Off-reservation gaming divides Democrats

Friday, February 8, 2008

INDIANZ.COM LISTENING LOUNGE
House Natural Resources Committee hearing on H.R. 2176 and H.R. 4115. February 6, 2008.
• Opening Statements

• Carl Artman | Q&A

• Panel 2 | Q&A

• Panel 3 | Q&A

Legislation to settle two Michigan tribal land claims in exchange for casinos is dividing Democrats who might otherwise be on the same side of the issue.

The dispute has gotten so bad that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) has stepped in to resolve it, The Hill newspaper reported. Just before the end of the winter session last December, she stopped Rep. Nick Rahall (D-West Virginia), the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, from moving the bills to the floor without a hearing, the paper said.

The bills, H.R. 2176 and H.R. 4115, finally got a full hearing before the committee on Wednesday. But there wasn't much agreement among the more than six Democrats -- including three committee chairmen -- who testified and spoke about the legislation.

The first major issue is whether the land claims being settled are legitimate. The second is whether the Bay Mills Indian Community and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians should be able to open casinos at sites hundreds of miles from their reservations.

Get the Story:
Democrats are divided by casinos (The Hill 2/8)