GOP leaders drop off-reservation gaming bill

Thursday, December 7, 2006  

The Republican leadership in the House abandoned efforts to pass the off-reservation gaming bill on Wednesday evening.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Illinois) and Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) wanted to bring up the bill during the lame-duck session. That prompted immediate opposition from tribes and the National Indian Gaming Association.

Rep. Richard Pombo (R-California), who was voted out of office, sponsored the bill to limit acquisition of land for new casinos. But it was defeated by a procedural vote before the election.

Tribes want Congress to wait for the Interior Department to finalize a new regulation for gaming sites. The Bureau of Indian Affairs recently extended the comment period on the proposal.

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GOP drops late-hour effort to push Indian casino bill (The Hill 12/7)