Senator Thom Tillis on the Lumbee Fairness Act and Tribal Recognition

The Lumbee Fairness Act

• 💡 Senator Thom Tillis introduced the Lumbee Fairness Act to address over a century of injustice, racism, and mistreatment experienced by the Lumbee people.
• 📌 The bill aims to provide federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe, a goal that has been promised but unfulfilled for over 130 years since their initial recognition by the state of North Carolina.

Bipartisan Support and Opposition

• ✅ The Lumbee Fairness Act has garnered overwhelming bipartisan support, with backing from current and former presidents, vice presidents, governors, and nearly every member of the North Carolina congressional delegation.
• ⚠️ A significant obstacle to the bill's passage comes from the Eastern Band of the Cherokee leadership, along with other tribes like the Chuckamaw and Chickasaw.
• 🎯 Senator Mullen, an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, is noted as a key opponent, raising questions about why a policymaker from a tribe would oppose Lumbee recognition.

Historical Context and Injustices

• 📜 The Lumbee were first recognized by North Carolina in 1885 and sought federal recognition 137 years ago.
• ⚖️ During the 20th century, the Lumbee were victims of the termination era, a period marked by racist and Jim Crow policies.
• 🚫 In 1956, the Lumbee Act acknowledged the tribe but denied them the benefits and recognition afforded to other federally recognized tribes, leaving them in a unique