Tribes and the Obama administration are united in their support for a fix to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar but Congress isn't rushing towards a solution.

The Senate Indian Affairs Committee passed a bill to ensure that all tribes, regardless of the date of federal recognition, can follow the land-into-trust process. But the bill has yet to come up for a vote on the Senate floor amid a lack of Republican support and an association of the issue with Indian gaming, said Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota).

There is Republican support for a fix in the House. But the House leadership doesn't appear to be behind the bill, according to Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma), a member of the Chickasaw Nation.

Tribal advocates believe the best strategy is to attach the bill to another piece of must-pass legislation. There's been discussion of such a move since late last year

“This bill will not move as a standalone due to political opposition,” lobbyist Debbie Ho of Ietan Consulting told tribal leaders at a summit hosted by the National Congress of American Indians and the United South and Eastern Tribes, Indian Country Today reported.

Get the Story:
Lobby intensifies for Carcieri fix (Indian Country Today 7/21)

Land-Into-Trust Fix:
S.1703 | H.R.3697 | H.R.3742

Supreme Court Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [Thomas] | Concurrence [Breyer] | Dissent [Stevens] | Concurrence/Dissent [Souter]

Supreme Court Documents:
Oral Argument Transcript | Briefs

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Audio: House Resources hearing on land-into-trust (11/4)
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