"House Approves Lumbee Tribe's Federal Recognition and Benefits"

Chamber
house

about 2 months ago - Politics

The House of Representatives, which is one part of Congress where laws are made, decided to pass a bill called the "Lumbee Fairness Act." This is an important step for a group of Native Americans known as the Lumbee Tribe, who live in North Carolina. For a long time, the Lumbee Tribe has been asking the United States government to officially recognize them as a federal tribe, which is a very important status for Native American tribes.

Here's what happened with the passing of this bill:

  1. Official Recognition: The Lumbee Tribe will now be officially recognized by the U.S. government, just like other Native American tribes that are already recognized. This is important because it means the government acknowledges their existence and their rights as a tribe.

  2. Access to Federal Services and Benefits: Now that they are recognized, the Lumbee Tribe and its people can apply for and receive federal programs and benefits. These benefits could include health care services, education funds, housing assistance, and other support that the government provides to help Native American tribes.

  3. Land Control: The law gives the tribe more control over their land. The Secretary of the Interior, who is a government official in charge of natural resources and federal lands, can now give land to the Lumbee Tribe. This means the tribe can have more say in what happens to their land and use it in ways that benefit their community.

  4. Legal Matters: The law also clarifies how legal issues involving the tribe will be handled. Normally, the state of North Carolina will take care of criminal and civil matters involving the tribe, unless there's a different agreement made. This helps everyone understand who is in charge of what when it comes to legal issues.

In the end, this bill being passed is a big deal because it changes the political status of the Lumbee Tribe, and it can make life better for the tribe's members. With new opportunities for support and services, the Lumbee Tribe will have more resources to preserve their culture and improve their community in North Carolina.

This is a congressional bill that aims to adjust the Lumbee Act of 1956 to fully recognize the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina as an official Indian tribe. This recognition means the tribe will be treated like other federally recognized tribes in terms of laws and benefits.

Mainly, the bill makes these changes:

  1. It removes some old sections and updates the language to make sure it more clearly defines the Lumbee as a tribe.
  2. The Lumbee Tribe gets official recognition from the government.
  3. The members of this tribe, especially those in certain counties of North Carolina, will now be eligible for federal services and help that other recognized tribes receive.
  4. The bill allows land in their area to be held in trust by the government for the tribe's benefit, which is important for their rights to the land.
  5. It specifies that North Carolina can manage criminal and civil matters on this land, but the federal government can take over jurisdiction if needed after consultations.

Additionally, it authorizes any necessary money from the federal budget to support these activities.

407 votes

Yes

311

No

96

Not Voting

22

  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs .
  2. Introduced in House

    This is a congressional bill that aims to adjust the Lumbee Act of 1956 to fully recognize the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina as an official Indian tribe. This recognition means the tribe will be treated like other federally recognized tribes in terms of laws and benefits.

    Mainly, the bill makes these changes:

    1. It removes some old sections and updates the language to make sure it more clearly defines the Lumbee as a tribe.
    2. The Lumbee Tribe gets official recognition from the government.
    3. The members of this tribe, especially those in certain counties of North Carolina, will now be eligible for federal services and help that other recognized tribes receive.
    4. The bill allows land in their area to be held in trust by the government for the tribe's benefit, which is important for their rights to the land.
    5. It specifies that North Carolina can manage criminal and civil matters on this land, but the federal government can take over jurisdiction if needed after consultations.

    Additionally, it authorizes any necessary money from the federal budget to support these activities.

  3. Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
  4. Introduced in House