I appreciate, first of all, your work on this Committee. You indicate that this Committee can do bipartisan work.

It is not always easy, but with that knowledge and that determination and that patience we can resolve these things.

I want to commend, Mr. Liesemer. This is hard work negotiating these things.

the more we are able to keep people in the job because they are healthy, that is going to be significant help to our economy.

the first wave of thanks came to me from the young people and their parents who were being carried up to age 26.

I helped create IGRA back in 1988, and that was shortly after the Cabazon decision, which gave the Indians their right, under their sovereignty, not to be governed by the State laws on gaming.

I want to make sure that we keep IGRA and maintain that right of Indians to game under their sovereignty, as defined by the U.S. Supreme Court, but not create that backlash.

We have had struggles in Michigan. I have helped about half the tribes in Michigan get their sovereignty reaffirmed.

the notion that it is just a casual thing is, the 1988 IGRA gives great emphasis to the compact that was broken by the Tohono O'odham.

We know that Indians have the right to do this gaming under their sovereignty; that is according to the Cabazon decision of the U.S. Supreme Court.

The power of unions in general have lessened in those years.

Unions really help build a middle class in this society.