Indian Gaming Update February/March 2014 | Volume 5, Issue 1
PAGE 2 NIGA LEGISLATIVE SUMMIT
PAGE 5 USET HEADS TO CAPITOL HILL
PAGE 7 CNIGA HOSTS 13TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Indian Gaming Update
NATIONAL INDIAN GAMING ASSOCIATION HOSTS WINTER LEGISLATIVE SUMMIT
Clockwise from top: Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn. Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI) with constituents. Congressman Tony Cárdenas (D-29th CA) listening to Chairman Stevens on current issues facing Indian country. Cardenas made a pledge to lead a Congressional delegation into Indian country.
EVENT HOSTS 250 ON THE DAY OF THE PRESIDENT’S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS Washington, DC (January 30, 2014) – The National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) held its 2014 Winter Legislative Summit on January 28-29, in Washington, D.C. A record of more than 250 tribal leaders and their representatives attended the legislative summit, making this the highest registered attendance at a winter summit. The first day of the summit was held in the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs room located in the Dirksen Senate Building and hosted on the same day as the State of The Union address. The high visibility of tribal leaders present in the halls of Congress provided a powerful statement and the committee room provided the proper forum to discuss the current state of Native communities. Topics discussed included the discriminatory audits of tribal governments by the Internet Revenue Service (IRS), threats to the restoration of tribal homelands by recent U.S. Supreme Court and federal circuit decisions, and the a push to reauthorize a host of economic measures to help reinvigorate reservation economies. Once again, a primary focus of NIGA’s Member Tribes this week was on the federal Internet gaming debate. On these issues, tribal leaders heard from numerous senators and representatives over the two-day conference. Senator Heitkamp addressed the attendees to great applause as tribal leaders thanked
her for introducing S.1507 along with Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), to address Indian country’s IRS issues. Several members of Congress stated that with regards to the IRS, they are on board with Congressman Nunes’ House bill H.R. 3043, to protect tribal government programs serving their citizens. With bi-partisan support for both of these bills, attendees recommended that Indian country must remain active to see this legislation to the finish line and finally address a decade long injustice to tribal governments. On the second day of the summit, tribal leaders heard speakers from both sides of the aisle. Indian country friends Congressman Tom Cole and Congresswoman Betty McCollum, who are co-chairs of the House Native American Caucus. With the retirement of longtime stalwart Dale Kildee, who was also in attendance, Representatives Cole and McCollum have adequately taken on the leadership of the Native American House Caucus. The attendees thanked all three of these leaders for their continued dedication to Indian country issues. Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn talked extensively with tribal leaders over a range of issues. He mentioned the recent 9th Circuit Big Lagoon v. California decision that applies the Supreme Court’s Carcieri opinion to declare Big Lagoon does not have land in trust. (Continued on page 4)
2 | INDIAN GAMING UPDATE - FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014
www.gpiga.com
3 | INDIAN GAMING UPDATE - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
Indian Gaming Update
Representative Cole from Oklahoma. Senator Heitkamp with Spirit Lake Chairman McDonald and Three Affiliated Tribes Director Mark Fox.
