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Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
The federal recognition of an Indian tribe can have a tremendous effect on the tribe, surrounding communities, and the nation as a whole. Recognized tribes and their members have almost exclusive access to about $4 billion in funding for health, education, and other social programs provided by the federal government. Additionally, recognition establishes a formal government-to-government relationship between the United States and a tribe. The quasi-sovereign status created by this relationship exempts certain tribal lands from most state and local laws and regulations including, where applicable, laws regulating gambling. Many recognized tribes have opened casinos and other gambling operations some of which have developed into successful enterprises. In 1999, federally recognized tribes reported more gambling revenue than the Nevada casinos collected that year. As of May 2001, there were 5612 recognized tribes with a total membership of about 1.7 million. In addition, several hundred groups are currently seeking federal recognition.
