House committee debating status of Lumbee Tribe

[Smokin' Ace]

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House committee debating status of Lumbee Tribe
Thursday, April 1, 2004

The House Resources Committee will hold a hearing today on a bill to recognize the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

Tribal members have asked for federal status since the late 1800s. They thought they gained recognition through Congress in 1956 but later found out the law actually terminated their status as Indians.

As a result, the tribe cannot go through the Bureau of Indian Affairs federal acknowledgment process. So lawmakers from North Carolina are sponsoring a bill to outright recognize the tribe.

The tribe faces opposition from the Eastern Band of Cherokees, also of North Carolina. The tribe's principal chief will testify to lift the BIA prohibition and require the tribe to go through that process. Tim Martin of the United South and Eastern Tribes (USET), some of whose membership received recognition through Congress, will also call for the tribe to go through the BIA.

The hearing starts at 10 a.m. An audio-only link can be found at http://resourcesaudio.house.gov/1324.

Get the Story:
Lumbees to present case for recognition (The Fayetteville Observer 4/1)

Get Lumbee Bills:
Dole: S.420 | McIntyre: H.R.898 | Taylor: H.R.1408

Relevant Links:
Official Lumbee Tribe website - http://www.lumbeetribe.com
Lumbee Regional Development Association - http://www.lumbee.org

Related Stories:
House committee takes up recognition process (4/1)
House panel holds hearing on Lumbee recognition (3/22)
Supporters of Lumbee recognition bill expect fight (12/18)
Lumbee recognition bill delayed on Senate floor (12/03)
Eastern Cherokee Tribe afraid of Lumbee recognition (11/04)
Lumbee Tribe going to polls to elect new chair (11/3)
Senate panel advances Lumbee recognition bill (10/30)
Senate panel takes up Lumbee recognition bill (10/29)
Senate panel to decide on Lumbee recognition (10/08)
Benefits of Lumbee recognition said to be many (9/22)
Lumbee Tribe makes case for federal recognition (09/18)
Senate panel holds hearing on Lumbee recognition (09/18)
Lumbee delegation pushing for federal recognition (9/15)
Senate panel to hold hearing on Lumbee recognition (09/04)
School board supports recognition of Lumbee Tribe (08/12)
Senate panel to hold hearing on Lumbee recognition (8/4)
Lumbee Tribe hopes for resolution of status (3/19)
Lumbee tribal members debate extent of territory (3/7)
Opinion: Approve recognition of Lumbee Tribe (2/27)
Group says Lumbee recognition means casino (2/26)
Sen. Dole backs Lumbee recognition bill (02/19)
Lumbee Tribe seeks support fot federal status (2/18)
Lumbee recognition bill to be delayed (01/09)
Lumbee Tribe hopes for recognition (11/27)

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[Okwataga]

So who was able to listen in and what are your thoughts?

[Shalee]

They should have to go through the BIA to become Federally Recognized.

[lumbeedancer]

So who was able to listen in and what are your thoughts?

I was able to listen to like 20 minutes of it, then I had to go to class, I did get back in time to catch like the last hour though.

From what I was able to hear (on both sides of the case), I thought a lot of good issues were brought up, one's that I'm going to give my opinion on as soon as I've been able to go back and read the minutes of the testimonies that I missed.

*Which should be posted on the House's webpage by tomorrow, if anyone else is interested!