“This panoply of recent Carcieri generated litigation comes at a dangerous time for Indian country,” NIGA Chairman Stevens said. “Together with the recent Bay Mills arguments before the Supreme Court, Indian country needs to remain united behind a clean Carcieri fix from Congress.” Senate committee representatives such as Richard Litsey (Muscogee Creek Nation), Counsel & Senior Advisor for Indian Affairs, Senate Committee on Finance, and Mary Pavel (Skokomish Tribe of Washington), Staff Director and Chief Counsel, Senate Committee on Indian Affairs drove home the point that Indian country still has much work to do this year and we must engage in consultation with the federal government to preserve our hard won treaty and constitutional rights. Congressional leaders talked to attendees about Tax Exempt Bonds, NAHASDA, permanent tribal consultation, IHS, judiciary rights, H.R. 3043: Tribal General Welfare Exclusion Act, FEMA, USACE Tribal Nations Program, contract support costs, NEPA, the Buy Indian Act, H.R. 3532: the American Indian Empowerment Act, and the Omnibus Bill. The summit concluded with a tribal leaders only discussion on Internet gaming. All in attendance agreed that while prospects of a federal Internet bill this year are dim, much more discussion and analysis on the Internet gaming issue should be accomplished as we move into the fall election season. NIGA will be hosting several such discussions in the near future. CNIGA’s Annual Conference on February 11-13th will be a very opportune time to meet and a very opportune time to meet with California tribes as that state continues to look to join Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey in legalizing Internet gaming. There will also be another opportunity for tribal leaders to meet and discuss these legislative issues at the Shakopee’s Mystic Lake Hotel and Casino for the Great Plains Indian Gaming Association’s Annual Conference and Tradeshow. The Conference will be held on March 31-April 2, in Shakopee Minnesota. These important events will all build up towards NIGA’s Annual Conference and Tradeshow in San Diego, May 11-14. (Details at www.indiangaming.org)
NIGC Acting Director Jonodev Chaudhuri with Dan Little and Chairman Stevens. At the conclusion of the meeting Chairman Stevens, along with Midwest Alliance Of Sovereign Tribes Executive Director Scott Vele, honored Sub Chief Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe Lorna Kahgegab Call for her efforts with language revitalization on her nation. Associate Members Maureen Curley Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise, Dike Bacon Hnedak Bobo Group, Kari McCormick Kitchell Contractors.
4 | INDIAN GAMING UPDATE - FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014
USET Leaders Brian Patterson, Randy Nokaa and Kitcki A. Carroll visit with a Congressional office.
UNITED SOUTH AND EASTERN TRIBES, INC. VISIT CAPITOL HILL MULTI-ASSOCIATION JOIN FORCES FOR YOUTH AND AGENDA SETTING Washington, DC (February 6, 2014) – This year’s 2014 USET Impact Week meeting discussed a broad range of issues related to Indian country. These topics included: culture and heritage, economic development and entrepreneurship, education, health, housing, natural resources, social services, transportation, tribal administration, tribal emergency services, tribal justice, and Veterans affairs. The United South and Eastern Tribes Incorporated, an intertribal organization with 26 federally recognized tribal nation members east of the Mississippi River, partnered this year with the Close Up Foundation and the National Indian Education Association to encourage unified partnerships with Washington DC-based Associations. With many forums and topics, National Indian Gaming Association Chairman Stevens attended the meeting and was given the opportunity to provide a legislative update to the USET attendees regarding current tax issues facing Indian country. At the forefront for NIGA and almost every other national and regional tribal organization is the fight to clarify that tribal government funding for education and cultural preservation are not
subject to federal income tax. “We are proud to report that H.R. 3043 received a revenue score of zero dollars. This is good news for Indian country. The bill now stands a much higher likelihood of passage,” Chairman Stevens said. “We are once again urging tribes to contact their congressional delegations and ask them to co-sponsor House Resolution 3043 and the Senate’s version S. 1507.” On August 2, 2013, Representative Devin Nunes (R-CA) introduced the Tribal General Welfare Exclusion Act of 2013 in the House of Representatives. While USET hosted its three-day meeting, USET tribal students attended the Close Up’s High School Programs. Designed to give students and educators an inside look at democracy in action, the program uses the Nation’s capital as a living classroom. This year’s USET meeting opened with a welcome reception and cultural night at their host hotel in Crystal City, Virginia. These receptions provided an opportunity for tribal leaders, attendees, students, and families to network and enjoy their time in Washington.
5 | INDIAN GAMING UPDATE - FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014
Indian Gaming Update
CHAIRMAN STEVENS VISITS HOCAK NISOC HACI BOY & GIRLS CLUB PRESENTS DONATION TO NEBRASKA CLUB AT HASKELL BASKETBALL GAME
Chairman Stevens with Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Councilmen Darwin Snyder and Travis Mallory.
