Pombo Takes Committee
to CA
For Tribal Gaming Hearing
State Ranks at Top
for Most Off-Reservation Casino Proposals in US
6/02/05
SACRAMENTO,
CA - Chairman Richard W. Pombo
(R-CA) announced the Committee on Resources will
hold an oversight field hearing on off-reservation
tribal gaming Mon., June 6 in the Sacramento, CA
state library. The hearing, third in a series on the
issue, will focus on possible effects in northern
California.
Off-reservation gaming
is the practice of allowing a tribe to move from its
existing reservation lands to build a casino in an
area sometimes hundreds of miles away from its
current reservation. Pombo crafted draft legislation
to heavily limit these moves, which he made
available for public comment earlier this year.
"Since I released my
draft bill I have received an outpouring of public
comments from across the country," Pombo said. "But
northern California has been the strongest voice on
the issue by far. We must are going right to the
source to examine this issue and hear directly from
the people involved."
Although proposals for
off reservation casinos are spread throughout the
country, about 40 different proposals exist in
California for currently landless tribes, newly
restored tribal lands or basic off-reservation
moves.
Nearly a dozen local
witnesses will testify at next week's hearing,
including local community leaders, state officials
and tribal representatives in favor of and opposed
to off reservation gaming.
The Committee held two
other hearings this year on the issue. The full
committee held its
first oversight hearing on the discussion draft
bill in March, while an
April 27 hearing examined controversial
cross-state gaming proposals, a move the Chairman's
bill bans.
"We must determine the
best way to preserve the integrity of tribal tribal
sovereignty and allow local communities' input where
it currently does not exist," Pombo said. "I want to
produce a solid bill that addresses the concerns of
the people who are affected most."
WHO:
Full Resources Committee
WHAT:
Oversight Hearing on the Effects of Off -Reservation
Gaming in Northern California
WHEN:
Monday, June 6 12:00 p.m.
WHERE:
California State Library
Conference Room, Floor 5
Sacramento, California
Hearing is open to the
public. Seating is limited.
Press is advised to
arrive early.
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