Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2088, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Historic Lands Reacquisition Act, as amended. I thank Chairman Grijalva and Chairwoman Leger Fernandez for their cooperation on this bill. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is a relatively small Tribe located in the Great Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina. The Tribe's reservation covers over 50,000 acres in a region known as the Qualla Boundary. After the completion of the Tellico Dam in Loudon County, Tennessee, in 1979, the Tribe explained to the Tennessee Valley Authority that there were areas of historic significance impacted by the dam. H.R. 2088 would place Tennessee Valley Authority land and permanent easements into trust along the shores of the Little Tennessee River and Tellico Reservoir in Monroe County, Tennessee, for the benefit of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The parcels to be placed in trust under the bill would primarily be used for memorializing and interpreting the history of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Gaming pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act would be prohibited, and TVA will be able to continue carrying out river control and development to power the Tennessee Valley region. Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I recognize the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann) for his continued work on this important legislation.…”