NC delegation trying again to pass bill for recognition of Lumbee Tribe
North Carolina members of Congress are trying again to get the federal government to recognize the Lumbee Tribe.
On Monday, which was also the first day of Native American Heritage Month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would give the tribe full recognition. That recognition would grant Lumbees living in Robeson, Cumberland, Hoke and Scotland counties access to federal services and benefits.
The tribe has been working to get recognized for 130 years, according to Harvey Godwin Jr., tribal chairman.
Last year, U.S. Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis backed an effort to formally recognize the tribe, but it was not included in Congress' end-of-year spending bill. They reintroduced that bill again this April, with support from Republican House members Dan Bishop and Richard Hudson and Democratic House members G.K. Butterfield and David Price.
Numerous efforts to obtain federal recognition have died in Congress after it gave the Lumbees partial recognition decades ago. Partial recognition means the government recognized the Lumbee name but did not give it any benefits. Since 1999, legislation has been introduced in Congress 29 times, according to a statement from Tillis' website.
Godwin said that passing the Lumbee Recognition Act two times in a year is a milestone. Over the past two months, the tribe has been working hard to make sure the effort will be passed in Congress.
"We always have hope for recognition," Godwin said.
The Lumbee is the largest tribe east of the Mississippi, with at least 55,000 members.
"We know who we are, but we want the world to know who we are," he said.
While the state of North Carolina has recognized eight tribes, only one of those tribes is recognized by the federal government – the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Godwin said he hopes that, after the Lumbees becomes formally recognized, they will be able to help sister tribes also receive federal funding.
