Daily News

By Venita Jenkins
Staff writer

PEMBROKE — At least five U.S. senators have placed a hold on the bill that would give federal recognition to the Lumbees, which means the legislation is unlikely to move forward this session.

Congress will recess today and reconvene in November for a one-week session. Members use the week to handle pressing bills and are unlikely to address the Lumbee legislation at that time, a spokesman for U.S. Sen. Richard Burr’s office said.

“We expect it not to be brought up on the floor this year,’’ the spokesman said.

Burr, a North Carolina Republican, is a cosponsor of the Lumbee Recognition Bill and is a member of the Committee on Indian Affairs. The committee submitted a favorable report to the Senate on Sept. 13. It did not amend the bill, which would provide $473 million to the tribe over four years for housing, education, health and economic development. The federal money would help Lumbees who live in Robeson, Hoke, Cumberland and Scotland counties.

If Congress does not act on the bill in November, the tribe will have to start over in its efforts for recognition.

The Committee on Indian Affairs voted in August to forward the bill to the full Senate. However, nearly half its members supported amending the Lumbee Act of 1956 to allow the tribe to go through the Bureau of Indian Affairs for recognition. The act recognized the Lumbees as Indian but denied them benefits. It also prohibited the tribe from going through the bureau to gain recognition.

The tribe had high hopes the bill would pass this year because of Burr’s post on the committee and because of efforts by its lobbyist to sway congressional leaders who had not supported the tribe in the past. (more…)

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