NIGC asked to wait for Obama before taking action

Wednesday, January 14, 2009  

Two members of Congress from Oklahoma are asking the National Indian Gaming Commission not to take any action affecting Class II gaming until president-elect Barack Obama comes on board.

Rep. Dan Boren (D) and Rep. Tom Cole (R) are worried that tribes will be hurt by potential changes to the Class II industry. They say NIGC Chairman Phil Hogen has issued regulations and taken enforcement actions that go against the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

"It is our belief that the responsibility of maintaining the current law or amending it, lies with a new commission that will be constituted by President-elect Barack Obama," Boren and Cole said in a letter to Hogen, a Bush nominee.

Oklahoma is the largest Class II market in the country.

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Boren, Cole ask outgoing Indian gambling chairman to leave rules alone (The Tulsa World 1/14)