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Lumbee recognition bill must start over
By Venita Jenkins
Staff writer
LUMBERTON - An effort to pass the Lumbee Acknowledgement Act as part of a spending bill failed Saturday, meaning the tribe will have to begin its recognition efforts anew next year, one lawmaker said.
Sen. Elizabeth Dole, a Republican from Salisbury, tried to add the Lumbee legislation to an omnibus appropriations bill that provides money for projects such as road repairs and beach erosion.
"Our goal is to try to find a vehicle to get the Lumbee bill attached. There was a block on this vehicle,'' said Brian Nick, a spokesman in Dole's office. "Senator Dole will continue to work on the bill during the next Congress.''
Dole and U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre, a Democrat from Lumberton, each submitted legislation in February 2003 that would provide federal recognition to the Lumbees. The tribe has more than 50,000 members with the majority living in Robeson and surrounding counties.
Federal recognition could mean more than $400 million over four years to help the tribe with education, economic development, housing and health care.
Congress recognized the tribe in 1956 through the Lumbee Act, but the law denied the tribe benefits and privileges that other federally recognized tribes receive.
The Lumbees have petitioned the federal government at least nine times for recognition. The first attempt was in 1888.
Tribal members and Dole testified before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in September 2003. The committee forwarded the bill to the Senate, where it stalled.
Members of the House Resources Committee heard testimony in April. The bill did not come out of committee.
"The effort to achieve federal recognition for the Lumbee Indians will begin anew and in earnest when the 109th Congress convenes in January 2005,'' McIntyre said. "With 232 co-sponsors, we have a strong foundation on which we can continue to build to secure this much-deserved recognition. The fight will continue until the victory is achieved.''
Groundwork done
Lawyer Arlinda Locklear, who is Lumbee, is working with the tribe to gain federal recognition. Locklear said important groundwork has been done.
"We have gotten pretty far along the road,'' Locklear said. "We have commitments and support from members of both the House and Senate. We think that will be very helpful in moving the bill next year.''
Opposition to the tribe's efforts has been a stumbling block.
"Part of the problem is the Eastern Band of the Cherokee had blocked us at every turn,'' Locklear said. "Unfortunately, the Eastern Band does not understand a lot of the Lumbee history. It's harder to get the truth out about the Lumbee tribe.''
Opponents, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee, have argued that the Lumbees should go through the Department of Interior to gain federal recognition. However, language in the 1956 Lumbee Act prevents the tribe from doing that.
U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor, a Republican from Brevard, submitted legislation in March 2003 that would allow the Lumbees to go through the process established by the Department of Interior.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee is the only federally recognized tribe in North Carolina. The Eastern Band has opposed federal acknowledgment of the Lumbees since at least 1910. Principal Chief Michell Hicks testified before the House Resources Committee.
"I am pleased that Lumbee recognition did not pass,'' Hicks told the Cherokee One Feather newspaper in a release Tuesday. "The Eastern Band has a long standing position that Congress should not directly federally recognize the Lumbee or any other group as an Indian tribe. There is a process at Interior that weeds out the real from the pretend. We think it should be allowed to work.''
The tribe plans to regroup and begin lobbying again in January. The tribe is paying a lobbyist $10,000 a month to help. It is considering hiring additional help.
"This means we will have to start all over again,'' Locklear said. "It will be up to the committees on how we will proceed. We may have to testify again, or the committees may rely on the previous records. Whatever their pleasure is is what we will do. We will do our best to move this forward.''
Staff writer Venita Jenkins can be reached at [email protected] or (910) 738-9158
By Venita Jenkins
Staff writer
LUMBERTON - An effort to pass the Lumbee Acknowledgement Act as part of a spending bill failed Saturday, meaning the tribe will have to begin its recognition efforts anew next year, one lawmaker said.
Sen. Elizabeth Dole, a Republican from Salisbury, tried to add the Lumbee legislation to an omnibus appropriations bill that provides money for projects such as road repairs and beach erosion.
"Our goal is to try to find a vehicle to get the Lumbee bill attached. There was a block on this vehicle,'' said Brian Nick, a spokesman in Dole's office. "Senator Dole will continue to work on the bill during the next Congress.''
Dole and U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre, a Democrat from Lumberton, each submitted legislation in February 2003 that would provide federal recognition to the Lumbees. The tribe has more than 50,000 members with the majority living in Robeson and surrounding counties.
Federal recognition could mean more than $400 million over four years to help the tribe with education, economic development, housing and health care.
Congress recognized the tribe in 1956 through the Lumbee Act, but the law denied the tribe benefits and privileges that other federally recognized tribes receive.
The Lumbees have petitioned the federal government at least nine times for recognition. The first attempt was in 1888.
Tribal members and Dole testified before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in September 2003. The committee forwarded the bill to the Senate, where it stalled.
Members of the House Resources Committee heard testimony in April. The bill did not come out of committee.
"The effort to achieve federal recognition for the Lumbee Indians will begin anew and in earnest when the 109th Congress convenes in January 2005,'' McIntyre said. "With 232 co-sponsors, we have a strong foundation on which we can continue to build to secure this much-deserved recognition. The fight will continue until the victory is achieved.''
Groundwork done
Lawyer Arlinda Locklear, who is Lumbee, is working with the tribe to gain federal recognition. Locklear said important groundwork has been done.
"We have gotten pretty far along the road,'' Locklear said. "We have commitments and support from members of both the House and Senate. We think that will be very helpful in moving the bill next year.''
Opposition to the tribe's efforts has been a stumbling block.
"Part of the problem is the Eastern Band of the Cherokee had blocked us at every turn,'' Locklear said. "Unfortunately, the Eastern Band does not understand a lot of the Lumbee history. It's harder to get the truth out about the Lumbee tribe.''
Opponents, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee, have argued that the Lumbees should go through the Department of Interior to gain federal recognition. However, language in the 1956 Lumbee Act prevents the tribe from doing that.
U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor, a Republican from Brevard, submitted legislation in March 2003 that would allow the Lumbees to go through the process established by the Department of Interior.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee is the only federally recognized tribe in North Carolina. The Eastern Band has opposed federal acknowledgment of the Lumbees since at least 1910. Principal Chief Michell Hicks testified before the House Resources Committee.
"I am pleased that Lumbee recognition did not pass,'' Hicks told the Cherokee One Feather newspaper in a release Tuesday. "The Eastern Band has a long standing position that Congress should not directly federally recognize the Lumbee or any other group as an Indian tribe. There is a process at Interior that weeds out the real from the pretend. We think it should be allowed to work.''
The tribe plans to regroup and begin lobbying again in January. The tribe is paying a lobbyist $10,000 a month to help. It is considering hiring additional help.
"This means we will have to start all over again,'' Locklear said. "It will be up to the committees on how we will proceed. We may have to testify again, or the committees may rely on the previous records. Whatever their pleasure is is what we will do. We will do our best to move this forward.''
Staff writer Venita Jenkins can be reached at [email protected] or (910) 738-9158
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