North Charlotte Today

Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd have expressed approval following the U.S. House of Representatives' passage of the Lumbee Fairness Act. This bipartisan legislation aims to provide the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina with federal benefits afforded to other federally recognized tribes.

"I am dedicated to ensuring that Congress fulfills its six-decade-old promise to grant full federal recognition to the Lumbee people. We are now closer than ever to finally fulfilling that promise," said Senator Tillis. "There is clearly strong bipartisan support for this effort in Congress, and both President Biden and President-elect Trump firmly back recognition. I commend the House for passing the Lumbee Fairness Act, and I will continue to pursue all options to finally achieve full federal recognition for the Lumbee Tribe."

Senator Budd added, "I am pleased that the House has taken an important step to address decades of unfair treatment from the federal government towards the Lumbee people. I am thankful for Senator Tillis’ leadership on the Lumbee Fairness Act and President Trump’s critical support for Lumbee recognition. We will continue to do everything we can to get the Lumbee the full federal recognition they deserve."

The Lumbee Tribe, recognized by North Carolina in 1885, is noted as the largest American-Indian tribe in the Eastern United States. Their pursuit of federal recognition began three years after state acknowledgment. The 1956 enactment of the Lumbee Act granted them federal recognition but included a clause that effectively terminated it during an era focused on Indian termination policies.

Support for recognizing the Lumbee Tribe extends beyond local endorsements, including backing from over 230 federally recognized tribes, national leaders such as President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance, current officeholders like President Biden and Vice President Harris, as well as state officials from North Carolina.

The full text of the Lumbee Fairness Act is available for review.