A big win today for The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas as the bill to keep Naskila Gaming, the Class II Indian Gaming facility on their reservation, passes in the U.S House of Representatives.

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 allows Indian reservations to have these types of facilities, however the State of Texas does not see it this way.

Congressman Brian Babin, who authored the bill, cites the Class II gaming facility at the Traditional Kickapoo Tribe of Texas, and how it has been open since 1996 with no interference from the state, as the main reasoning for the bill.

“It’s a matter of fairness, that’s what this bill is all about,” said US Representative Brian Babin in a previous KETK News story. “Treat the Alabama-Coushatta the way the Kickapoo Tribe of Texas is being treated.”

When we last visited the tribe H.R. 759 had passed in the first committee.

At the time tribal council chairwoman Cecilia Flores was “confident” it would pass.

Supporters of the bill say it’s a matter of economic development citing the estimated $140 million the gaming facility injects into the local economy each year.

Flores met US Senator John Cornyn at a fundraiser in Tyler County recently. Cornyn said he would support the bill in the Senate if it passed in the House.

Though their support continues, the Alabama-Coushatta suspect the biggest challenge will be getting the bill through the Senate.

Watch the debate on C-SPAN here.

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