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Thursday, September 14, 2006 NAT: House Votes Down “Reservation Shopping” Bill
Indian groups applaud legislation’s defeat
Native American Times and Assoociated Press 9/14/2006
Not a small number of tribes-including at least one in Oklahoma- are breathing a sigh of relief after a proposal to limit the so-called practice of “reservation shopping” failed to pass in the House of Representatives.
Indian gaming interest groups like the National Indian Gaming Association also opposed the move.
The bill would have amended the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 to eliminate an exception that lets tribes build off-reservation with approval from the secretary of interior and the host state's governor.
The measure still would have let tribes seek casino permits if they have been newly recognized by the federal government or if they have no reservation land of their own. But they would also have to reach agreements with local communities to ensure that a share of casino revenues goes to local infrastructure, public safety and other costs.
The bill would also let tribes invite other tribes to build casinos on their reservation land and share profits.
Passing the legislation would have very likely meant bad news for the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, which is hoping to build casinos in Ohio.
The bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Richard Pombo of California, said he had hoped the legislation would stop "reservation shopping," a growing trend. Tribal gambling has become a $22 billion-a-year industry, richer than Nevada casinos.
Pombo seemed bewildered that lawmakers stuck up for tribal interests by voting against the proposal.
"How this bill could be considered controversial -- outside Indian gaming circles, of course -- is beyond me," Pombo said after the vote according to the Associated Press.
Citing the limits the legislation places on tribal sovereignty, Oklahoma Congressman Dan Boren voted against the bill.
“This bill represents a drastic change in federal policy that violates the sovereign rights guaranteed to Indian tribes. This is an issue for states to deal with on a case-by-case basis, not an issue requiring new federal policy,” Boren said in a statement faxed to the Native American Times. “In Oklahoma our tribes work closely with our local communities and the state. H.R. 4893 stands to undermine those relationships and sets a dangerous precedent for future federal legislation.”
Rep. Ernest Istook, the Oklahoma gubernatorial candidate, voted for the bill as did Reps Frank Lucas and John Sullivan. Read more...
Posted at 9/14/2006 11:30:00 AM
 
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