Here is the coverage from BLT and the announcement from Secretary Salazar.
An excerpt from the BLT story:
Debate over the settlements had drawn out for months over how to pay for them and over how much of the $3.4 billion settlements should go to the plaintiffs’ lawyers in the case involving American Indians. Named for plaintiff Elouise Cobell, that case centers around the accounting of royalties for resource extraction on American Indian land.
In the end, the authorizing legislation that passed the Senate left the question of fees to the judge in the case, without a cap from Congress. The legislation also appropriates $1.15 billion for a settlement with black farmers, including name plaintiff Timothy Pigford, who were denied the full benefits of a U.S. Department of Agriculture program.
In order to pay for the settlements, the legislation draws money from a surplus in a fund for nutrition programs and by extending customs user fees. Senators approved the legislation without a formal vote, sending it to the House of Representatives for a potentially final vote.
Turtle Talk 