Congress is working diligently to resolve the issue of off-reservation casinos. They are currently seeking legislation that will address the very important issues and concerns we have brought to their attention.
Pombo's bill hearing draws debate on East Bay casinos
SACRAMENTO - The East Bay took center stage Monday in a brewing political debate over American Indian tribes pushing for casinos in prime gambling markets, and whether local communities should have the power to stop them.
Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, chairman of the House Resources Committee, drew a packed crowd near the state Capitol for a field hearing on his bill to change the 17-year-old federal law that laid the foundation for a vast expansion of Indian gaming.
The controversial draft bill would grant a local jurisdiction veto power over tribes seeking "off-reservation" land for gaming. It also would create two "Indian Economic Opportunity Zones" in each state, where tribes could cluster casinos.
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