House Passes Lumbee Fairness Act for 7th Time

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Lumbee Fairness Act, which aims to grant full federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, allowing access to federal services and benefits. This marks the seventh time the House has approved such legislation with a vote of 311-96, but similar measures have historically stalled in the Senate. The Lumbee Tribe, recognized by North Carolina since 1885, consists of approximately 60,000 members primarily in Robeson, Hoke, Cumberland, and Scotland counties. Senator Thom Tillis has introduced a companion bill in the Senate, which, if passed, would rectify the partial recognition given in 1956 under the Lumbee Act, which denied federal benefits. There is bipartisan support for the measure, with backing from both President Biden and former President Trump. However, some Native American groups, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, oppose the method of seeking recognition through Congress rather than the Department of Interior's formal process.