"Jaime Herrera Beutler wasted little time tackling one of the most important issues in the 3rd Congressional District. Less than one month on the job as U.S. Representative, Herrera Beutler challenged the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ decision to allow the Cowlitz Tribe to place 152 acres near La Center into trust for a future tribal casino. Her activism is an encouraging sign for anyone interested in preserving Clark County’s quality of life, which would diminish with the construction of a Las Vegas-style megacasino.
The decision from the BIA, an agency of the U.S. Interior Department, was issued on Dec. 17. Herrera Beutler was sworn in on Jan. 5. On Feb. 1, she wrote a letter to Assistant Interior Secretary Larry Echo Hawk, expressing concerns that his decision was “inappropriately influenced” by the tribe and represented an “end run around congressional decision-making.” The Congressional rookie wrote like a seasoned veteran about other troubling aspects of the BIA decision:" Get the Story: