department of the Interior in planning for the proposed demonstration of the Trail of Broken Treaties, but that at no time was there any indication that the Indians' visit would be anything but orderly. He noted that the GSA had deployed additional officers in and around the BIA Building and had maintained a 24-hour standby force of Federal Protective Officers in the Interior Department Auditorium, but that no request had been made to evict or arrest the demonstrators who had begun to enter the main part of the BIA Building. He stated that

A man writes to his congressman to express his outrage at the destruction of the Bureau of Indian Affairs building and to demand answers about who is responsible and what will be done to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The text describes the efforts of officials to end the occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs building by a group of Native Americans. Officials were concerned about the possibility of violence and damage to the building, and eventually decided to pay the Native Americans to leave.

The writer is upset about the destruction of property at the BIA and wonders how the taxpayers will be stuck with the bill. They express their displeasure to Congressman Camp and hope he will do something about it.

The text contains a resolution adopted by the National Tribal Chairmen's Association Board of Directors at a meeting in Washington, D. C. The resolution urges the Secretary of the Interior to take various actions relating to the administration of Indian affairs, including the designation of an Assistant Secretary for Indian and Territorial Affairs, the reorganization of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the consideration of a reservation-oriented Indian for the Commissionership of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The Inter Tribal Council of Arizona is an organization of elected officials representing 16 Arizona Tribes. The group's president, Donald R. Antone, recently gave a press conference in which he condemned the actions of the self-appointed revolutionaries of the American Indian Movement. He asserted that these individuals do not represent the interests of reservation-dwelling Indians, and called on the government to take action to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is planning to reduce the number of employees it has in Washington, D.C., by as many as 350, resulting in a savings of more than $5 million a year. The move comes as the government reassesses its relations with the nation's 780,000 Indians after a takeover of the BIA building by Indian demonstrators. Many important documents were damaged during the siege, but BIA officials are hopeful that most of the information can be replaced.

The text contains a letter from Gene Zaloudek of Zaloudek Implement Company to John Happy Camp. In the letter, Zaloudek expresses his outrage at the government's handling of a recent incident involving a group of Native Americans, and urges Camp to take action to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The text contains a telegram from Jim Holt to Congressman Camp regarding the occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs building. Holt urges Camp to support the prosecution of the Indians involved, calling the occupation a national disgrace.

The Subcommittee on Indian Affairs held hearings on December 4, 5, and 6, 1972. The witnesses included representatives from the Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Council on Indian Opportunity, the General Services Administration, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Office of Economic Opportunity. The hearings were focused on the administration of Indian affairs and the provision of services to Indians.

The Indian Affairs Subcommittee held hearings on April 9, 10, and 11. Witnesses included representatives of the Treaty Council, the Oglala Sioux Tribe, and the American Indian Movement, among others. Topics of discussion included the Pine Ridge Reservation, the Wounded Knee incident, and Native American rights.

The Subcommittee on Indian Affairs of the US House of Representatives will be holding hearings on December 4-6, 1972 to investigate the circumstances surrounding the recent occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Headquarters building by the Trail of Broken Treaties organization. The Subcommittee expects to hear only from government witnesses at this time, but plans to hold further hearings involving Indian leaders from the Trail of Broken Treaties and other tribes at a later date.