Title
THE CHEROKEE NATION USA TRUST SETTLEMENT INVESTMENT AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2025 – 2026 AMENDMENTS
Body
BE IT ENACTED BY THE CHEROKEE NATION:
Section 1. Title and Codification
This legislative act shall be titled and codified as the “Cherokee Nation USA Trust Settlement Investment Authorization Act of 2025 – 2026 Amendments” or alternative the “Cherokee Nation Justice Center Act of 2025,” as amended.
Section 2. Legislative History
Title 62, Cherokee Nation Code Annotated Title 62
Legislative Act-07-25
Section 3. Purpose and Findings
Purpose: The purpose of this Act is to authorize spending and investment of certain funds transferred by the United States to Cherokee Nation in connection with pending trust accounting litigation between the United States and Cherokee Nation.
The purpose of the “2026 Amendments” is to grant the Principal Chief the flexibility to utilize funds authorized but unneeded to construct the Justice Center to construct the District Courthouse at an increased authorized amount of $13,000,000. Other amendments are
Findings: The Council finds that it previously authorized legal action by Cherokee Nation against the United States asserting various claims relating to the United States’ failure to meet its trust accounting obligations to Cherokee Nation, resulting in litigation by the Cherokee Nation’s Attorney General, including: Cherokee Nation v. United States Department of Interior, 1:19-CV-02154 (2019). On January 14, 2025, the Cherokee Nation Attorney General announced that the dispute reached a settlement on terms favorable to the Cherokee Nation. The net settlement amount to be realized by the Cherokee Nation is approximately $60,000,000. The Council finds that the Sovereign Wealth Fund Improvement Act of 2021 requires, absent legislative amendment thereof or legislative exception thereto, the deposit of one half of the proceeds of the aforementioned settlement into the Sovereign Wealth Fund. ...
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