Department of the Interior Departmental Manual
Effective Date: 9/29/00
Series: Organization
Part 109: Secretarial Officers
Chapter 11: Special Trustee for American Indians
Originating Office: Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians
109 DM 11
11.1 General. The Special Trustee for American Indians exercises the authorities and responsibilities of the Secretary for administering laws, regulations, and functions vested in the Secretary by the President and Congress relating to Indian trust asset management, litigation and settlement support, and records management. The Special Trustee is also directly responsible for carrying out the statutory mandates enumerated in Public Law 103-412, the American Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act of 1994, to provide for more effective management of, and accountability for the proper discharge of the Secretary’s trust responsibilities to Indian tribes and individual Indians. The position of the Special Trustee is established pursuant to the authority contained in 25 USC 4001.
11.2 Responsibilities. The Special Trustee is responsible for:
A. Overseeing and coordinating Departmental reforms and practices relating to the management and discharge of the Secretary’s trust responsibilities to Indian tribes and individual Indians.
B. Ensuring that Departmental reforms and practices related to trust responsibilities are carried out in a unified manner; and that such reforms of the policies, practices, procedures, and systems of the various Departmental offices and bureaus are effective, consistent, and integrated.
C. Ensuring the implementation of all Departmental reforms necessary for the proper discharge of the Secretary’s trust responsibilities to Indian tribes and individual Indians.
11.3 Supervisory Authority. The Special Trustee exercises Secretarial direction and supervision over staff within the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians including the Principal Deputy Special Trustee and the Deputy Trustee for Policy, and the Directors of the Offices of Trust Funds Management, Trust Records and Trust Risk Management.
11.4 Scope of Activities. In carrying out the responsibilities described in 109 DM 11.2, the Special Trustee:
A. Oversees all trust reform efforts within the OST, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Minerals Management Service (MMS) and other Departmental organizations that are responsible for carrying out the Secretary’s trust responsibility. Ensures the establishment of policies, procedures, systems, and practices to allow the Secretary to discharge his/her trust responsibilities in compliance with the Reform Act.
B. Reconciles, adjusts, and integrates individual policy proposals and program plans submitted by subordinate staff.
C. Exercises oversight of policies, operation, and effectiveness of interagency and interdisciplinary programs involving issues related to assigned program functions.
D. Sets program priorities based on Secretarial policies, demonstrated effectiveness of existing programs, and current and impending program problems and needs; and determinations regarding allocations for personnel, resources, and functions.
E. Undertakes or provides leadership for special projects designed to explore and develop policies and programs resulting from proposals by Indian tribal governments, state and local governments, and the private sector which affect Indian trust funds management.
F. Represents the Secretary in interpreting and communicating assigned program activities to various groups and to the general public; maintains liaison with members of Congress and Congressional staffs, testifies before Congressional committees; represents the Department in contacts with other governmental agencies and with various private and public interest groups; and solicits and utilizes from each of these extra-Departmental sources, as appropriate, information related to assigned program activity.
G. Assigns responsibilities for the execution within available resources, of all laws and Executive orders imposing obligations on the Secretary with respect to the management of Indian trust assets.
9/29/00 #3317
Replaces 2/25/97 #3138