(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Interior Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Neal A. McCaleb will meet with tribal leaders on Friday, February 1, 2002 in Arlington, Va., at the seventh in a series of consultation meetings on the Department’s plan to improve the management of Indian trust assets. He will be joined by Wayne R. Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs and Ross O. Swimmer, Director, Office of Indian Trust Transition. The meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel (2799 Jefferson Davis Highway) starting at 9:00 a.m. EST.
On November 15, 2001, the Department announced plans to transfer and consolidate Indian trust asset management functions currently administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and other Interior agencies within a new Bureau of Indian Trust Assets Management. The Department also announced the establishment of an Assistant Secretary for Indian Trust Assets Management to oversee BITAM and a new Office of Indian Trust Transition to implement the transfer and consolidation plans.
Consultation meetings have taken place in Albuquerque, N.M.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Rapid City, S.D.; San Diego, Calif.; and Anchorage, Alaska. A notice with meeting dates and locations was published in the December 11 Federal Register.
WHO: Neal A. McCaleb, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs; Wayne R. Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs and Ross O. Swimmer, Director, Office of Indian Trust Transition.
WHEN: 9:00 a.m. EST, Friday, February 1, 2002.
WHAT: Interior Department tribal consultation meeting on improving the management of Indian trust assets.
WHERE: Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel, 2799 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Va. Phone: 703-418-1234. Fax: 703-418-1289.
