I wish to begin by expressing my appreciation to Representatives Tom Cole and Betty McCollum for continuing to press in a bipartisan way for this important legislation.

So, just for the record, it is good that the Rhode Island people know that you are not opposing a casino on the other side of your border and the revenues that might be lost according to your arguments.

Thank you, Chairman Gallego, Ranking Member Cook, the distinguished members of the Committee for inviting me to speak today about H.R. 312, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act.

I would respectfully urge Congress to explain that it meant what it said in 1994 and amend the IRA to provide absolute clarity that the Secretary of the Interior has authority to restore land for all federally recognized tribal nations in…

So, I have a question for you. Can you define what you included in your testimony; can you define this entity?

I think it's a particularly sad statement that 400 years later they still have to defend against attacks on their lands.

I will inform you. They were in support of those bills, so the congressional delegation from Rhode Island supported the very same legislation as this.

This bipartisan legislation would direct the Department of the Interior to keep 320 acres of Mashpee Wampanoag land in southeastern Massachusetts in trust as federally recognized reservation land.

Time is of the essence.

The equal footing amendment to the IRA, sponsored by Senator John McCain, 'put an end to the discriminatory practices that had been developing.'

Should the opportunity arise, we respectfully urge you to vote Yes on passage of this legislation.

These two bills, H.R. 375 and H.R. 312, would put many tribes on the pathway to better health, better education and great self-reliance.