Joe Cunningham: “my colleague from Virginia said that 80 percent of the Native Americans never receive funds. That is not factual. It is…”

“my colleague from Virginia said that 80 percent of the Native Americans never receive funds. That is not factual. It is absolutely untrue. The study that he himself proposed cost $5 million. He said this would only cost $200,000. Well, this 13-board commission also receives full per diem, airline tickets for 18 months. This is going to cost another million bucks. And study after study after study generated by the gentleman from Virginia. He can be opposed to gaming, that is fine. But do not try and do it with study after study, because the studies that he proposed found out many of the same things he is asking in this study. The only problem is he did not get the answers that he wants, so you do another study until you get the answers that you want. It is wrong. Mr. Chairman, the Interior appropriations bill before the House does include these provisions, and it is wrong. No hearings. In the dead of night--actually it was the daytime--all of a sudden the gentleman from Virginia inserts an amendment on an appropriations bill, not authorized, not studied but in the appropriations bill. I was told by staff that if I did not object in the committee, this would be killed. And here I find it is okayed by the rules. Why? The gentleman is a cardinal and leadership recognized that. But it does not make it right. It should be eliminated.”