Legislative Correspondence
City Manager's Office
City Hall
50 West 13th Stred
Dubuque,l{lwa 52001+4R64
(.:563) 5H9-.:i-rJO office
(563) 589-4149 (ax
(563) 690-6678 TDD
ctymgr@cityofdubuque.org
THE CITY OF ( :~-"'\
J'-', .,'''.--''', "'-
j ,q l,)L..li.}Li.
.__...'_.~. ...._-""-~.-
~<k~
August 8, 2006
VIA E-Mail and
1st Class Mail
Senator Charles Grassley
United States Senate
135 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-1501
RE: RIGHT Act
Dear Senator Grassley:
Recently the House Committee on Resources approved the RIGHT Act which would
halt the spread of off-reservation gaming and eliminates the loophole that allowed tribes
to open casinos on non-reservation lands. I urge your support of this bill when it is sent
to the Senate for debate.
The RIGHT Act will halt the increasing trend of a practice known as reservation
shopping, which exploits a loophole in Section 20 of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
(IGRA) and enables Indian tribes to acquire lands outside the borders of their
reservations or tribal homelands, often near urban areas or tourist destinations like
Dubuque, to open casinos. The RIGHT Act closes this loophole and gives local
communities a voice over new casino proposals, something local communities do not
have under current law. This legislation would provide the following safeguards;
· It completely rewrites Section 20 of The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
(IGRA), which authorizes reservation shopping. This means that under no
circumstances can a tribe that already has land in trust acquire more land
that is not contiguous to its reservation, and use it for gaming. This will put
a permanent end to reservation shopping.
· It gives local communities a seat at the table during the process to
mitigate impacts of casinos proposed by newly recognized or restored
tribes. This means the tribe and local community must enter into a
memorandum of understanding where the tribe must pay the community
Xtvic('
I\'llplc
Int{'grity
Rc:-ponsibility
Innovation
Teamwork
Senator Charles Grassley
August 8, 2006
Page 2
for mitigation of direct effects of the casino on infrastructure and services
like transportation and public safety.
· It bans any attempts to establish off-reservation casinos outside of the
state where the tribe presently resides.
· It allows for the creation of "Indian Gaming Zones", where one tribe can
host a gaming facility for another tribe on already existing reservation land
that allows gaming. This co-location is subject to state approval.
I believe that this legislation will correct many of the unanticipated issues that have
developed over the years from the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and I seek your
support of this legislation.
Sincerely, .
j/l;t Iv {{-., ,~/L
Michael C. Van Milligen
City Manager
MCVM:dh
cc: Mayor Roy Buol
DUbuque City Council
City Manager's Office
City Hall
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4R64
(563) 589-4110 office
(363) 589-4149 fax
(563) 690-667R TOD
ctymgr@cit)'ofdubuque.org
~.H~ ~ITY o~l..~"~
: 'I PI',)"
.~",,:.',~~.,. ~,~. -~.:~~:
~<k~
August 8, 2006
VIA E-Mail and
1st Class Mail
Senator Tom Harkin
United States Senate
731 Hart Building
Washington, DC 20510
RE: RIGHT Act
Dear Senator Harkin:
Recently the House Committee on Resources approved the RIGHT Act which would
halt the spread of off-reservation gaming and eliminates the loophole that allowed tribes
to open casinos on non-reservation lands. I urge your support of this bill when it is sent
to the Senate for debate.
The RIGHT Act will haft the increasing trend of a practice known as reservation
shopping, which exploits a loophole in Section 20 of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
(IGRA) and enables Indian tribes to acquire lands outside the borders of their
reservations or tribal homelands, often near urban areas or tourist destinations like
Dubuque, to open casinos. The RIGHT Act closes this loophole and gives local
communities a voice over new casino proposals, something local communities do not
have under current law, This legislation would provide the following safeguards;
· It completely rewrites Section 20 of The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
(IGRA), which authorizes reservation shopping. This means that under no
circumstances can a tribe that already has land in trust acquire more land
that is not contiguous to its reservation, and use it for gaming. This will put
a permanent end to reservation shopping.
· It gives local communities a seat at the table during the process to
mitigate impacts of casinos proposed by newly recognized or restored
tribes. This means the tribe and local community must enter into a
memorandum of understanding where the tribe must pay the community
~".'rl'in'
PeopJt.
Inll'gTi~'
Responsibility
Innovatinn
Teamwork
Senator Tom Harkin
August 8, 2006
Page 2
for mitigation of direct effects of the casino on infrastructure and services
like transportation and public safety.
· It bans any attempts to establish off-reservation casinos outside of the
state where the tribe presently resides.
· It allows for the creation of "Indian Gaming Zones", where one tribe can
host a gaming facility for another tribe on already existing reservation land
that allows gaming. This co-location is subject to state approval.
I believe that this legislation will correct many of the unanticipated issues that have
developed over the years from the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and I seek your
support of this legislation.
Sincerely,
Iii .1.( C;~-., (1z~
Michael C. Van Milligen
City Manager
MCVM:dh
cc: Mayor Roy Suol
Dubuque City Council
City Manilger's Office
City Hall
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4864
(563) 5H9-Ul0 officI:'
(563) 589-4149 fax
(563) 6~678 TOD
ctymgr@dtyofdubuque.org
THE CITY UF C. ~.~~
f) ';--'. .',
:..:~l,~: II '...
~ck~
August 8, 2006
VIA E-mail and
1st Class Mail
Congressman Jim Nussle
303 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1502
RE: RIGHT Act
Dear Congressman Nussle:
Recently the House Committee on Resources approved the RIGHT Act which would
halt the spread of off-reservation gaming and eliminates the loophole that allowed tribes
to open casinos on non-reservation lands. I urge your support of this bill when it comes
to the full floor for debate.
The RIGHT Act will halt the increasing trend of a practice known as reservation
shopping, which exploits a loophole in Section 20 of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
(IGRA) and enables Indian tribes to acquire lands outside the borders of their
reservations or tribal homelands, often near urban areas or tourist destinations like
Dubuque, to open casinos. The RIGHT Act closes this loophole and gives local
communities a voice over new casino proposals, something local communities do not
have under current law. This legislation would provide the following safeguards;
· It completely rewrites Section 20 of The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
(IGRA), which authorizes reservation shopping. This means that under no
circumstances can a tribe that already has land in trust acquire more land
that is not contiguous to its reservation, and use it for gaming. This will put
a permanent end to reservation shopping.
· It gives local communities a seat at the table during the process to
mitigate impacts of casinos proposed by newly recognized or restored
tribes. This means the tribe and local community must enter into a
memorandum of understanding where the tribe must pay the community
for mitigation of direct effects of the casino on infrastructure and services
like transportation and pUblic safety.
~n.kl'
f't.'{lpJe
Illh~b'Tity
Responsibility
innovation
Teamwork
Congressman Jim Nussle
August 8, 2006
Page 2
· It bans any attempts to establish off-reservation casinos outside of the
state where the tribe presently resides.
· It allows for the creation of "Indian Gaming Zones", where one tribe can
host a gaming facility for another tribe on already existing reservation land
that allows gaming. This co-location is subject to state approval.
I believe that this legislation will correct many of the unanticipated issues that have
developed over the years from the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and I seek your
support of this legislation.
Sincerely, .
t.,
" . /-'1 /7 /'!
fit ~ L'il! 01c:______
Michael C. Van Milligen
City Manager
MCVM:dh
cc: Mayor Roy Buol
Dubuque City Council