Categories
· Federal/National
· Cross-Border/Crime
· Tobacco Control
· Tax
· Tribes
USA, by State
· New York
|
Violates Tribal Sovereignty, Harms Western New York Economy
Jump to full article: PR Newswire, 2009-11-23
Author: SOURCE Seneca Nation
Intro: Seneca Nation President Barry E. Snyder said today that Senate Judiciary Committee members have overreacted by approving S. 1147, the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act (PACT Act). If the PACT Act becomes law, there will be significant economic harm to the Seneca Nation, its members, member enterprises and the Western New York Economy.
"At a time of record unemployment in Western New York, Phillip Morris and the Senate Judiciary Committee, acting as this holiday's Grinch, voted to steal 1,000 jobs from our Nation and the Western New York community," said Snyder. "And this all comes just days after I heard how President Obama wants to help Indian country during American Indian Heritage Month. To be clear, the PACT ACT is about a big corporation using the federal government to line its pockets by increasing its market share."
The Seneca Nation has long fought both state and federal lawmaker's attempts to collect taxes on tobacco and gasoline products sold by the Senecas and other Indian nations. According to Snyder, the PACT Act is a direct contradiction of President Obama's statement to "reverse the U.S. government's history of marginalizing and ignoring the plight of Indian nations."
Jump to full article » |