Omaha, NE (February 7, 2014) – The Haskell Women’s Basketball Team was recently in Omaha for a game against the College of St Mary’s Flames. Although the team walked away with a loss, there were many supporters at the game like Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Councilmen Darwin Snyder and Travis Mallory. Also present was Chairman Stevens, who was accompanied by his daughter Lois Stevens who were there to present a check donation to the Boys & Girls Club of the Hocak Nisoc Haci. Created in 2007, the Boys & Girls Club of the Hocak Nisoc Haci serves 800 enrolled students from the Winnebago Ho-Chunk Nation. They seek funding to expand their property to better serve the youth, who treat this facility as a beacon of hope and a positive setting to get them prepared for the future. “As an alumni of the club, I understand what it like to skip your youth and be the ‘man of the house,’ especially where I grew up,” Chairman Stevens said. “The Boys and Girls Club provides a place to be a kid and learn how to grow. This was an integral part of my childhood, and I want to make sure that we continue to have places like that for the Winnebago youth and for Indian kids all over the nation.” Ernie Stevens is a National Boys and Girls Club 2013 Hall of Fame Honoree, who credits the Oneida Boys and Girls Club with the value of embracing his youth and having mentors present to help guide him into sports and build self-discipline. The donation comes from the Spirit of Sovereignty Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. Formerly a subsidiary of the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA), the SOS fund purpose is to provide programming, food and clothing for needy Native American children living in impoverished reservation communitiesand to help further the educational goals of exceptional Native American students. The Foundation is now directed and managed by the Indian Land Tenure Foundation. Started in 2000, the Foundation has awarded numerous grants to Indian Tribes and Boys and Girls Clubs serving Native American communities in their time of need as well as educational scholarships to both undergraduate and graduate students. The organization is committed to raising scholarship funds through outreach to Tribal governments, tribally owned corporations, and private businesses. The SOS fund welcomes all donations. To be a contributor, please contact: http://bit.ly/iltfsos
6 | INDIAN GAMING UPDATE - FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014
From left to right: Chairman Stevens stands with Chairman Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation and Dennis Hendricks, CNIGA Treasurer. Chairman Stevens with his golf team druing the tournament. CNIGA hosted various panels, mostly focusing on Internet gaming. Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa.
19TH ANNUAL WESTERN INDIAN GAMING CONFERENCE CALIFORNIA INDIAN GAMING ASSOCIATION HOST ANNUAL MEETING AT MORONGO CASINO, RESORT & SPA IN CABAZON CALIFORNIA Cabazon, CA (February 13, 2014) – The California Nations Indian Gaming Association, comprised of 35 federally recognized tribal governments, welcomed participating members to their 19th Annual Western Indian Gaming Conference at the Morongo Casino, Resort and Spa. On Wednesday morning, all attendees were invited to the general seminars where panelists took an interactive look at federal legislation and other provisions, current California state legislation and new dynamics involving Internet gaming. Panelists, moderated by CNIGA Vice-Chairman Steve Stalling, spoke on the topic of Internet gaming and discussed the current landscape regarding federal and state proposals. Speakers were: Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians Steve Bodmer, Forman & Associates George Forman, Lewis Roca Rothgerber, LLP Steve Hart, and California Gambling Control Commission Richard Schuetz. Participating in the audience was Ernie Stevens, Jr., Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association, who provided reassurance that NIGA will continue to insist that any Internet gaming legisla-
tion have protections for tribal sovereignty and the 6 principles that were agreed to by consensus. “As more states like Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey have legalized Internet gaming, the pressure will increase on the United States Congress to take some action at the federal level,” Chairman Stevens said. “NIGA remains very engaged on this issue and we will monitor any action by the Congress closely.” “We will continue to work with our California nations and guarantee you a loud voice when we head back to Washington, DC,” Chairman Stevens said. “I applaud our Native issue-based litigators who are here on this panel today, who have a strong relationship with NIGA, and I look forward to working on building a positive conversation regarding our Indian gaming enterprises and the Internet.” The CNIGA Conference also hosted a golf tournament, bowling tournament, a tribal leaders luncheon and an afternoon of seminars with three separate tracks involving; tribal government, casino operations, and casino regulation.
7 | INDIAN GAMING UPDATE - FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014
Indian Gaming Update
www.indiangaming.org
8 | INDIAN GAMING UPDATE - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013