Land-into-trust fix in limbo over concerns about more casinos

Thursday, September 19, 2013  

Legislation to fix the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar remains on hold due to concerns from some members of Congress about gaming.

The overwhelming majority of land-into-trust applications are filed for non-gaming purposes. Yet lawmakers like Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) won't agree to a fix unless Congress addresses off-reservation gaming and other issues.

“What’s happening increasingly, the tribes petition to have lands taken into trust with the intent of getting closer and closer to big cities, so that it’s easier for them to garner people,” Feinstein told Bloomberg Businessweek.

The Supreme Court decision limits the land-into-trust process to tribes that were "under federal jurisdiction" in 1934. The ruling has held up gaming and non-gaming projects across the nation.

Get the Story:
Feinstein Battles With Obama Over Casinos Using 1934 Indian Law (Bloomberg Businessweek 9/19)