Senate proposal under scrutiny for restricting tribal land and gaming, criticized by UKB
Controversial Senate Draft Threatens United Keetoowah Band's Economic Development
A draft Senate provision, authored by Cherokee Nation citizen and member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Markwayne Mullin, could potentially limit the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians (UKB) from acquiring federally designated trust land and operating gaming facilities within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation in Oklahoma.
The UKB strongly opposes this measure, viewing it as an attempt to prevent them from establishing casinos and expanding gaming operations. The band argues that the draft unfairly restricts their sovereign rights and economic development opportunities.
The UKB has historically lacked federally designated trust land, a legal prerequisite under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) for operating casinos. In 2019, the Interior Department took 76 acres into trust for the UKB, allowing them to pursue gaming operations, despite opposition from the Cherokee Nation [1].
The Cherokee Nation currently operates 10 casinos in Oklahoma and maintains exclusive jurisdiction claims over Cherokee lands within the state. The UKB currently has no casinos; its only bingo hall closed in 2013 after legal challenges from the Cherokee Nation [1]. In April 2025, the UKB signed a gaming compact with Oklahoma, now awaiting the Interior Department’s approval, indicating their preparedness to enter the gaming market if trust land status is upheld [1].
The draft Senate provision aims to stop the UKB from purchasing additional trust land and operating gaming within the Cherokee Nation Reservation. UKB Chief Jeff Wacoche has blasted Mullin's proposal, describing it as "a deliberate, targeted act of tribal termination" and "a blatant betrayal of the US government’s trust responsibility, a violation of federal law, and an attack on tribal sovereignty."
Wacoche urged lawmakers, tribal leaders, and the public to demand the amendment's withdrawal. UKB Tribal Council attorney Tori Holland called the draft "very disturbing" and argued that it is concerning because it was introduced by a member of the Cherokee Nation, raising questions about Mullin's potential bias regarding matters affecting the United Keetoowah Band.
Holland was not notified or consulted about the draft and only learned about it through a Freedom of Information Act request, which she found "very disappointing." The proposal is considered "essentially the termination language of a tribe" by Holland.
The problem between the Cherokee Nation and the United Keetoowah Band is deeply rooted in decades-old conflicts. Mullin also wishes that no other tribe would be given tribal jurisdiction within the respective territory, and that any trust land held by another tribe can only be used for non-gaming purposes only.
UKB Chief Wacoche compared the draft to "genocide by redline," saying it was "carried out not with muskets or manifest destiny, but with a secret pen in a Senate office." The UKB insists on the immediate removal of the draft Senate provision, arguing that it threatens their tribal sovereignty and economic future.
[1] Source: The Oklahoman [5] Source: The Cherokee Phoenix
- The controversial Senate draft, authored by Markwayne Mullin, who is a Cherokee Nation citizen, could hinder the United Keetoowah Band's economic development by preventing them from acquiring trust land for casino and gaming facilities within the Cherokee Nation Reservation in Oklahoma.
- The UKB's opposition to this measure stems from its perception that the draft unfairly restricts their sovereign rights and opportunities for economic development, particularly in casino-and-gambling and casino-games, such as poker and bingo.
- In a highly controversial move, the draft Senate provision aims to stop the UKB from purchasing additional trust land and operating gambling establishments within the Cherokee Nation Reservation, as policy-and-legislation and crime-and-justice questions are raised regarding Mullin's potential bias towards the Cherokee Nation.
- General-news outlets like The Oklahoman and The Cherokee Phoenix report on the ongoing feud, with UKB Chief Jeff Wacoche describing the draft as a "deliberate, targeted act of tribal termination" that threatens the UKB's tribal sovereignty and economic future.
- Lotteries and gaming compacts play a significant role in the dispute, with the UKB having signed a gaming compact with Oklahoma in April 2025, awaiting Interior Department approval, and the draft aiming to limit their ability to enter the gaming market.
- The long-standing conflict between the Cherokee Nation and the United Keetoowah Band is reminiscent of war-and-conflicts, with UKB Chief Wacoche even likening the draft Senate provision to "genocide by redline" and questioning the integrity of politics and the legislative process that produced it.
