Lumbee Recognition Senate Hearing Draws Crowds This Week in D.C.

Photo: Lumbee Chairman John Lowery testified before US Senate testified for Lumbee Federal Recognition

On November 5, 2025, the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held a legislative hearing on S. 107, the Lumbee Fairness Act, marking the first Senate discussion of Lumbee federal recognition since 2021. The hearing, chaired by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), drew a large crowd, requiring a move to a bigger room in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, and highlighted bipartisan support amid ongoing opposition from some federally recognized tribes.

The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, with over 60,000 members primarily in Robeson and surrounding counties, is the largest Native American tribe east of the Mississippi River and the ninth-largest in the U.S. State-recognized since 1885, the tribe has pursued full federal recognition for nearly 140 years. In 1956, Congress passed the Lumbee Act, acknowledging the tribe but denying access to federal benefits under the Indian Termination Era policies—a "cruel" caveat that left them in legal limbo, according to supporters.

S. 107, reintroduced in January 2025 by Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Ted Budd (R-NC) with 18 cosponsors, aims to amend the 1956 Act and grant full recognition, making Lumbee members eligible for Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Health Service, and other federal programs. The bill has passed the House multiple times, most recently in December 2024 by a 311-96 vote, but stalled in the Senate.

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Key Testimonies and Support

• Sen. Thom Tillis delivered opening remarks, calling the issue "personal" and an "injustice that needs to be righted," noting 137 years of delays and support from over 235 federally recognized tribes, including the Alaska Federation of Natives. He highlighted President Trump's January 2025 memorandum directing the Interior Department to pursue recognition paths and vowed to "move heaven and earth" for passage.
• Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery testified that the 1956 Act placed the tribe in "legal limbo only Congress can resolve," hoping to be the last chairman testifying on the issue. Tribe attorney Arlinda Locklear emphasized the "richest record" for any non-recognized tribe, allowing confident congressional action.
• The Department of the Interior submitted written testimony supporting the bill, stating it would not diminish other tribes' rights, but declined in-person testimony due to a government shutdown.

Bipartisan backing was evident, with endorsements from President Trump (who promised recognition during his 2024 campaign and issued supportive actions in 2025), former President Biden, and North Carolina's delegation. A pre-hearing press conference featured Tillis, Budd, and Lumbee leaders urging action.

Opposition and Concerns

Opposition centered on bypassing the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Office of Federal Acknowledgment (OFA) process, which critics argue ensures rigorous proof of continuous tribal existence and ancestry.

• Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Chief Michell Hicks testified against the bill, fearing "falsehood becoming federal law" and questioning Lumbee lineage, urging OFA review. Over 100 tribes reportedly oppose congressional recognition for Lumbee.
• Fiscal and precedential worries were raised, though the bill lacks an appropriations section to avoid mandatory funding mandates.

The hearing record remains open for two weeks for additional submissions, with no immediate vote. Proponents see momentum from Trump's support and bipartisan unity, while opponents insist on administrative review. The debate underscores broader tensions in federal tribal recognition, balancing historical inequities with procedural integrity.

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