Long wait almost over? Trump pushes for federal recognition of Lumbee Tribe

North Carolna's Lumbee Tribe, which has sought federal recognition for decades, is getting a major boost from President Donald Trump. Trump, in his first week back in office, signed a presidential memo directing the Secretary of the Interior to submit a plan for full federal recognition of the tribe, including full tribal benefits. There are about 60,000 Lumbee in North Carolina, most living in the area around Robeson County. Presidents Obama, Trump and Biden have backed federal recognition for the Lumbee in the past, but the tribe has been unable to achieve a legislative victory. Trump's memo establishes that "it is the policy of the United States to support federal recognition and full tribal benefits for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina." "This is a great step for the new administration, and we encourage Congress to move forward with codifying this policy of President Trump toward full recognition of the Lumbee People," said John E. Lowery, the Lumbee's tribal chairman, in a statement. Eleven of 16 members of North Carolina's congressional delegation re-introduced the Lumbee Fairness Act earlier this month in both the House and the Senate. "I am dedicated to ensuring that Congress fulfills its six-decade-old promise to grant full federal recognition to the Lumbee people," said Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican, at that time. "We are now closer than ever to finally fulfilling that promise. There is clearly strong bipartisan support for this effort in Congress, and both President Biden and President-elect Trump firmly back recognition. This bill has passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support over the past three Congresses. I will continue to pursue all options to finally achieve full federal recognition for the Lumbee Tribe.” Tillis and Sen. Ted Budd backed the Senate version. The House version was led by Republican Reps. David Rouzer and Mark Harris and sponsored by Reps. Richard Hudson, Valerie Foushee, Addison McDowell, Deborah Ross, Greg Murphy, Don Davis and Tim Moore. "They deserve the same rights and privileges granted to other Native American tribes across our country," Budd said earlier this month. "This is a basic matter of fairness."