By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3838 (National Defense Authorization Act FY26) last week which included a tack-on of the Lumbee Fairness Act which would grant full federal acknowledgement to the state-recognized group known as the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. The bill was passed in the House on Sept. 10 by a roll call vote of 231-196.
House Amendment 98 was agreed to prior to the roll call vote and incorporated the text of the Lumbee Fairness Act (H.R. 474) into H.R. 3838. The Senate version of the bill (S.2296) is currently being considered.
For years, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) has opposed Lumbee recognition. EBCI Ugvwiyuhi (Principal Chief) Michell Hicks said in a statement to the One Feather, “Historians and the federal government have repeatedly found that the Lumbee cannot substantiate their claims to be a tribe. Until the name was invented in 1956 there was no such thing as a ‘Lumbee Tribe’. The families they claim to descend from were never identified as Native in historical documents. If Congress passes this legislation, it will be the first time in U.S. history that a group is recognized without evidence of descent from a known historical tribe. If that becomes the standard, the floodgates open—there are hundreds of groups making false claims waiting to cut their own backroom deal.”
He added, “This legislation isn’t recognizing a tribe – it’s creating one out of thin air – at a cost of nearly $2 billion in just five years, with billions more in the years to come.”
Congressman David Rouzer (R-N.C.), who introduced H.R. 474 (Lumbee Fairness Act), said in a statement, “Today marks an historic effort not just for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, but for justice long overdue. I’m proud to stand with the Lumbee people as the House passed legislation to grant them full recognition. This is about dignity, opportunity, and honoring the rich heritage of one of North Carolina’s proudest communities.”
This issue has been before Congress before. Following are the results of Lumbee recognition bills from the past 11 Congresses alone. The bills passed in the House would subsequently die in the Senate.
- The Lumbee Fairness Act (H.R. 1101), in the 118th Congress, passed the House by a vote of 311-96 on Dec. 17, 2024.
- The Lumbee Recognition Act (H.R. 2758), in the 117th Congress, passed the House by a vote of 357-59 on Nov. 1, 2021.
- The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina Recognition Act (H.R. 1964), in the 116th Congress, passed the House by a voice vote on Nov. 16, 2020.
- The Lumbee Recognition Act (H.R. 2352), in the 115th Congress, died in the House Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs.
- The Lumbee Recognition Act (H.R. 184), in the 114th Congress, died in the House Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs.
- The Lumbee Recognition Act (H.R. 1803), in the 113th Congress, died in the House Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs.
- The Lumbee Recognition Act (H.R. 27), in the 112th Congress, died in the House Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs.
- The Lumbee Recognition Act (H.R. 31), in the 111th Congress, passed the House by a vote of 240-179 on June 3, 2009.
- The Lumbee Recognition Act (H.R. 65), in the 110th Congress, passed the House by a vote of 256-128 on June 7, 2007.
- The Lumbee Recognition Act (H.R. 21), in the 109th Congress, died in the House Committee on Resources.
- The Lumbee Recognition Act (S.420), in the 108th Congress, passed the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on Nov. 24, 2003 but never made it to a vote in the Senate. There was no House companion bill in that Congress.
