Jeff Bingaman: “could I ask the Senator one other example that has occurred to me. There is a bill that Senator Inouye and Senator…”

“could I ask the Senator one other example that has occurred to me. There is a bill that Senator Inouye and Senator McCain had been considering in the last Congress--I believe they introduced it. They certainly had various hearings on it--to put in place a more extensive regulatory mechanism for controlling gaming on Indian land. This legislation, of course, would make that out of order. Any bill that imposed an additional cost on the tribal government would be out of order under your legislation, as I understand your legislation, because you would be saying, if you want to engage in gaming on Indian land, you have to do certain things to ensure that organized crime does not get involved, that people who gamble at your facilities are treated fairly, et cetera, et cetera. Now, am I confused on this? As I understand the bill pending before the Senate today, it would say that bill is out of order. If that bill comes to the Senate floor, a point of order can be raised that that bill is out of order because it requires tribal governments that want to participate in gaming to incur costs.”