House once again passes Lumbee recognition bill

Recognition

Thursday, June 4, 2009

The House voted 240-179 on Wednesday to pass H.R.31, a bill to recognize the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

The bill ensures the tribe can follow the land-into-trust process in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar. It also bars the tribe from engaging in gaming regardless of any state or federal law.

Most Democrats voted for the bill. But there were some holdouts, including Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (D-South Dakota), who otherwise is a strong supporter of Indian issues, and Rep. Dan Boren (D-Oklahoma), who represents the Cherokee Nation, whose leaders oppose Lumbee recognition.

Rep. Heath Shuler (D-North Carolina), whose district includes the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, voted no. He is sponsoring a rival bill that would require the tribe to seek recognition through the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Michigan) also voted no, even though he has introduced H.R.1358, a bill to recognize the Burt Lake Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

On the Republican side, Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma) voted no. He is a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma.

During the termination era, Congress passed a law that identified the Lumbees as Indian but denied them services as a federally recognized tribe. Two other tribes that were treated in the same way already had their status restored by subsequent acts of Congress.

Get the Story:
U.S. House backs Lumbee recognition (The Fayetteville Observer 6/4)
House passes U.S. recognition of Lumbee (The Charlotte News & Observer 6/4)
House passes bills to recognize seven tribes (AP 6/4)

Lumbee Recognition Bills:
H.R.31 | H.R.839