2012 US Code
Title 25 - Indians
Chapter 14 - MISCELLANEOUS (§§ 441 - 1300n-6)
Subchapter XXXIV - CREEK NATION OF INDIANS (§§ 781 - 788h)
Section 788b - Distribution of funds; tax exemption; equal shares

After the deduction of attorney fees, litigation expenses, the costs of distribution, and the cost of preparing the roll pursuant to section 788a of this title, the funds, including interest, remaining to the credit of the Creek Nation as constituted August 9, 1814, which were appropriated by the Act of April 30, 1965, to pay a judgment obtained in Indian Claims Commission docket numbered 21, shall be distributed on a per capita basis to all persons whose names appear on the roll. The funds so distributed shall not be subject to Federal or State income taxes.

(Pub. L. 90–504, §2, Sept. 21, 1968, 82 Stat. 855.)

Act of April 30, 1965, referred to in text, is act Apr. 30, 1965, Pub. L. 89–16, 79 Stat. 81, known as the Second Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1965. That portion of the act which appropriated the funds referred to was not classified to the Code.

Pub. L. 98–390, Aug. 21, 1984, 98 Stat. 1356, provided: “That, notwithstanding Public Law 90–506 [25 U.S.C. 788e et seq.] and any other provision of law, any funds appropriated by Public Law 89–697 [Oct. 27, 1966, 80 Stat. 1057] in satisfaction of a judgment awarded the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma in docket numbered 276 of the Indian Claims Commission which have not been distributed on the date of enactment of this Act [Aug. 21, 1984] (including all interest and investment income accrued thereon) shall be distributed by the Secretary of the Interior to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma as needed to make expenditures for any plan or program authorized by ordinance of such Nation.

“Sec. 2. (a) Notwithstanding Public Law 90–504 [25 U.S.C. 788a et seq.] and any other provision of law, any funds appropriated by Public Law 89–16 [Apr. 30, 1965, 79 Stat. 81] in satisfaction of a judgment awarded the Creek Nation of Indians in docket numbered 21 of the Indian Claims Commission which have not been distributed on the date of enactment of this Act [Aug. 21, 1984] (including all interest and investment income accrued thereon) shall be used and distributed in accordance with the provisions of this section.

“(b)(1) The Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter in this section referred to as the ‘Secretary’) shall allocate—

“(A) 81.6196 per centum of the funds described in subsection (a) to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma, and

“(B) 18.3804 per centum of the funds described in subsection (a) to the Eastern Creeks.

“(2) The funds allocated to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma under paragraph (1) shall be distributed to such Nation by the Secretary as needed to make expenditures for any plan or program authorized by ordinance of such Nation.

“(3)(A) The funds allocated to the Eastern Creeks under paragraph (1) shall be held in trust and invested by the Secretary for the benefit of the Eastern Creeks.

“Sec. 3. (a) If one or more of the Eastern Creek entities that have filed a petition for Federal acknowledgement are acknowledged to be an Indian tribe on or before December 30, 1984, such tribe or tribes shall be deemed to be a successor entity to the original Eastern Creek group for purposes of distribution of the residual funds in docket numbered 21, and the funds held in trust for the benefit of the Eastern Creeks under section 2 of this Act (including all interest and income accrued thereon) shall be distributed to such tribe or tribes by the Secretary as needed to make any expenditures for any plan or program authorized by ordinance or resolution of such tribe or tribes.

“(b) If more than one tribal entity is recognized by the Secretary, such funds shall be prorated between the tribes on the basis of their respective base membership rolls on the date of acknowledgement.

“(c) If none of the Eastern Creeks which have filed a petition for acknowledgement are recognized as an Indian tribe by the Secretary prior to December 30, 1984, the funds held in trust for the Eastern Creeks under this Act (including all interest and income accrued thereon) shall be distributed by the Secretary in the form of per capita payments in addition to any amount appropriated in satisfaction of a judgment awarded the Eastern Creeks in docket numbered 275 of the Indian Claims Commission.

“Sec. 4. If Federal recognition as an Indian tribe is extended to any Eastern Creek entity prior to distribution of the funds awarded in docket numbered 272 and 275, such tribe or tribes shall be entitled to amend the existing distribution plans for these awards by filing with the Secretary an alternative distribution plan for its proportionate share of funds in these dockets.”