President Donald Trump is poised to sign into law legislation granting full federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, granting health care, housing and educational assistance to about 60,000 members in the southeastern part of the state.
The largest American-Indian tribe east of the Mississippi River, the Lumbee have sought federal recognition as a tribal nation for more than a century. Earlier this week, the tribe secured recognition with the U.S. Senate passing the Lumbee Fairness Act as part of a national defense legislation, teeing it up for the president’s signature.
The passage “affords the Lumbee People the full benefits and services long afforded to other federally recognized tribes,’’ said Rep. David Rouzer, a Republican representing District 7 in southeastern North Carolina. He introduced the legislation in the House while Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, offered companion legislation in his chamber.
The recognition “opens the door to new economic opportunities and resources for southeastern North Carolina,’’ according to a statement from Rouzer’s office yesterday.
North Carolina formally recognized the Lumbee Tribe in 1885. Then in 1956, Congress recognized the Lumbee as an Indian tribe; however, the legislation denied the tribe federal services and benefits associated with such recognition, according to Rouzer.
The recognition is widely viewed as a potential economic boon for Robeson County, where more than a third of the 117,000 residents are Lumbee. Many expect the tribe to develop a casino near Interstate 95 that could become a major job-creating tourism attraction. The Eastern Band of the Cherokee, a Native American tribe that operates casinos in Cherokee and Murphy in western North Carolina, have been vocal opponents of Lumbee recognition.
Robeson Community College, the county’s main higher education institution with 8,500 enrolled students, issued a statement noting that recognition”reflects generations of advocacy, resilience, and leadership. It also creates new opportunities to advance self-determination, expand access to vital resources, and preserve cultural traditions for generations to come.”
