U.S. House Resolutions 2176 & 4115

Summary

These resolutions will provide for and approve the settlement of certain land claims of the Bay Mills Indian Community and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians in Michigan. (Effectively, the legislation will allow tribes to purchase land anywhere in the state for the express purpose of building a casino, rather than keeping casinos on historically held tribal land.) CTV opposes these bills.

ACTION ALERT: This bill is expected to finally be up for a vote within the next two weeks (early June). Michigan Congressmen Joe Knollenberg and Thad McCotter are being pressured to vote for this bill. Michigan already has 23 casinos, with more on the way; some have referred to us as the "Las Vegas of the North". Please contact Reps. Knollenberg and McCotter, as well as your own Congressman, and urge them to respect the intent of the voters of Michigan and say "NO" to this expansion of gambling in our state.

Links

HR 2176 Bill Text and Additional Information
HR 4115 Bill Text and Additional information
Why CTV Opposes HR 2176 & HR 4115

Updates

May 30, 2008
This bill is expected to finally be up for a vote within the next two weeks (early June).

February 13, 2008
These bills were passed out of the Natural Resource Committee and have been reported to the full House for a vote. The date of the House vote is unknown as of February 13, but is expected within two-three weeks.

Written Argument Opposing HR 2176 & HR 4115

These bills would allow Indian tribes to open new off-reservation casinos, one in Port Huron and another in Romulus, in the suburbs of Detroit. Both locations are far removed from their tribal reservations and NOT part of their historic tribal lands.

Both tribes already operate casinos and these bills represent their attempt to buy property, declare it to be "tribal land" and therefore put a casino on the newly purchased property. If adopted, these bills set a horrible precedent, which will, in effect, open the floodgates for every tribe to basically purchase land anywhere in Michigan and set up new casinos there. This is especially troublesome since Michigan voters in 2004 voters passed a constitutional amendment designed to rein in the spread of gambling in Michigan and put the brakes on the authorization of new casinos and other forms of gambling. Technically, future casinos operated by Indian tribes are exempt from the new requirement for a vote of the people. But the intent of the voters was clear: getting control of the spread of gambling.

These Federal land authorization bills are designed to subvert the clear will of Michigan citizens.