Sen. Feinstein reportedly drafting a different land-into-trust fix
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) is reportedly working on a fix to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar that could hurt tribal interests.

Feinstein serves as chair of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee. Tribes are worried that she might use her position to advance a fix that would restrict their ability to acquire land.

“Since the senator has not consulted with Indian country, and since her draft language has not been the subject of public hearings, we do not know exactly what the language says," Cedric Cromwell, the chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts, said at the recent New England Gaming Summit, Indian Country Today reported.

The House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee included a fix to the decision in the fiscal year 2011 Interior appropriations bill. The fix is the one that tribes prefer because it would not place any restrictions on the land-into-trust process.

Get the Story:
Feinstein’s ‘Carcieri fix’ would ‘devastate’ trust land for gaming (Indian Country Today 10/5)

Interior Appropriations Bill:
Rep. Jim Moran Statement | Summary Table | Earmark List

Land-Into-Trust Fix:
S.1703 | H.R.3697 | H.R.3742

Supreme Court Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [Thomas] | Concurrence [Breyer] | Dissent [Stevens] | Concurrence/Dissent [Souter]

Supreme Court Documents:
Oral Argument Transcript | Briefs

Related Stories:
Editorial: Stop Congress from addressing land-into-trust decision (08/17)
Sen. Dorgan not planning to address land-into-trust fix opponents (7/29)
Indian lobbyists expect a tough road ahead for land-into-trust fix (7/26)
Land-into-trust fix included in House Interior appropriations bill (7/23)
Land-into-trust fix still faces major obstacles in House and Senate (7/21)
Tribal leaders meet in DC to lobby for fix to land-into-trust ruling (7/14)
NCAI and USET schedule land-into-trust summit in DC on July 13 (7/7)
DOI officials tell NCAI land-into-trust applications are moving (06/22)
Legislation to fix land-into-trust decision remains in limbo (05/10)
Sen. Schumer warns DOI against land-into-trust action (03/09)
Editorial: Congress must address land-into-trust ruling (01/11)
Indian Affairs Committee passes land-into-trust fix (12/18)
Agenda for Senate Indian Affairs business meeting (12/16)
Obama weighs other options for land-into-trust fix (11/20)
Rep. Kennedy backs bill to fix land-into-trust ruling (11/06)
Audio: House Resources hearing on land-into-trust (11/4)
Obama administration supports land-into-trust fix (11/4)
Witness list for House hearing on land-into-trust (11/3)
House Resources hearing on land-into-trust fix (10/29)
Schwarzennegger opposes Lytton land-into-trust (10/26)
Byron Dorgan: Urgent fix to land-into-trust ruling (10/22)
Towns in Connecticut fight land-into-trust fix (10/14)
Anti-gaming group fights land-into-trust fix (10/6)
Cole introduces fix to land-into-trust decision (10/2)
Land-into-trust bill lacks Republican sponsors (9/29)
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe welcomes land fix (9/25)
Dorgan introduces fix to land-into-trust ruling (9/24)