Sen. McCain Floor Statement on IGRA Amendments (November 30, 2005)

The following is the text of a floor statement made by Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) on S.0278, A bill to amend the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to clarify the authority of the National Indian Gaming Commission to regulate class III...

McCain proposes major amendments to IGRA (November 30, 2005)

Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) has proposed a sweeping set of amendments to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act despite pleas from tribal leaders not to reopen the law. On November 18, McCain introduced the S.2078, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act Amendments...

Old air force land transferred to San Manuel Band (November 30, 2005)

It only took 10 years, but the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians has finally acquired 18 acres of the former Norton Air Force Base in California. The land was signed over to the tribe in a ceremony on Tuesday....

Goshute chairman given more time to settle IRS debt (November 30, 2005)

Leon Bear, the chairman of the Skull Valley Band of Goshutes, was given more time to settle his tax debt with the Internal Revenue Service. Bear pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return. As part of his plea,...

Louis Jourdain pleads guilty to one charge (November 30, 2005)

Louis Jourdain, 17, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one charge of using a computer to make threatening interstate communications as part of the Red Lake Nation shootings case. News reports said a federal court released a redacted portion of the...

Trial for death of Washoe man gets underway (November 30, 2005)

Race may become an issue in the trial of a non-Indian man accused of killing a member of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California. Michael J. Ward, 21, is charged with charged with involuntary manslaughter, battery and battery with...

New Lakota film group to promote industry (November 30, 2005)

A new Lakota film group has been created to promote the film industry in South Dakota and to help protect Indian people who work on movie sets. The Lakota Film and Television Group has about 30 members and is being...

Osage Nation moves to establish government (November 30, 2005)

The Osage Nation of Oklahoma is moving to establish a new government. The tribe held a referendum on November 19. Tribal members voted on 16 questions that will shape their new legislative, executive and judicial branches of government. According to...

Traditional methods used to treat veterans (November 30, 2005)

Traditional healers are helping Native veterans deal with post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions. The Department of Veterans Affairs has entered into contracts with medicine men. Officials say traditional ceremonies, including a sweat lodge, provide relief from post-traumatic stress disorder...

Montana won't reissue tribal bison hunt licenses (November 30, 2005)

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks won't reissue bison hunting licenses that are refused by the state's tribes. State law set aside 16 licenses for the eight tribes in the state. But a question arose when the Crow...

Lawsuit challenges Passamaquoddy sovereignty (November 30, 2005)

The Passamaquoddy Tribe of Maine is facing a challenge to its sovereignty. The Bangor Daily News and a citizens group are seeking access to tribal council meetings. They want information about the tribe's deal for a liquefied natural gas terminal...

Editorial: Culture of corruption in Washington (November 30, 2005)

"Remember the bad old days of scandals involving wads of $100 bills tucked in unmarked envelopes? Those tales, shocking at the time, seem almost quaint in light of the latest scandals. The nation seems to have entered a new era...

Ad campaign highlights Rep. Ney's ties to Abramoff (November 30, 2005)

REPRESENTATIVE #1 • Scanlon Plea | Attachment • US v. Scanlon A liberal group called the Campaign for America's Future [Web Site] is debuting print ads that highlight Rep. Bob Ney's ties to the Jack Abramoff scandal and indicted...

Commentary: Indians still invisible in 2005 (November 30, 2005)

"Out of sight, out of mind. Such is the conclusion about Native Americans that's likely in this part of the country as the Star-Telegram draws the curtain on our 2005 observance of American Indian Heritage Month. That's just about it...

Sen. Burns took $34K from ex-Abramoff client (November 30, 2005)

Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Montana) took $34,000 from a wealthy tribal client of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Gannett News Service reports. Burns accepted $23,000 from the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan shortly before writing a letter in support of a...

California Congressman linked to Jack Abramoff (November 30, 2005)

Rep. John Doolittle (R-California), one of several lawmakers said to be under investigation by the Department of Justice, is linked in many ways to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, The Sacramento Bee reports. Doolittle's wife Julie, ran a company that...

Ex-lawmaker made callous remark about Indians (November 30, 2005)

Former Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham, a Republican from California who resigned on Monday after pleading guilty to taking bribes, once made a callous remark about Indian people. In 1995, Cunningham chaired a hearing on a legislative proposal that would have...

IAIA powwow to honor outgoing president (November 30, 2005)

The Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, will be honoring outgoing president Della Warrior at its annual powwow this weekend. The powwow takes place on Saturday at the Santa Fe Indian School gymnasium. It starts...

Idaho senator kills salmon counting center (November 30, 2005)

A rider inserted into an appropriations bill by Sen. Larry E. Craig (R-Idaho) eliminates all funding for a federal center that kept track of salmon in the Columbia River. The Fish Passage Center has collected data that suggests dams...