{"id":287470,"date":"2025-11-05T11:24:02","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T17:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/?p=287470"},"modified":"2025-11-06T10:14:20","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T16:14:20","slug":"testimony-michell-hicks-of-eastern-band-of-cherokee-indians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/11\/05\/testimony-michell-hicks-of-eastern-band-of-cherokee-indians\/","title":{"rendered":"TESTIMONY: Michell Hicks of Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"h3-responsive font-weight-bold\">TESTIMONY: Michell Hicks of Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"h5-responsive sub\">Legislative hearing on S.107, the Lumbee Fairness Act<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"date\">Wednesday, November 5, 2025<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"source\">Indianz.Com<\/div>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n&#8226; PDF: <a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-main\/>Testimony of Michell Hicks<\/a> |\r\n<a href=https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-exhibits\/>Exhibits<\/a>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nThe following is the written testimony of Principal Chief Michell Hicks of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ebci.gov\/\">Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians<\/a>. Hicks appears before the <a href=https:\/\/indian.senate.gov\/>Senate Committee on Indian Affairs<\/a> at a legislative hearing on <a href=https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/119th-congress\/senate-bill\/107>S.107<\/a>, the Lumbee Fairness Act, on November 5, 2025.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-01\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1700\" height=\"2200\" data-attachment-id=\"287235\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/11\/05\/testimony-michell-hicks-of-eastern-band-of-cherokee-indians\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-01\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-01.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1700,2200\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-01\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-01.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-01.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-287235\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-02\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1700\" height=\"2200\" data-attachment-id=\"287232\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/11\/05\/testimony-michell-hicks-of-eastern-band-of-cherokee-indians\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-02\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-02.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1700,2200\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-02\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-02.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-02.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-02.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-287232\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-03\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1700\" height=\"2200\" data-attachment-id=\"287233\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/11\/05\/testimony-michell-hicks-of-eastern-band-of-cherokee-indians\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-03\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-03.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1700,2200\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-03\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-03.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-03.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-03.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-287233\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-04\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1700\" height=\"2200\" data-attachment-id=\"287234\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/11\/05\/testimony-michell-hicks-of-eastern-band-of-cherokee-indians\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-04\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-04.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1700,2200\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-04\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-04.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-04.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-04.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-287234\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-05\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1700\" height=\"2200\" data-attachment-id=\"287227\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/11\/05\/testimony-michell-hicks-of-eastern-band-of-cherokee-indians\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-05\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-05.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1700,2200\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-05\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-05.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-05.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-05.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-287227\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-06\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1700\" height=\"2200\" data-attachment-id=\"287229\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/11\/05\/testimony-michell-hicks-of-eastern-band-of-cherokee-indians\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-06\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-06.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1700,2200\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-06\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-06.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-06.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-287229\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-07\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1700\" height=\"2200\" data-attachment-id=\"287230\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/11\/05\/testimony-michell-hicks-of-eastern-band-of-cherokee-indians\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-07\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-07.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1700,2200\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-07\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-07.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-07.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-07.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-287230\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-08\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1700\" height=\"2200\" data-attachment-id=\"287231\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/11\/05\/testimony-michell-hicks-of-eastern-band-of-cherokee-indians\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-08\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-08.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1700,2200\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-08\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-08.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-08.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-08.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-287231\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-09\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1700\" height=\"2200\" data-attachment-id=\"287224\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/11\/05\/testimony-michell-hicks-of-eastern-band-of-cherokee-indians\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-09\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-09.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1700,2200\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-09\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-09.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-09.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-09.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-287224\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-10\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1700\" height=\"2200\" data-attachment-id=\"287225\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/11\/05\/testimony-michell-hicks-of-eastern-band-of-cherokee-indians\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-10\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-10.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1700,2200\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-10\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-10.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-10.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-10.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-287225\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-11\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1700\" height=\"2200\" data-attachment-id=\"287226\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/11\/05\/testimony-michell-hicks-of-eastern-band-of-cherokee-indians\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-11\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-11.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1700,2200\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-11\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-11.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-11.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-287226\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-12\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1700\" height=\"2200\" data-attachment-id=\"287222\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/11\/05\/testimony-michell-hicks-of-eastern-band-of-cherokee-indians\/11-05-2025-testimony-michell-hicks-12\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-12.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1700,2200\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-12\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-12.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-12.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/05\/11.05.2025-Testimony-Michell-Hicks-12.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-287222\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<div class=\"h5-responsive sub\">Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Notice<\/div>\r\n<a href=https:\/\/www.indian.senate.gov\/hearings\/legislative-hearing-on-s-107-the-lumbee-fairness-act-before\/>Legislative Hearing on S.107, the Lumbee Fairness Act<\/a> (November 5, 2025)","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Read the written testimony of Principal Chief Michell Hicks of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":242177,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,13,1,14],"tags":[5366,534,718,5451,184,6360,213,91],"class_list":["post-287470","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-indian-trust","category-law","category-national","category-politics","tag-119th","tag-eastern-cherokee","tag-lumbee","tag-michell-hicks","tag-north-carolina","tag-s-107","tag-scia","tag-senate","no-wpautop"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/30\/IndianzComDefaultImage.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pcoJ7g-1cMC","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287470","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=287470"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287470\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":288661,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287470\/revisions\/288661"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/242177"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=287470"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=287470"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=287470"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}