This legislation would not allow that. One of the reasons for the opposition on my part is exactly that.

Every allegation that has been made about my nation, every falsehood and every accusation about the integrity of how the nation has conducted itself in the pursuit of its replacement lands has been soundly rejected by the Federal courts.

H.R. 1410 will break the promises explicitly made by the United States in 1986 and explicitly made by the State of Arizona in 2003.

Nobody is immune from that, my friend.

And to suggest that my nation, the O'odham Nation, has no aboriginal ties to that area is really an insult.

H.R. 1410 is an ugly black mark on the United States and the State of Arizona's long relationship with the Tohono O'odham Nation.

Let us understand what H.R. 1410 really is: special interest legislation which would create a non-competition zone for the Gila River Indian Community and the Salt River Indian Community.

the immunity issue, sovereign immunity is the key to the concept of self-determination.

There is no amount of time that is ever going to make up that loss, but Congress felt that was not only a gesture, but a necessary, just thing to do.

Legal decision, precedents, administrative hearings and decisions seem to be relevant in this discussion, chairman, and so far we are dealing with hyperbole.

I would say talk about trust, and I think also talk about the fact that as we have tried to define that decision through the courts and administrative hearings, the trust issue, and what role an understanding has had in the decisions that…

I think that was the original intent, Mr. Chairman. I know this is a constituent issue.