DRAFT Chinook Distribution Plan

At present, the Secretary’s proposed draft plan (Plan) builds on the findings of the ICC regarding the rightful beneficiaries and the consensus reached at the 1974 Hearing of Record with the related BIA recommendation. The Judgment Funds would be managed in perpetuity to provide annual funding of educational scholarships for the lineal descendants of the 1914 Roll.

A six-member oversight board would be established with Chinook Indian Nation (CIN), Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon (CTGR), and Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians of Oregon (CTSI) each selecting two members. In the event one of the three entities chose not to participate, selection of the positions they would have chosen would be split among the remaining participant entities. The oversight board would solicit and accept annual applications from individuals who could substantiate their lineal descendancy from those individuals listed on the 1914 Roll, irrespective of whether the individual was an enrolled member of a particular tribe or tribal group. As the funding would be limited, additional eligibility criteria and award amounts would be established by the oversight board.

The balance of the fund on the date of Congressional approval of the final Plan submitted by the Secretary would serve as the ‘base’ fund and be managed and reinvested in perpetuity. Annual revenue from the fund would be distributed through the oversight board to successful grant recipients. No holdover of funds from year to year would be allowed.

Plan Development

Development of a final Plan will take into consideration the input provided at the Hearing of Record conducted on June 8, 1974, written comments provided by the above three tribal entities, and the testimony gathered from the planned December 2, 2021 Virtual Public Hearing of Record.