Legislation

Abramoff-Style Media Assault on Port Huron/Flint/Romulus Deal

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From the Port Huron Times Herald:

Casino foes launch blitzes in Detroit, D.C.

A media blitz aimed at rallying opposition to proposed casinos in Port Huron and Romulus is being orchestrated by a public-relations consultant who has worked for some of the biggest names in Democratic politics.

Peter Ragone III confirmed he is president of the newly created Americans for Gaming Reform Inc., which has launched a radio campaign in Detroit and bought a full-page ad Tuesday in Roll Call, a newspaper that covers Capitol Hill.

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News Coverage of House Hearing on Port Huron/Romulus Indian Land Claims Settlement: “Scam”?

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From the Detroit Free Press:

During his testimony before the House Natural Resources Committee, Kilpatrick seemed at ease, defending his city from incursions he said no one should doubt would hurt Detroit’s three casinos.

“We’re pitting Port Huron against Romulus against Detroit,” he told the committee, with his mother, Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, looking on.

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Fletcher Op/Ed on the Off-Reservation Market

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From Indian Country Today:

Tribes’ economic plans stifled by policy

© Indian Country Today February 01, 2008. All Rights Reserved

Posted: February 01, 2008 by: Matthew L.M. Fletcher

The region where the city of Detroit now rests used to be, centuries ago, a major trading market for the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples and others. A permanent community of Indian people from all around lived in the vicinity and thrived off of the marketplace, while most Indians who traded there would travel to the market periodically from their homelands. There are places like this all over North America, such as Chaco Canyon in New Mexico.

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House Resources Committee Meeting re: BMIC and Sault Tribe Land Claims Settlement Bills — Feb. 6

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

The House Natural Resources Committee, led by Chairman Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:

  • 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.

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Granholm Cuts New Deal on Port Huron Casino

Matthew L.M. Fletcher2 Comments

I read this just after I assign my students a project to assess the Port Huron deal….

From the Port Huron Times Herald:

Gambling on Port Huron
Granholm’s support improves the odds for a riverfront casino

The long-stalled effort to open an Indian-owned casino in Port Huron has received a major boost from Michigan’s governor, who has thrown her support behind the project.

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Bush to Veto Indian Health Care Bill

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From the New York Times:

Bush Threatens Veto of Indian Health Care Bill

The Bush administration threatened to veto Senate legislation designed to improve health care on Indian reservations, objecting to provisions involving pay and benefits for workers on some projects. The legislation would increase screening and mental health programs at the Indian Health Service, improve tribe members’ access to Medicare and Medicaid, and lead to new construction and modernization of health clinics on reservations. The bill would also require that the Davis Bacon Act, under which contractors and subcontractors must pay workers locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits, be applied to some of the projects. The administration said in a statement that the labor provision would violate longstanding administration policy.

Interestingly, NPR reported this morning that the Bush Administration’s reasoning was that the bill looses restrictions on proving citizenship in order to qualify for benefits. Guess they can’t keep their story straight….

Indian Health Care Improvement Act Up For Vote in U.S. Senate

ilpc

Sent to us by Jerilyn Church, Executive Director of the American Indian Health & Family Services of Southeastern MI, Inc.:

Please call your respective United States Senator to ask him or her to vote YES on S. 1200, the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, which according to the Senate Calendar will come up for consideration on Tuesday, January 22. It is especially important for callers to urge their senators to also vote NO on any Urban Indian Health Amendments, which would eliminate funding for urban clinics.

The National Council for Urban Indian Health has disseminated an Urban Indian Health one-pager for callers to use when contacting their Senators.