Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) and Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (D-TX) introduced the Tribal Gaming Regulatory Compliance Act to ensure the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas, along with all other federally recognized tribes eligible for gaming, are regulated under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).
“I’m proud to introduce the Tribal Gaming Regulatory Compliance Act to ensure these tribes have equal opportunities for economic growth and job creation,” Luttrell said. “Clarifying that the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe is covered under IGRA will allow them to continue investing in their community and providing essential government services on the reservation.”
“Equality for all federally recognized tribes is long overdue,” Escobar said. “Following the 2022 Supreme Court ruling in Ysleta del Sur Pueblo et al v. Texas, this legislation is a continuation of our bipartisan efforts to codify equal treatment and opportunities under the law.”
Luttrell previously introduced this legislation in the 118th Congress.
“Naskila Casino is a proven engine of economic activity for Deep East Texas, responsible for 825 permanent jobs and more than $200 million in annual activity. We are grateful that Congressman Morgan Luttrell and other Texans in Congress are working to protect the economic well-being of our region and the sustainability of our tribe. The United States Supreme Court and United States District Court-Eastern District of Texas have affirmed and upheld our right to offer electronic bingo on our reservation and now we hope that Congress will put us under the same regulatory framework as other tribes across the country,” former Tribal Council Chairman Ricky Sylestine said when Luttrell introduced the legislation in 2023.
“Many tribal nations rely on gaming to fund the infrastructure and services their communities need, and it is important that all tribal nations offering gaming are treated equally and regulated under the same federal framework. This includes both the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas and Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, each of which should be regulated no differently than any other tribal nations anywhere throughout the United States, so that they, too, can engage in gaming operations that are critically important to their people and their communities,” Larry Wright Jr., executive director of National Congress of American Indians, said.
“Tribal Nations across the United States stand with the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas and Ysleta del Sur Pueblo as they seek to be under the same regulatory structure as other tribal nations. These tribal nations make significant contributions to their communities and to the Texas economy, and it is important that all tribal nations are governed under a consistent structure that provides fairness and certainty for their citizens,” Chief Kirk Francis Sr., president of the USET Sovereignty Protection Fund, said.
