Akaka addressed Indian country by video at the National Congress of American Indians 69th Convention in late October. …

He told the audience that he has focused the committee’s work around strengthening the identities of Native peoples and their ability to protect their homelands  …

The amendment to the  [Indian Reorganization Act]  would clarify that the Secretary of the Interior Department has the authority to put land into trust for all federally acknowledgment tribes, “fixing” a misguided February 2009 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Bills that don’t pass during the duck session expire. If the Carcieri fix or Native Hawaiian bills die during the lame duck session of the current 112th Congress, legislators would have to start from scratch and introduce new bills during the 113th Congress, which is scheduled to begin on January 3, 2013.

—Chad Blair