202-219-4152

MEDIA ADVISORY

INTERIOR TO BRIEF REGIONAL FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ON
DETAILS OF BIA/OST REORGANIZATION
Southwest Region Session to be Held June 3 at All Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Special Trustee for American Indians Ross O. Swimmer and Acting Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs Aurene M. Martin today announced that the Department of the Interior (DOI) will hold presentations beginning next week on the reorganization of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) for the agencies' regional employees. The Department is seeking to increase accountability and efficiency in its trust management functions by reorganizing the agencies that manage Indian trust funds and assets. Presentations will take place in June at the Bureau's 12 regional offices and other locations around the nation starting with the Southwest Region on Tuesday, June 3, 2003, at the All Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The employees will be briefed on the Department's plan for reorganization of the BIA and OST, and on the Comprehensive Trust Management Plan (CTMP) at an 8:30 a.m. session on Tuesday. The CTMP describes how the new BIA and OST organizational structures will improve the delivery of trust services when the reorganization is completed. Tribal leaders from the region will also be briefed on the reorganization effort in a subsequent session.

In 2002, the Department and the Tribes together undertook an ambitious effort to change the way the BIA and OST deliver trust and non-trust services to Tribes, tribal service populations and trust beneficiaries. The Plan is based on agreements reached with the Joint Tribal Leaders/DOI Task Force established by Secretary Gale Norton to examine and recommend proposals for improving service delivery to recipients and beneficiaries.

WHO:          U.S. Department of the Interior

WHAT:        Departmental presentations on the reorganization of the BIA and OST to
                    Southwest Region federal employees.

WHEN:       Tuesday, June 3, 2003 (all start times are local time)
                    8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.: Presentation of BIA/OST reorganization
                    10:00 a.m.: DOI officials' availability for media interviews and photo ops BIA/OST                     Reorganization - Page 2

WHERE:      All Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 22401 12th Street, N.W., Albuquerque, N.M.

CREDENTIALS: Media registration will be provided. Please bring your sanctioned media credentials and, if possible, wear on your shirt collar or around your neck for easy viewing. This will assist our staff. Press seating will be provided.