"Any major changes in U.S.-Native relationships is going to have to come through Congress," said Dr. Eric Cheyfitz, director of the American Indian Program at Cornell University. "He can tinker around with the Bureau of Indian Affairs under the Interior Department, rules and regulations can be changed, but as far as fundamental change," that is not something the president can do.
"Clinton made promises, but nothing happened," Cheyfitz said. "Indian country is the poorest part of the nation. They're desperately in need of funding and services. I don't see anything in the Obama budget that's going to change that significantly."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
