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Native Americans Fight
to Build Casinos in California
Sept. 14-06
The House of Representative failed in
its attempts to curb the problem casino initiatives proposed by
several Indian Tribes in California. The various sects of Indians
are attempting to build casinos off their reservation site and the
California community along with government officials were
attempting to thwart their efforts.
Dennis Hastert, the House Speaker,
thought that he had enough voting power to pass the prohibitive
bill. Unfortunately for Hastert, he did not receive his desired
two thirds vote and the bill fell flat
Off reservation casino sites had been
discussed at length on the house floor and the Speaker made the
mistake of assuming that all the members were supportive of
measures to keep the gaming facilities out of the California State
borders. An expanse of casinos among Indian tribes would be looked
upon as any other affair that takes place among reservations
however, the possibility that the Indian gambling influence would
stretch beyond tribal communities was not a desirable result for
many representatives.
Rather than blaming his own
miscalculations for his defeat, Hastert and his party are pointing
the finger toward tribes that lobbied for the branching of casinos
into California and the Democratic party for the over turn of the
two year old bill.
Democratic representatives opposed the
bill not entirely due to its restrictive attitude toward Native
American tribes, but for the manner in which the bill was
presented. The document did not allow for possible amendments as
do other bills which suggest policy on similar subjects. The
finality of the bill concerned members of both parties.
The original Indian Gaming Regulatory
Act was influential in creating a $23 million business for Native
American who embarked upon the casino trade. The Act only
permitted expansion for land adjacent to the reservation. This
would prevent gambling practices to stretch even further into the
community.
Major Tribes are outraged that any of
this is an issue considered the manner in which reservations were
decided upon in the first place. With the bill slipping through
the cracks it there will probably be efforts made by Tribal
leaders to begin construction so that they may have a claim to the
area in which they build.
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