[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 18 (Tuesday, February 5, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S670-S671]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  PROVIDING FOR EXTENSIONS OF LEASES FOR CERTAIN LAND BY MASHANTUCKET 
                         PEQUOT (WESTERN) TRIBE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Indian Affairs be discharged from further consideration of S. 2457 
and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2457) to provide for extensions of leases of 
     certain land by Mashantucket Pequot (Western) Tribe.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment 
at the desk be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read the third time 
and passed, a motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any 
statements relating to this measure be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 3988) was agreed to, as follows:

        (Purpose: To prohibit gaming activities on certain land)

       At the end, add the following:
       (c) Prohibition on Gaming Activities.--No entity may 
     conduct any gaming activity (within the meaning of section 4 
     of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2703)) 
     pursuant to a claim of inherent authority or any Federal law 
     (including the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 
     et seq.) and any regulations promulgated by the Secretary of 
     the Interior or the National Indian Gaming Commission 
     pursuant to that Act) on any land that is leased with an 
     option to renew the lease in accordance with this section.

  The bill (S. 2457), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 2457

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. EXTENSIONS OF LEASES OF CERTAIN LAND BY 
                   MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT (WESTERN) TRIBE.

         (a) In General.--Any lease of restricted land of the 
     Mashantucket Pequot (Western) Tribe (referred to in this 
     section as the ``Tribe'') entered into on behalf of the Tribe 
     by the tribal corporation of the Tribe chartered pursuant to 
     section 17 of the Act of June 18, 1934 (25 U.S.C. 477), may 
     include an option to renew the lease for not more than 2 
     additional terms, each of which shall not exceed 25 years, 
     subject only to the approval of the tribal council of the 
     Tribe.
       (b) Liability of United States.--The United States shall 
     not be liable to any party for any loss resulting from a 
     renewal of a lease entered into pursuant to subsection (a).
       (c) Prohibition on Gaming Activities.--No entity may 
     conduct any gaming activity (within the meaning of section 4 
     of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2703)) 
     pursuant to a claim of inherent authority or any Federal law 
     (including the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 
     et seq.) and any regulations promulgated by the Secretary of 
     the Interior or the National Indian Gaming Commission 
     pursuant to that Act) on any land that is leased with an 
     option to renew the lease in accordance with this section.

[[Page S671]]



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