Effort to let Maine tribes benefit from more federal laws falls short after veto

By DAVID SHARP
Associated Press

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine lawmakers failed to override the governor’s veto of a bill aimed to ensuring more federal laws apply to tribes in the state. The outcome on Thursday is a bitter blow to tribes that are bound by a land claims settlement that puts them on different footing than the nation’s other 570 federally recognized tribes. Both the Maine House and Senate approved the proposal with big enough majorities to override a veto by Democratic Gov. Janet Mills. But some House members backtracked on Thursday. The 84-57 vote fell short of a two-thirds majority.