Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 1410, the Keep the Promise Act, introduced by a bipartisan group of Members from the Arizona delegation, would preserve Arizona's voter- approved gaming compact by prohibiting any Indian casino on land acquired in trust after April 9, 2013, in the Phoenix metropolitan area. This prohibition would expire on January 1, 2027, when the current gaming compact negotiated with the Arizona Governor expires. This bill helps to resolve public promises that were supposedly made in good faith to the voters of Arizona. In 2002, the voters supported the passage of Proposition 202, which limited the number of tribally owned casinos in the State, and it granted tribes exclusive rights to operate casinos in Arizona. During the Proposition 202 campaign, a public promise was made by a coalition of 17 Arizona tribes, including the Tohono O'odham Nation, to limit casino gaming in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Unfortunately, it appears that a tribe is on the verge of breaking that commitment, and more than a majority of the tribes in the State are upset. The immediate effect of the bill is to block the Tohono O'odham Nation from opening an off-reservation casino in the Phoenix area. This is a modified version of a bill passed by an overwhelming majority of the House last year.…”