| 1 | 1 | | 81R37757 CBE-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Chavez H.R. No. 2852 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The Tigua Indians of Ysleta del Sur Pueblo of El Paso |
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| 7 | 7 | | are governed under a 1987 federal law, known as The Restoration Act |
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| 8 | 8 | | (25 U.S.C. Section 1300g et seq.), which restored the tribe to |
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| 9 | 9 | | federal jurisdiction; and |
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| 10 | 10 | | WHEREAS, The Restoration Act preceded the Indian Gaming |
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| 11 | 11 | | Regulatory Act (IGRA) by a year, and Section 1300g-6 of the |
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| 12 | 12 | | Restoration Act includes the following language: "All gaming |
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| 13 | 13 | | activities which are prohibited by the laws of the State of Texas |
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| 14 | 14 | | are hereby prohibited on the reservation and on the lands of the |
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| 15 | 15 | | tribe"; as a result, the Tiguas entered the gaming industry only |
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| 16 | 16 | | after Texas voters approved several forms of gambling in 1991; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, The tribe's Speaking Rock Casino and Entertainment |
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| 18 | 18 | | Center earned some $60 million a year and provided its 1,300 members |
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| 19 | 19 | | with jobs, free health insurance, and college scholarships; |
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| 20 | 20 | | however, since a federal court ruling closed the casino, the tribe |
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| 21 | 21 | | has struggled to sustain itself; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | WHEREAS, In contrast, the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas |
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| 23 | 23 | | in Eagle Pass was extended federal recognition in 1983 and is not |
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| 24 | 24 | | subject to the same gaming prohibition as the Tigua tribe; the |
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| 25 | 25 | | Kickapoos operate the Lucky Eagle Casino, which is subject to the |
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| 26 | 26 | | provisions of the IGRA and oversight by the National Indian Gaming |
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| 27 | 27 | | Commission; all tribal members are employed by the casino, and the |
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| 28 | 28 | | profits have enabled the tribe to build more housing and to |
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| 29 | 29 | | subsidize the education of its young people; and |
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| 30 | 30 | | WHEREAS, Because it is not governed by the Indian Gaming |
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| 31 | 31 | | Regulatory Act, the Tigua tribe is denied the opportunity to |
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| 32 | 32 | | benefit economically from gaming profits and, in turn, the ability |
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| 33 | 33 | | to help improve tribal members' lives; now, therefore, be it |
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| 34 | 34 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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| 35 | 35 | | Legislature hereby express its support for efforts by the federal |
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| 36 | 36 | | government to amend The Restoration Act by eliminating 25 U.S.C. |
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| 37 | 37 | | Section 1300g-6; and, be it further |
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| 38 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That the chief clerk forward an official copy of |
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| 39 | 39 | | this resolution to the presiding officers of the United States |
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| 40 | 40 | | Congress and to all the members of the Texas delegation to Congress. |
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