The offices of North Carolina’s two U.S. senators, Richard Burr and Kay Hagan, have announced that they have sponsored a bill granting the Lumbee Indian tribe federal recognition.
“I am proud to introduce this legislation because the Lumbee Tribe should receive the federal recognition they deserve,” Burr, a Republican, said in a statement. “Currently, this can only happen through an act of Congress. I hope that the Senate will fulfill its commitment to achieve fairness and justice for the Lumbees.”
“This bill will give the Lumbee Tribe federal recognition, which is long overdue,” Hagan, a Democrat, said in a statement. “I am pushing for this bill to be promptly considered in the Senate so the thousands of Lumbees will finally get the credit they deserve.”
Both senators’ offices note that a 1956 act prevents the Lumbees from accessing benefits that other federally recognized tribes receive.
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