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On Friday, June 27, 2003, The Headquarters Office of the U.S. Department of Interior, representing Secretary Gale Norton, provided a Briefing and Information Session to the Tribes of Montana and Wyoming on the Proposed Bureau of Indian Affairs Re-organization to include the new Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST). This Briefing and information Session was the last of twelve (12) Sessions by headquarters staff encompassing all the administrative areas of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The Briefing Session was held at the Sheraton Hotel and culminated in a "Walk-Out" of all the Tribes from Montana-Wyoming that were in attendance. The Tribes unanimously spoke in opposition and protest to the proceedings and as a Statement of Tribal Concerns about the Unilateral Process in which the Department of Interior was implementing organization and management changes to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The Tribes maintained that they have consistently objected to the Proposed Changes. They further asserted that the Department of Interior failed to establish True Consultation with each of the Tribes of Montana and Wyoming as Equal Stakeholders in a Government to Government Process that is an administrative requirement of the Federal Government. The Tribes stated that they have invested substantial time and staff resources in attempting to achieve Consultation with the Department of Interior and will continue to stay engaged at the local, area, regional, and national effort until True Tribal-Federal Consultation is achieved.

A Formal Tribal Consensus Statement was read aloud and presented to Staff of the Department of Interior who were conducting the Briefing and Information Session.