§ 672. Division of trust funds; ratification of resolution; crediting of shares; release of United States from liability in certain cases
The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed to divide the trust funds belonging to the Confederated Bands of Ute Indians and deposited in the United States Treasury pursuant to section
399 of this title, section
315j of title
43, and the Act of June 28, 1938 (52 Stat. 1211), as amended, including the interest thereon, by crediting 60 per centum to the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, consisting of the Uintah, Uncompahgre, and White River Utes, and 40 per centum to the Southern Utes, consisting of the Southern Utes of the Southern Ute Reservation and the Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation. The resolution adopted June 1, 1950, by the members of the Uncompahgre, White River, and Uintah bands of Ute Indians compromising and settling all existing controversies between themselves as to ownership and distribution of any judgments which may be obtained against the United States and as to ownership of land within the Uintah and Ouray Reservation and income issuing therefrom by providing that the same shall become the tribal property of all the Indians of the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation without regard to band derivation is ratified, approved and confirmed. The funds apportioned to the Southern Utes under this section shall be divided between the Southern Utes of the Southern Ute Reservation and the Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation as agreed between said tribes. The shares of the respective groups shall be credited to the existing accounts established pursuant to sections
155 and
161a to
161d of this title. None of the funds involved herein shall be credited or distributed to the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, consisting of the Uintah, Uncompahgre, and White Rivers Utes, until the Uncompahgre and White River Banks present to the Secretary of the Interior a release satisfactory to him, relieving the United States of any liability resulting from the inclusion of the Uintah Band in the disposition or use of said trust funds.