Press Releases

 

Remarks as prepared:

 

Mr. Speaker,

 

Today marks a monumental day for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, the effects of which will transcend for generations.  The Lumbee have fought tirelessly for decades to achieve full recognition by the U.S. Congress.  That day has arrived.   
 
The Lumbee Fairness Act, which I offered as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), will soon head to the President’s desk as part of the annual defense bill for his signature, providing full federal recognition.  This is a historic milestone, decades in the making, and a moment of celebration for a community that has never wavered in its resolve.

 

Ever since the 1956 Lumbee Act denied the tribe the services afforded to other Native nations, the Lumbee people never stopped working to attain their rightful designation.  They came to Washington year after year to right the wrongs of the Termination Era.  These honorable men and women are teachers, veterans, business owners, and public servants with a legacy of service woven into the fabric of Southeastern North Carolina.

 

This amazing achievement would not have been possible without the steadfast leadership of Chairman John Lowery and generations of Lumbee.  Their voice has been heard, and their commitment and perseverance has brought us to this historic moment.   

 

I also want to commend and thank President Trump for his tremendous support, our current Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd as well as former Senators Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr in addition to my many colleagues in the House who continually supported this effort. 

 

Mr. Speaker, I thank them all, for these are great and honorable people who deserve federal recognition as a tribe with all the rights and benefits that come with it.  

 

I yield back.

 

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Background:

The Lumbee Tribe consists of nearly 60,000 members, making it the largest American-Indian tribe east of the Mississippi River and the ninth largest tribe in the nation. Members of the Lumbee Tribe reside primarily in Robeson, Hoke, Cumberland, and Scotland counties.

In 1885, the State of North Carolina formally recognized the Lumbee Tribe. In 1956, Congress recognized the Lumbee as an Indian Tribe when they enacted the Lumbee Act, but the bill unfairly denied the Lumbee any federal services and benefits associated with such recognition. Since then, the Lumbee have continued to fight for full and complete federal recognition.

During the 118th Congress, Congressman David Rouzer (R-NC-07) introduced the Lumbee Fairness Act, with Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) introducing the companion legislation in the Senate. Mr. Rouzer successfully secured a vote on the House Floor and passage of the bill on December 17, 2024. However, despite clearing the House, the Senate did not take it up for consideration.

President Trump has also spoken in support of giving the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina full federal recognition. On January 23, 2025, just days after he was sworn into office, he signed an Executive Order directing the Department of the Interior to develop a plan for granting the Lumbee Tribe full federal recognition. You can watch his remarks here.

On January 16, 2025, Congressman David Rouzer (R-NC-07) reintroduced H.R. 474, the Lumbee Fairness Act. The legislation, offered as an amendment by Congressman David Rouzer (R-NC-07) to the House passed NDAA, was later included in S.1071, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives on December 11, 2025. On December 17, 2025, the Senate passed the FY26 NDAA, sending the Lumbee Fairness Act to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

 

You can read full text of the FY26 NDAA, with inclusion of H.R. 474, the Lumbee Fairness Act, here.