Harry Reid: “I ask that Senator Breaux engage in a brief colloquy regarding S. 2792. The purpose of the legislation sponsored by the…”

“I ask that Senator Breaux engage in a brief colloquy regarding S. 2792. The purpose of the legislation sponsored by the distinguished senior Senator from Louisiana is to provide that land owned by the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana but which is not held in trust by the United States for the Tribe may be leased or transferred by the tribe without further approval by the United States. I am concerned because the language in this bill does not clearly provide that, if there is going to be gaming on this land, it is to be regulated gaming. That is, any land included in this bill is subject to regulation either by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, IGRA, if Indians purchase the land, or subject to state and local regulation. I stand for a conservative interpretation of the IGRA. As such, with all land bills involving Indian land, we must follow IGRA--in statute and intent. Congressional intent for Indian gaming under IGRA was to provide economic flexibility regarding the use of land which has a cultural or historical relationship to the tribal members. Congress did not provide in IGRA a mechanism for tribes to use to acquire and sell land which is only valuable because of its proximity to a commercially attractive area of high density traffic. Is it the intent of the Senator from Louisiana that S.…”