John Shadegg: “I suppose I should begin by pointing out that some of us believe that Indian economic development is in fact very…”

“I suppose I should begin by pointing out that some of us believe that Indian economic development is in fact very important, but we are concerned that Indian gambling is not the best form of Indian economic development. I personally feel we ought to be doing a great deal more toward Indian economic development, and I have introduced three different pieces of legislation to do that. But I think causing the Indian reservations to be solely dependent on gambling is not necessarily prudent economic development for the Indian people nor do I believe the only thing we should be doing to assist them in economic development is to promote gambling. I want to raise a technical point. The gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) some time ago rose and said that in writing IGRA, this Congress clearly contemplated this situation and that in writing IGRA, this Congress specifically wrote that we would in fact allow the United States Secretary of Interior and the administration to authorize Class III gaming if a State chose not to negotiate with the tribe. That may well be true although I think it is not in fact true, but I want to make the point that in enacting IGRA, this Congress acted unconstitutionally and indeed in this very case, in Seminole Tribe v.…”