Newspaper supports H.R.1144, the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas Equal and Fair Opportunity Settlement Act, which would settle land claims of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe in exchange for gaming rights:
Over several decades, the Alabama Coushatta Tribe of East Texas has walked its own version of the Trail of Tears. Ironically, one of the tribe's great frustrations for nearly 40 years has been in collecting a $270 million "recommendation" by a U.S. court that Congress pay compensation for illegal development of 5 million acres of tribal lands by Washington. Unfortunately, Congress has the legal right to ignore the recommendation, and that is precisely what it has done. With the federal government facing sequestration, deficits and debt, the tribe recently has concluded that the "recommendation" may never be honored or paid. And so, it has proposed a bargain with federal authorities, via legislation filed jointly by U.S. Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston, and U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Friendswood. The bill would have the tribe forgive the never-paid $270 million in reparations in exchange for the right to open a casino to help bolster the Alabama Coushattas' future economic prospects ("Tribe is willing to forgive, forget," Page A1, Sunday). While we have consistently opposed gambling in Texas, we view this as a worthy exception, deserving of support.Get the Story: