BREAKING NEWS: Rahall pulls off-reservation casino bills from agenda for today's Natural Resources Committee hearing

A highly anticipated House Natural Resources Committee hearing on bills that would allow two Michigan tribes to build off-reservation casinos far from their current reservation lands has been postponed until 2008 at the earliest. The start of today's hearing was delayed one hour.

Nick Rahall (D-WV), Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, opened today's mark-up hearing, which had been delayed for one hour, by announcing the postponement of two agenda items dealing with:

• H.R. 2176 (Stupak): To provide for and approve the settlement of certain land claims of the Bay Mills Indian Community.



• H.R. 4115 (Dingell): To provide for and approve the settlement of certain land claims of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

Chairman Rahall reported at the outset that today's meeting will be the last meeting for 2007; indicating, that at the earliest, the two off-reservation casino bills could be taken up in 2008.

Postponement of the hearing likely indicates that proponents of the two casino bills did not have the votes on the House Natural Resources Committee to move the bills out of committee. It may also signal concern among House leadership about rumored FBI investigations of Bay Mills Indian tribe's leader and federally funded plastics ventures.